The College of Charleston, the Medical University of South Carolina, The Citadel, Charleston Southern University, Denny’s, Boeing and many other private, public and community organizations have partnered to launch a unique initiative aimed at advancing the conversation of diversity and inclusion in Header-011the community.

Advancing Diversity and Inclusion; Building Successful Organizations and Communities takes place on Sept. 25, 2015, at the College of Charleston School of Professional Studies Building located at 3800 Paramount Drive in North Charleston, S.C. The conference begins at 9 a.m.

The event will bring together over 100 business leaders, educators, elected officials, community leaders and others to explore ways of advancing the management of human differences.

The day-long conference will emphasize a new approach to promoting inclusion and dialogue, and will include a highly interactive panel and community discussions integrated with art, music and food that highlight the challenges and joys of human diversity.

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Denny’s President/CEO John Miller

“As America’s diner, we’re proud to have built a brand that embraces the many different cultures and communities that unite us,” said John Miller, Denny’s president and chief executive officer. “With our presence across the country, we owe it to our loyal guests and workforce to keep Denny’s an inclusive, progressive and accepting place for all. We are thrilled to be involved in this initiative and join the discussion with so many influential leaders and businesses that are helping lead the way for diversity and inclusion.”

There will be two rounds of panel discussion: the first will focus on sharing experiences and assessing the current state of managing differences within the workplace and beyond; the second will address what needs to be done to transform community perceptions and practices. Each panel session will be followed by a community discussion.

Topics of discussion include issues such as race, religion, globalization and cultural diversity, human differences in the health care industry and more.

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College of Charleston President Glenn McConnell

“The College of Charleston is pleased to co-host and serve as a gathering place for this important initiative,” said College of Charleston President Glenn F. McConnell. “Higher education has always been at the forefront of convening conversations on and conducting research into the most pressing issues facing our society, and we look forward to a robust day of dialogue that helps identify solutions and affects substantive changes in our workplaces, communities and country.”