Sessions and Speakers

Engaging speakers and thoughtfully curated sessions are designed to equip you with the tools, insight, and encouragement to thrive in your live-in role. Check back for updates on this year’s speaker lineup.

Keynote Speaker

Steven Tolman, EdD

From Residence Halls to the Classroom: Cultivating a Sense of Belonging Across Campus

It has been shown that developing a sense of belonging is pivotal to student engagement and academic success. For many students, the residential experience is the catalyst that shapes their collegiate experience and the springboard that helps them develop their sense of belonging within the larger campus community.  From residence halls to academic classrooms, this keynote will explore current research on how students develop a sense of belonging. The factors and barriers that influence students’ sense of belonging will be discussed. Additionally, based on reflective practices, approaches to foster inclusive environments that strengthen students’ sense of belonging will be explored. This session will affirm the importance of higher education/student affairs (HE/SA) professionals in creating campuses where every student feels they are a part of the campus community.

Learn More About Steven

Steven Tolman, EdD, is an Associate Professor of Educational Leadership at Georgia Southern University. His previous faculty role included serving as a Higher Education Administration program director, and he spent 12 years as a higher education/student affairs (HE/SA) professional in Residence Life, Student Conduct, and Student Life. He holds a Doctorate from Rutgers University, a Master’s from Texas Tech University, and a Bachelor’s from Central Michigan University. His research is theoretically informed and guided by the tenets of student development theory. In particular, he explores the application of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, Kolb’s Experiential Learning, Sanford’s Model of Challenge and Support, and Astin’s Theory of Involvement. This theoretical framework is intertwined with the two streams of his scholarly agenda: 1) The professional preparation of HE/SA professionals and 2) The residential and co-curricular experience of college students.

Educational Session Speakers