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JACKET SUMMIT
  July 15, 2021

The first inaugural Jacket Summit will bring together local, state, regional, and national leaders in a Career Readiness Call for Action conversation. (Full News Release)

As an independent higher education institution, we are acutely aware of the criticisms of our field regarding student preparation for the 21 st century workforce. At Defiance College, we believe we have an effective response to those criticisms and will ask attendees to join us in further rectifying these concerns, uniting to create the skills needed for the 21 st century workforce, and partnering with us to bring innovation to higher education through Jacket Journey.

Not only will we discuss the concerns of today's workforce and how we might work together to solve them, the event will also give faculty and employers time to directly interact. We want our faculty to hear first-hand about employer needs and be able to adjust their learning objectives appropriately. 

Joretta NelsonKEYNOTE SPEAKER

JORETTA NELSON, PH.D.
VICE CHAIRMAN & FOUNDER OF MTN
Joretta is known on campuses and at Credo as a dedicated student success advocate. Whether advising presidents, leading strategic planning, or consulting on academic and student success projects, Joretta keeps student success at the center of her work. Joretta developed and launched Credo's unique Moving the Needle project in 2011 - a comprehensive two-year student success project that serves to transform campus culture, building the on-campus infrastructure, collaboration, and buy-in needed to sustain higher levels of retention for an institution. Her early background as both a faculty member and an administrator provided a framework for her focus on the research and successful strategies that help students thrive.

A frequent speaker and guest lecturer at higher education conferences and campuses across the country, Joretta enjoys connecting with her audiences and empowering independent college and university campuses to succeed by putting students first. She has an uncanny ability to relate and communicate, ensuring each client and colleague feels heard and supported. Joretta previously served positions as a member of senior leadership teams at Brevard College and Union College, and as a faculty member in music departments on various campuses. Joretta earned her Ph.D. in Higher Education from Azusa Pacific University, where her dissertation focused on student motivation, exertion of effort, and institutional impact. An accomplished musician, particularly as a choral conductor, Joretta received her B.A. in music from the University of California at Los Angeles and completed choral conducting master's studies at California State University at Fullerton.

AGENDA

9:00 AM - Welcome
   Richanne C. Mankey, President of Defiance College
   Mike McCann, Mayor of the City of Defiance
   Agnes Caldwell, Vice President and Dean of Academics at Defiance College
   Jeremy Taylor, Dean of the Institute for Career Readiness and Lifelong at Defiance College
9:30 - 10:30 AM - Keynote with Joretta Nelson, Credo Higher Education Consulting
10:30 - 10:45 AM - BREAK
10:45 - 11:00 AM - Strengthening the Classroom and Corporate/Community Connections
   Agnes Caldwell, Vice President and Dean of Academics at Defiance College
   Jeremy Taylor, Dean of the Institute for Career Readiness and Lifelong at Defiance College
11:00 - 11:45 AM - Discussion and Feedback Through Zoom Breakout Sessions
11:45 - NOON - Closing Remarks
   Richanne C. Mankey, President of Defiance College

QUESTIONS?

Jeremy Taylor, Ph.D.
Dean, Institute for Career Readiness & Lifelong Learning
419-783-2305 | jtaylor@defiance.edu

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