ACPA-Michigan is excited to announce that we will be hosting our annual Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Drive-In Conference on Friday, May 15th at Siena Heights University! Our theme this year is "Cultivating Hope and Belonging: Empowering Communities to Thrive," encouraging attendees to "find their people" and work toward a better tomorrow.
With that in mind, we are excited to announce that Program Proposals are now being accepted! Have something you're really eager to talk about that relates to this theme? Submit a program proposal here. We will be accepting proposals through March 22nd, 2026, so be sure to get your proposal in soon!
Conference Learning Objectives
As a result of attending the 2026 JEDI Conference:
- Participants will be able to identify strategies for advancing justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion (JEDI) within their professional contexts through community-centered and relationship-based approaches.
- Participants will be able to connect JEDI theories and frameworks to practical actions that support belonging and empowerment in higher education settings.
- Participants will be able to apply concepts of critical hope and empowerment to sustain equity-focused work in higher education and student affairs.
REFLECTIONS FROM THE PAST
“Overall, I really enjoyed this conference! I appreciated the important presentation topics that were provided. Some of the topics are tough, but they are necessary, especially right now.”
Feedback from 2025
“I thought the conference went very well. The atmosphere was great for the size of the
conference. I thought the time to interact with others was a powerful feature and gave good pace to the entire conference.”
Feedback from 2018
“I really enjoyed the conference. It was a great networking opportunity. I liked that it was grad focused.”
Feedback from 2018
REGISTRATION
Registration Fees
| Member Category | Early Bird Registration Rates (Register by April 12, 2026) |
Regular Registration Rates (Register by May 15, 2026) |
| Professional ACPA Member | $75 | $100 |
| Professional Non-Member | $105 | $150 |
| Student ACPA Member | $25 | $35 |
| Student Non-Member | $35 | $45 |
NOTE: ACPA-Michigan is also pleased to offer a group rate for groups of 5 or more people. To get the group discount code, email michigan@acpa.nche.edu before your group members register. In your email, please include the names of those attending in your group. Only one person from the group needs to email us to get the group discount code. Group discount codes must be applied at the time of registration and cannot be applied retroactively.
HOTEL INFORMATION
Hampton Inn & Suites Adrian
1335 S. Main St., Adrian, MI, 49221
Carlton Lodge Hotel and Suites
1629 W. Maumee St., Adrian, MI, 49221
Comfort Inn & Suites Adrian
425 Industrial Dr., Adrian, MI, 49221
PROGRAM
Tentative Schedule Will Be Released Soon!
FEATURED SPEAKERS
KEYNOTE SPEAKER
Dr. Nicholas L. Wright
Inclusive Excellence Leader | Social Justice Advocate | Strategic Changemaker | Professional Speaker | Developing Inclusive Cultures to Promote Authenticity
Assistant Vice President, Division of Inclusive Excellence | Gonzaga University
ACPA Chair for Racial Justice Strategies
Nicholas Lamar Wright, Ph.D. is a champion of social justice, inclusion, belonging, & accessibility. He is a nationally recognized, award-winning higher education leader, scholar, and practitioner who excels at making connections and building inclusive cultures. Dr. Wright identifies as a multiracial (Black/White) man who graduated from the University of Louisville with a Doctor of Philosophy in Counseling and Personnel Services, specializing in College Student Personnel.
Dr. Wright has a history of working in various functional areas in higher education, primarily in Disability Support Services, Diversity & Inclusion, and Academic Affairs. In Dr. Wright’s tenure, he has positively impacted the campus culture at the University of Louisville, St. Cloud State University, and University of Kentucky. In his current role as Assistant Vice President in the Division of Inclusive Excellence at Gonzaga University, he creates an environment for all students, staff, and faculty to establish authentic belonging.
Dr. Wright has conducted several research studies and published scholarship in the Journal of College Student Development, Inside HigherEd, Journal of College & Character, Genealogy, Developments, HELEN: The Journal of Human Exceptionality, and various chapters in academic literature on topics such as multiraciality, the impact mentoring has on the campus racial climate, sense of belonging, prioritizing accessibility, and disability equity. Through his research in multiraciality, he was the first to coin the term chronic codeswitching to describe the complex goal of capturing how Black/White multiracial students in higher education navigate broader intersectional ties stemming from their multiracial identities.
Dr. Wright has presented across the nation and internationally at various companies, higher education institutions, and conventions such as College Student Educators International (ACPA), National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA), National Conference on Race & Ethnicity (NCORE), & the International Organization of Social Sciences and Behavioral Research (IOSSBR). He has led over 200 educational programs, training sessions, and workshops on a variety of topics focused on accessibility, multiraciality, bias, belonging, and mentoring. Dr. Wright is a proud member of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Incorporated, and truly embodies the core values of Brotherhood, Scholarship, & Service.
EXPSENSE REQUEST AND JUSTIFICATION LETTER
ACPA-MI understands that conference attendance can be a budgetary challenge for your organization or department. We have developed a justification letter to assist you in crafting a letter of financial request to your supervisor. Simply fill in the blanks after downloading the document below!
ABOUT SIENA HEIGHTS UNIVERSITY
Siena Heights University was founded in 1919 and sponsored by the Adrian Dominican Sisters.
Enrolling a diverse community of traditional-age and working adult students, Siena Heights is a coeducational institution accredited by the Higher Learning Commission that was founded in the liberal arts tradition, offering associate’s, bachelor’s and master’s degrees.
Parking for the Conference
Parking information will be released closer to the conference.
