(NAME-MCE) IU Men of Color Leadership Conference focuses on "changing tomorrow by reflectin

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IU Men of Color Leadership Conference focuses on "changing  tomorrow by 
reflecting on yesterday"
Event also attracts students from  eight states, historically black colleges 
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 
Oct. 30,  2008 
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Bobby Fong, president of Butler University, and  Jeffrey 
I. Johnson, a journalist for Black Entertainment Television and  the former 
national youth director for the NAACP, will be among the  speakers at the fifth 
annual Men of Color Leadership Conference on Nov.  14-15 at Indiana 
University Bloomington.  
 
Butler President Bobby Fong
The student-founded conference, with the theme, "Realizing the  Possible: 
Changing Tomorrow By Reflecting on Yesterday," is committed to  uniting African 
American, Latino, Asian and Native American men in Indiana  and elsewhere by 
providing a platform and a venue for effective dialogue  and leadership 
development.  
Also speaking will be Eric D. Thomas, founder and chairman of Break the  
Cycle, a program serving at-risk middle school, high school and college  age 
youths since 1992.  
In addition to students from IU campuses, participants expected to  attend 
will represent universities such as Purdue University, Indiana  State 
University, Ball State University, Ivy Tech Community College, Case  Western University, 
the University of Kentucky, Western Kentucky  University, Eastern Illinois 
University, Michigan State University,  Central Michigan University, Denison 
University, Northern Kentucky and two  historically black colleges -- Morgan 
State University of Baltimore, Md.,  and Huston-Tillotson University in Austin, 
Texas. The Monroe County  Community School Corp. will send students to 
participate as well.  
 (http://newsinfo.iu.edu/asset/page/normal/5715.html)  
Patrick Smith 
_Print-Quality  Photo _ (http://newsinfo.iu.edu/asset/page/normal/5715.html) 
"The committee thought it would be important to reflect on the past  
successes and failures of men of color and reflect on what we can learn  from them . . 
. how we can utilize each as a strength to set an agenda for  the future," 
conference chair Patrick D. Smith said of the event.  
Through previous conferences, "we have established a firm foundation  from 
which this conference can continue to move forward," added Smith, who  also 
directs IU's Office of Mentoring Services and Leadership Development.  Tangible 
accomplishments include the establishment of the Men of Color  Leadership 
Institute, which focuses on responsibilities, values,  engagement, networking and 
education as the means for promoting a positive  climate and attitudes on campus 
and beyond.  
"The institute involves administrators, faculty and staff as well as  
students. It gives students the opportunity to interact with them outside  of their 
normal work environment," Smith explained. "The concept is to  instill those 
same values that you acquired through this organization and  be able to give 
back in some respect.  
"We're hoping that we're instilling not just values of education and  success 
in that vein, but also teaching them about how to position  themselves so 
they can create opportunities for others," he added.  
A new aspect at the conference is a collaboration with IU's Center for  
Student Leadership Development, which will allow some students to receive  course 
credit for their involvement. While the issues being discussed  pertain 
primarily to men of color, anyone is welcome to attend, including  women, so everyone 
can see how challenges are being pursued in a positive  manner.  
Here's more about the conference speakers: 
Bobby Fong  
Fong became the 20th president of Indianapolis-based Butler University  in 
2001. Following graduation from Harvard in 1973 with an A.B. in  English, magna 
cum laude, and election to Phi Beta Kappa, he earned a  doctorate in English 
literature from UCLA in 1978.  
Fong taught at Berea College in Kentucky from 1978 to 1989. For his  first 
sabbatical in 1986, he was accepted as a Fulbright lecturer to  China. However, 
because of some political machinations going on at the  time, the Chinese 
government canceled its participation. What initially  appeared to be a setback 
became a career crossroads when Fong became a  National Fellow and assistant 
program director for the Association of  American Colleges in Washington, D.C.  
It was there he met his late mentor Frank Wong, provost at the  University of 
Redlands, who encouraged him to go into higher education  administration. 
Inspired by his mentor, Fong left Berea in 1989 to become  professor of English 
and dean for arts and humanities at Hope College in  Holland, Mich. He left 
Hope in 1995 to accept a position as dean of the  faculty and professor of 
English at Hamilton College, Clinton, N.Y., from  whence he came to Butler. He 
serves on the Board of Directors for the  American Council on Education and the 
Association of American Colleges and  Universities.  
 (http://newsinfo.iu.edu/asset/page/normal/5732.html)  
Photo by: John Ricard  
Jeffrey Johnson 
_Print-Quality  Photo _ (http://newsinfo.iu.edu/asset/page/normal/5732.html) 
Jeffrey I. Johnson  
>From the hip-hop community to mainstream media, Johnson serves as a  trusted 
voice for information and opinions to a new generation. A social  activist, 
political strategist, inspirational speaker, executive producer  and an 
architect for social change, Johnson is one of today's most gifted  leaders in both 
the political and entertainment arenas.  
Johnson recent was named by Source Magazine as one of the  hip-hop 
generation's key political players. His roles as a political  activist have spanned from 
work as senior adviser for media and youth  outreach for People for the 
American Way to operating as the national  youth director for the National 
Association for the Advancement of Colored  People.  
As a journalist for BET, he traveled on assignment to the Darfur region  of 
Sudan 2007 and has interviewed Sudanese President Omar Al-Bashir,  presidential 
candidates Sen. Barack Obama and Sen. Hillary Clinton, and  Minister Louis 
Farrakhan. He also serves as a contributor and  correspondent for XM radio, "The 
Dr. Phil Show" and CNN.  
Johnson's commitment to fostering broad-based communication about  issues 
related to race, politics, popular culture and socio-economics have  made him an 
influential voice for change. In 2007, he testified before the  Committee on 
Homeland Security regarding recovery efforts in wake of the  devastation caused 
to the Gulf Coast by Hurricane Katrina.  
Eric D. Thomas  
Thomas is the founder and chairman of Break the Cycle, which assists  youths 
in addressing their academic and personal needs by developing  effective and 
relevant strategies and providing positive alternatives  within a supportive 
community-based setting.  
Raised on the streets of Detroit, Thomas' childhood and adolescent  years 
were difficult. After leaving home at the age of 16, he became  homeless and 
dropped out of high school, choosing a life of illiteracy and  illicit activities. 
At age 18, he met a pastor who mentored him and  encouraged him to complete 
his education, obtain his GED and attain his  undergraduate degree. Thomas 
graduated from Oakwood College, in  Huntsville, Ala., in 2000 with a degree in 
business management. During his  college years, he served as a teacher, 
community-based GED program  instructor and pastor.  
In 2003, he accepted a fellowship to attend Michigan State University  to 
pursue a master's degree in K-12 administration. At MSU, he also serves  as an 
academic adviser in its Office of Supportive Services. He assisted  in the 
developing and implementing of its undergraduate retention program  called The 
Advantage. The program targets academically at-risk students  from 
underrepresented populations and offers special emphasis on  categories of students with 
graduation rates lower than that of the  university average.  
More about the conference: 
The conference will begin on Nov. 14 at the Neal-Marshall Black Culture  
Center, 275 N. Jordan Ave. High school sessions start at 9:30 a.m.  Activities for 
college students begin at 2 p.m. and will conclude with a  reception at 7 
p.m. The conference will continue the next morning at 8  a.m. Johnson will be the 
opening speaker on Saturday, and Fong will speak  at lunch.  
The deadline for registration is Nov. 7. The fee to attend the  conference is 
$50 for university and community professionals, $25 for  college students and 
$15 for high school students. One-day registration is  $15. Sponsorships are 
available for IU Bloomington students. Interested  students should contact the 
Office of Mentoring Services and Leadership  Development at 812-855-8850. The 
fee includes all conference materials,  the opening reception, breakfast and 
lunch and materials. There will be no  onsite registration.  
To register and for complete information, go to 
_http://www.indiana.edu/~moc/index.html_ (http://www.indiana.edu/~moc/index.html) .   
The Office of Mentoring Services and Leadership Development is  sponsoring 
the conference. Other conference supporters include the Office  of the 
President; Office of the Vice President for Diversity, Equity, and  Multicultural 
Affairs; the Neal-Marshall Black Culture Center; Groups  Program; Hudson & Holland 
Scholars Programs; 21st Century Scholars;  the College of Arts and Sciences; 
School of Education; Kelley School of  Business; the city of Bloomington; and 
the Bloomington Convention and  Visitors Bureau.  
Editors: Media interviews are available with Patrick Smith and  the 
conference presenters. For more information, contact George Vlahakis  at 812-855-0846 
or _gvlahaki at indiana.edu_ (mailto:gvlahaki at indiana.edu)   or Smith at 
812-855-3540 or _smithpd at indiana.edu_ (mailto:smithpd at indiana.edu) .


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