Xaverian Welcomes Dr. Liza Talusan For Awareness Day Event

On Thursday, January 22, Xaverian had the pleasure of welcoming Dr. Liza Talusan to campus as an Awareness Day speaker. Dr. Talusan is a celebrated expert on identity conscious education and leadership. She has authored two books and consulted with a number of schools and organizations across the country, including Xaverian.

Although she has worked with nearly 400 schools, she says Xaverian stands out. Through her work with faculty and staff, her experience of the community at football games and theater productions, she says she is continuously impressed how Xaverian “walks the walk.” 

Her presentation centered on the power of language and inclusivity, particularly as it relates to identity. Utilizing data from research studies, she demonstrated how “language and words have an immense impact on people.” She then guided students through several compelling scenarios, prompting them to examine how their own identity -  their proximity or familiarity with certain values, traits, and experiences - influences how they interact with others, both inside and outside of the Xaverian community. Students were then given a short debrief sheet with questions about how they can bring their newfound understanding of identity into their daily life at Xaverian. 

Dr. Talusan hopes she leaves Xaverian students with a deeper understanding of the diversity of the human experience, and the knowledge that there’s no one “right” box to fit into. “We each come with so many different identities and experiences,” she says. “There isn’t one way of being.” 

She adds that this awareness opens us up to countless opportunities to do good in the world. Dr. Talusan encourages students to remain grounded in the Xaverian values and to consistently honor the humanity in others, especially if their experiences are different from our own.