UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Penn State and the Borough of State College invite students, faculty, staff, residents, visitors and others to share insights about fostering dignity in our workplaces, schools, communities and government during PA Dignity Day.

PA Dignity Day, a local celebration of Global Dignity Day, will be held from noon to 5 p.m. on Oct. 16 at the Penn Stater Hotel and Conference Center. The free event will feature speakers, interactive workshops and community discussions, where students, faculty, staff and community members can explore how to foster dignity together. A buffet lunch will be provided.

Registration is required and available here.

Karen Armstrong, director of the Penn State Outreach and Online Education Office of Inclusion, Equity and Diversity, said it matters that people treat each other with dignity, especially when they disagree.

“PA Dignity Day is about acknowledging your self-worth and the worth of others,” she said. “A person's dignity is worth highlighting and this event does that.”

Rosalind Wiseman, a best-selling author and thought leader on dignity, will serve as a keynote speaker for the event. The Project Unite team also will train and empower all attendees to use the Dignity Index, an eight-point scale used to measure how people talk to each other when they disagree.

This town-and-gown partnership helps fortify the local community, said Penn State Senior Vice President and Chief of Staff Michael Wade Smith.

“PA Dignity Day, hosted by Penn State and the Borough of State College, strengthens our community by affirming our shared commitment to the inherent dignity of all people while building partnerships at the local level focused on advancing inclusion and respect for everyone who calls our community home,” Smith said. “Dignity, diversity and equity are important values that represent a critical part of our academic, research and public service mission. We are proud to work alongside our neighbors in living out these values here in our community.”

Over the past three years, a beneficial partnership has been established by co-hosting the event, said Borough of State College Manager Tom Fountaine.

“This collaborative effort invites all members of the State College community to converse with one another, participate in facilitated discussions, and leave with ideas and skills that bring more dignity to daily interactions,” Fountaine said. “The growth within this partnership and the success of the events demonstrates how impactful a well-established town-and-gown relationship can be to the community for both students and long-term residents.”

Other facilitators include:

• SeriaShia Chatters, interim vice provost for Educational Equity at Penn State.

• Elizabeth Siegelman from The Center for Alternatives in Community Justice, and Irvin Moore from Penn State’s Restorative Justice Initiative.

• Nalini Krishnankutty, diversity, inclusion and belonging program manager for Penn State Human Resources.

• Madeleine Jones, field director for Students for Dignity, and Iradukuna Esperance, Students for Dignity Ambassador. 

• Wanda B. Knight, professor of art education; African American studies; and women’s, gender and sexuality studies at Penn State.

They will lead interactive workshops that will demonstrate how to put the dignity principles into practical use in everyday life.

“Establishing dignity as a frame for engagement has shown to be effective in managing conflict within war zones, political spaces and educational settings, to name a few,” said Katie Marshall, senior specialist for the Penn State Outreach and Online Education Office of Inclusion, Equity and Diversity. “This year we are focusing on application to share those specific tools and skills to ensure we are honoring the dignity of others in our interactions — especially when it’s tough to do, such as moments of disagreement or tension.”

Visit the PA Dignity Day website for more information.