Better Toledo Series

Call for Proposals

The Institute for the Study of Culture & Society (ICS) invites you to submit a proposal for a public presentation for Better Toledo—a personal and professional development series to ensure “you will do better in Toledo.”

The presentation will take place on September 5, 2024 at the Toledo Public Library to kick-of Welcoming Week: an annual event that brings together neighbors of all backgrounds to build strong connections and affirm the importance of welcoming and inclusive places in achieving collective prosperity.

We are looking for an engaged and enthusiastic graduate student or faculty member at BGSU to deliver an interactive talk or workshop on a topic of their choice that speaks to the “Welcoming” theme. Presentations should be 1 to 2 hour long (including audience participation) and may cover a variety of themes relevant to Welcoming Week such as diversity and inclusivity in a creative way. 

Your proposal should include a brief description of the talk or workshop topic related to “Welcoming” and how it serves the public good through interdisciplinary humanities/arts/social sciences research, as well as a short resume.

Submit your proposal by April 3, 2024 to ics@bgsu.edu. 

Please reach out to ICS director, Dr. Valeria Grinberg Pla, at vgrinb@bgsu.edu, with any questions you may have.

This is a collaboration between ICS, the City of Toledo Human Relations Commission, and the Welcome Toledo Lucas County Initiative. 

The selected candidate/s will be notified by August 1, 2024, and receive a compensation of $250.

About Welcoming Week

Launched in 2012, Welcoming Week provides individuals and organizations the opportunity to showcase their values through events and initiatives that foster connections and collaboration between immigrants and non-immigrants, as well as belonging for all. This celebration is put on globally by Welcoming America. This nonprofit, nonpartisan organization leads a movement of inclusive communities becoming more prosperous by ensuring everyone belongs. Welcoming America believes that all people, including immigrants, are valued contributors and vital to the success of our communities and shared future. In 2022, the City of Toledo and Lucas County were the first city and county to be certified Welcoming.