Opening Session – Tuesday November 18th, 10 a.m. - 11 a.m. Central Standard Time Keeping Perspective in Higher Education’s Changing Times As higher education professionals, we feel like we are in an unprecedented time of change. Dr. Brandyn Woodard will reflect on this moment and his own thoughts on the pressure of change and our mission in higher education. Dr. Woodard will expand beyond our support of students but focus on our personal relationships and connections beyond campuses. He will additionally reflect on a finite versus an infinite state of mind, both professionally and personally. While we may feel pressure from the change internally and externally to our campuses, Dr. Woodard will help us orient ourselves to the inevitability of change and how we can support ourselves and colleagues. Panel Session - Wednesday November 19th, 10 a.m. - 11 a.m. Central Standard Time From Silos to Synergy: Building Campus Resilience Through Connection This 55-minute online workshop focuses on fostering connections and collaboration among HERC members. The goal is to see each other as resources and support, and HERC as a partner in facilitating these connections. Let’s reframe our thinking and expand what we consider our institutional knowledge from our single organization to all HERC. The workshop explores the Design Thinking method of innovation, an approach useful for unfamiliar or persistent problems. The outcome is not just a solved problem, but the ability to use a method to solve problems. It dispels the "Lone Innovator" myth, highlighting that innovation is a collaborative and iterative process that leads to better solutions and is more energizing. The workshop explores how to foster connection and approach collaboration differently, emphasizing that even small acts of connection can lead to a deeper understanding of needs and a wider diversity of solutions. Finally, it stresses the value of both expertise and curiosity, noting that they can coexist. In this workshop, participants will explore the fundamentals of the Design Thinking approach to innovation, with a focus on connection and collaboration as part of the process. Participants will experience two approachable and replicable Design Thinking activities.