CASSH Con
CASSH Con 2024 Monday, Sept. 30, and Tuesday, Oct. 1
CASSH Con (Careers in Arts, Social Sciences, and Humanities) is a professional development conference for students on Monday, Sept. 30, and Tuesday, Oct. 1, on all three campuses, Bloomsburg, Lock Haven, and Mansfield.
Keynote Presentation Schedule
Event information will be updated as new information is confirmed.
Keynote Presentation: Monday, Sept. 30, 9 a.m.
State Representative Dallas Kephart
“Think Big and Trust Your Abilities”
State Representative Dallas Kephart is in his first term of service to residents of the 73rd Legislative District. Kephart is a multi-generational Pennsylvanian and a lifelong resident of Clearfield County, having grown up in Decatur Township and graduated from Philipsburg-Osceola High School. He is an alumnus of Lock Haven University, graduating with honors, magna cum laude. While working to obtain his undergraduate degree, Dallas interned for Congressman Glenn “GT” Thompson and spent his summers working in the coal industry, operating heavy equipment to strip mine coal and working at a local processing plant to help clean and process coal. Dallas then went to law school and earned his degree from Penn State Law. While there, he provided pro bono legal services to startup and early-stage businesses and served as a law clerk to the United States House of Representatives Oversight Committee. Following law school, Dallas became a licensed attorney in Pennsylvania and worked for a judge on the Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court, one of the state’s two intermediate appellate courts that hears government-related matters from across the state. For the 2023-24 legislative session, Dallas has been assigned to serve on the following committees – Commerce, Environmental Resources and Energy, Finance and Gaming Oversight. He is also a member of the Coal, Oil and Gas, and Rare Earth Minerals caucuses.
- Bloomsburg campus: Kehr Union, Kehr Union, Ballroom 3 (George Agbango)
- Lock Haven campus: Akeley 217 (Stan Berard)
- Mansfield campus: Retan 105 (Jeff Bosworth)
Keynote Presentation: Monday, Sept. 30, 3 p.m.
William Shelton
“Embracing Your True Self: Navigating Post-College Without Losing Yourself”
William Shelton (He/Him/His) is a Black Queer educator, writer, and community activist from West Philadelphia. He is pursuing a Ph.D. in Urban Education at The CUNY Graduate Center in New York City. Will’s research examines how the intersections of race and place impact the educational and socio-emotional experiences and outcomes of Black and Brown boys, including those who identify on the LGBTQ spectrum. By addressing literacy and carceral geography policies and practices, he hopes to dismantle Eurocentric narratives and practices in education to uplift, affirm, and protect queer and youth of color. His ethnographic and narrative writing research is grounded in Black Critical Theory, Black Geographies, Humanizing, and Abolitionist pedagogies. Will previously taught elementary and secondary ELA classes and served as Dean of Culture before beginning his doctoral journey. He has been published in several media outlets, including The Philadelphia Gay Newspaper and The New Teacher’s Project, with a forthcoming publication about Queer Joy as Resistance to be published by New York University Press. He has also presented at major conferences such as the American Educational Research Association, the National Council of English Teachers, and the International Conference on Urban Education.
- Bloomsburg campus: Kehr Union, Ballroom 1 (James Brown)
- Lock Haven campus: Akeley 215 (Angela Boswell)
- Mansfield campus: Retan G-01 (Nichole Lefelhoc)
Keynote Presentation: Tuesday, Oct. 1, 9:30 a.m.
Dr. Deborah Confredo
“Your Journey to an Enlightened Future”
Deborah (Capperella, Sheldon) Confredo, a 44-year veteran music educator, is Professor of Music Education at Temple University (Philadelphia, PA) and President of the National Association for Music Education. She has received degrees in Music Education from Mansfield University (PA), The Pennsylvania State University, and Florida State University. She is immediate past chair of the NAfME Music Teacher Profession Initiative, through which she was lead author and editor for the NAfME publication, Blueprint for Strengthening the Music Teacher Profession. Although a professor for Temple University, Dr. Confredo resides in Louisiana where she is an active member of the Louisiana Music Educators Association. Confredo has headed the chamber ensemble program and served as symphonic band coordinator and conductor for the New England Adult Music Camp in Sidney, ME. She is the author of numerous instrumental method texts as well as a multitude of journal articles. Tau Beta Sigma, the Illinois Music Educators Association, and the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association have honored her for distinguished service. Mansfield University has recognized her as a distinguished alumnus. She is recipient of the Pennsylvania State University College of Arts and Architecture Distinguished Alumni Award, the Florida State University Faculty Citation for Graduate Alumni Award, and the Temple University Outstanding Faculty Service Award. Confredo is in demand as conductor, clinician, adjudicator, speaker, and lecturer.
- Bloomsburg campus: Kehr Union, Ballroom 1 (Amelia Garbisch)
- Lock Haven campus: Akeley 215 (Angela Boswell)
- Mansfield campus: Butler 163 (Nathan Rinnert)
