A Northwest Missouri State University graduate, Kate Place, will speak about her experience working in a diverse school setting for the university’s fall Ploghoft Diversity Lecture.

The lecture is at 7 pm, Thursday, November 16, in the Charles Johnson Theater. It is free and open to the public.

Place grew up in the rural community of Clarksdale. She earned her bachelor’s degree in elementary and special education from Northwest in 1999 and went on to receive a master’s degree in administration and education specialist in superintendency from Northwest in 2000 and 2008.

Place is now the principal at Briarcliff Elementary, a diverse school in North Kansas City that focuses on strengthening inclusion.

“The committee wanted to have a person who could demonstrate that even if someone is from an area different than where they are currently working, they can be successful in demonstrating the multicultural competencies to meet the needs of diverse students,” said Dr. David Kiene, the chair of the Ploghoft Committee and an assistant professor of education.

Kiene added, “We would like our students to see that educators from a similar background as themselves can be successful in variety of educational environments, that if they are well trained and exposed to a diverse set of students, they will know the strategies and techniques to have a positive impact on all student with whom they have contact.”

The Ploghoft Diversity Lecture series features speakers and activities that broaden the educational perspectives of Northwest teacher candidates and inform all students about the issues facing the education of students from diverse environments.

It is funded through the generosity of Dr. Milton Ploghoft of Athens, Ohio, and his late wife, Zella. Dr. Ploghoft, a 1949 Northwest alumnus, is professor emeritus at Ohio University. Zella, who died in 2010, completed her elementary and secondary education at Horace Mann Laboratory School at Northwest.