Webster’s 9th Annual DEI Conference to Focus on Affirmative Action

PHOTO:  Panelists post during Webster's 2023 DEI Conference. The 2024 Conference will be held Feb. 26 and 27.

Webster University’s Ninth Annual Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Conference will explore the state of “affirmative action.” The conference, “Navigating an Unclear Path Together,” will feature local, regional, and national experts who will discuss how the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling last year that forbid universities and colleges from using affirmative action for admissions decisions is impacting businesses, philanthropic organizations, educational institutions and individuals. 

The Rev. Starsky Wilson, president and CEO of the Children’s Defense Fund (CDF) and CDF Action Council, will be the opening keynote speaker. The two-day conference will be held Feb. 26 and Feb. 27. The event is free and open to the public with both in-person and virtual options, but registration is required. 

“This year’s conference will focus on the DEI landscape today and what practical recommendations the wider community can adopt to navigate a rapidly changing environment for higher education, business, and philanthropy,” said Webster University Chancellor Elizabeth (Beth) J. Stroble. “Over the two days, our speakers and experts will share their resources, expertise, and advice focused on effectively sustaining organizations' ongoing commitments to diversity, equity, and inclusion at a time of increased scrutiny and legal challenges."

The event will kick off at 7 p.m. Feb. 26 in the Loretto-Hilton Center with a presentation from Wilson. Wilson previously was president and chief executive officer of Deaconess Foundation, a faith-based philanthropy for child well-being and racial justice in St. Louis. From 2008 through 2018, he pastored Saint John’s Church (The Beloved Community), a multiracial congregation in the city.  Under his leadership, the foundation constructed and established the Deaconess Center for Child Well-Being, a community action tank engaging thousands of citizens annually. After the police killing of Michael Brown, Jr., the church hosted the #BlackLivesMatter Freedom Ride to Ferguson and other mobilizations.

Wilson was appointed co-chair of the Ferguson Commission, which released the “Forward Through Ferguson: A Path Toward Racial Equity” report, calling for sweeping changes in policing, the courts, child well-being and economic mobility in 2015. He currently serves on boards for Duke Divinity School, the Samuel DeWitt Proctor Conference, and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

After Wilson’s keynote speech, the conference resumes at 8 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 27 in the Browning Hall auditorium with discussions on affirmative action at businesses, how the Supreme Court ruling is impacting fund-raising efforts, how educational institutions are reacting to the ruling, and how the ruling has impacted individuals. Panelists participating in those discussions include:

• Alisa Warren (Human Rights Commission, Missouri Department of Labor)
• Larnise Boain (Reinsurance Group of America)
• Amy Hunter (Caleres)
• Anson Sobers (Edward Jones)
• Kelvin Adams (St. Louis Community Foundation)
• Jennifer Bell (Webster University)
• Kristin Johnson (Edward Jones)
• Trent Ball (Missouri College Career & Attainment Network)
• Faith Sandler (The Scholarship Foundation of St. Louis)

The topic of affirmative action was selected after the Supreme Court voted 6-3 this past June to strike down the program, reversing more than 60 years of precedence in college admissions. Since then, attempts have been made to extend the ruling to other circumstances, arguing that affirmative action cannot be used in any situation, including in the awarding of financial aid, scholarships, grants, hiring or even the way communications are written to reach specific student populations.

“Since that ruling and some attorneys general’s interpretation, institutions of higher education have struggled to figure out how they are to serve those with the most need,” said Vincent C. Flewellen, Webster University’s associate vice president for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. “We look forward to a series of vigorous discussions on this and other related topics and to walk away with potential action items that the community can use to continue their good work while also abiding by these rulings.”

A full schedule for the conference can be found on the DEI Conference's registration page. 

This year’s conference is sponsored by INUNI, RGA, BJC, Nestle Purina, Schnucks, Brown and Crouppen, Lockton Companies, Cigna, and Delta Dental. Visit Webster University’s DEI Conference page to learn more about the conference.