Opening Ceremonies Speaker

 

Blane Harding currently serves as the Director of the Office of Multicultural Affairs at the University of Kansas. Mr. Harding is also a consultant for private companies and has worked with over 30 institutions of higher learning across the country. In May 2012 after twenty three years of service, he retired from Colorado State University where he served as the Director of Advising, Recruitment, and Retention for the College of Liberal Arts. Mr. Harding has taught courses in African American history and Ethnic Studies for the past twenty two years. He received his Bachelors of Arts in Interdisciplinary Communication from S.U.N.Y University at Brockport and his Master of Arts in 19th Century American History from Colorado State University. Mr. Harding has also served as a retention faculty member with the Council for Opportunity in Education which oversees the national TRIO programs. He is a faculty member and past Chair of the Summer Institute Advisory Board for the National Academic Advising Association as well as the former Chair of the Multicultural Concerns Commission. Mr. Harding has presented at national conferences on various topics that focus on African American, Latino/a, Bi-Racial, Native American, and Asian/Pacific Island students in higher education. Mr. Harding has published several articles on diversity, multicultural advising, and advisor training.