OCS Conference Funding Submission

Event Photo:

Kayla is pictured in between sessions on June 5th. While the first half of the institute focused on the science behind compassion, the second half began to discuss compassion in action and its transformative power!

Kayla is pictured with her small group from the conference composed of people from all over the world! In the small groups, conference attendees connected with each other and debriefed their experiences three times throughout the institute.

A group picture of all of the 2024 Summer Research Institute attendees in the main hall. Kayla can be spotted smiling on the left side of the photo, in the third row from the front.

Name: Kayla Foster

Degree Program: MPA IN PUBLIC & NONPROFIT MANAGEMENT & POLICY

Specialization: PNP-Social Impact, Innovation & Investment

Conference Host Organization/Institution: Mind and Life Institute

Conference/Competition Name: Mind and Life Summer Research Institute- Awakening Compassion in Times of Division: Breaking and Coming Together

Conference Term: Summer Conference Start Date: 2024-06-02 Conference End Date: 2024-06-08

What were your takeaways from this conference/case competition?
Compassion in action is a powerful, world changing force. In the public service field, there is great opportunity for us to cultivate and harness compassion and care as tools for social change. As speaker Dr. Liz Grant shared, “compassion fills the space between” and can create bridges of understanding across sectors grounded in the common language of care. Dr. Sarà King reminded attendees of the importance of grounding work in and actively sharing our “why.” Awakening compassion requires relational work and investment, which is time intensive, but the outcomes create space for holding the “both/and” in a growingly polarized world.

How will your participation in this conference/case competition support your professional development?
Participation in this conference supported my professional development in several ways. It connected me with a global, intergenerational, and cross-sector network with whom I can collaborate with. From these connections I have already learned about several fellowships and training opportunities relevant to my interests to further support my growth. For example, through my connection with the Director of CUNY’s Academy for Community Behavioral Health, I learned about a free Compassion-Based Resilience Training which I plan to enroll in so that I can continue to champion compassion as an innovative tool for social change.

What are some next steps or action items this conference/case competition inspired?
While many attendees of the conference were in the psychology, social work, and neuroscience field, there were much fewer who worked in the nonprofit and public service sectors. Because of the diminished presence of the public service sector, I feel inspired to bring compassion to the forefront of conversations about social change in public service. In addition to continuing to learn about compassion theoretically, I am eager to build spaces of compassionate care at Wagner and throughout my NYC community where emerging and established public service leaders can engage with the topic.

What are some tips or best practices that you would like to share with other Wagner students who attend a conference/case competition?
One important tip is to bring an open mind and heart to the experience. Being open to learning and connecting is one of the most important parts of a conference. Don’t only seek to speak with the “big names,” seek connection with all attendees, including your peers! To facilitate connection, I recommend creating a digital business card so that you are able to easily share contact information. Additionally, when you get someone's contact information, try to follow up with them within the week so that you are utilizing the inertia from the conference to further build connection and a relationship.

Wagner Areas of Impact: Health, Leadership, Nonprofits, Social Innovation