Penn State Altoona to host ‘We Define Us: A Dignity Drop-In’ event

ALTOONA, Pa. - Penn State Altoona will host "We Define Us: A Dignity Drop-In" on Thursday, Jan. 22, from noon to 1 p.m. in the Fireside Lounge of the Slep Student Center. The event will also be available virtually via Zoom.

The 55-minute, in-person and virtual gathering will provide space for members of the campus community to reaffirm that the Penn State Altoona community defines who it is. Grounded in dignity, the session will focus on sharing impact, reflection, and co-creating actions to support one another moving forward.

The event will feature guest speaker Dr. Stacee Reicherzer, a licensed counselor in Texas and Illinois and an EMDR-certified therapist in private practice. Reicherzer specializes in the treatment of anxiety and trauma for LGBTQ+ adults and allies, with a focus on survivors of religious trauma and sexual abuse. She is the author of "The Healing Otherness Handbook: Overcome the Trauma of Identity-Based Bullying and Find Power in Your Difference."

The session will be co-facilitated by Dr. Karen Armstrong, director of the Dignity Collaborative at Altoona, a hub that fosters dignity through engagement, experiential learning, and research, and Sue Patterson, director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging at Penn State Altoona.

The event is open to all members of the Penn State Altoona community.