{"id":1313,"date":"2025-06-04T13:34:50","date_gmt":"2025-06-04T18:34:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pages.stolaf.edu\/cc2025\/?page_id=1313"},"modified":"2025-06-04T13:49:48","modified_gmt":"2025-06-04T18:49:48","slug":"spotlight-sessions","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/pages.stolaf.edu\/cc2025\/sessions\/spotlight-sessions\/","title":{"rendered":"Spotlight Sessions"},"content":{"rendered":"

We are excited to announce six unique Spotlight Sessions for the Crossings and Connections Conference!<\/span><\/p>\n

Spotlight I: Thursday, June 19th, 12.30-1.30 pm & 1.45-2.45 pm<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

The Blanket Exercise<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition (NABS)<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

D<\/span>eidre Whiteman, Sandy White Hawk, Sam Torres<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The Blanket Exercise is an experiential learning tool that leads a group of participants through 500+ years of Indigenous history that highlights Native American relationships with European explorers, colonial settlers, and the U.S. federal and state governments.<\/span><\/p>\n

The exercise is interactive and requires participants, as they are able, to stand and move throughout the experience. The Blanket Exercise was first created in Canada and has been used to educate general populations there and in the United States and in many other parts of the world. The Exercise does engage participants both intellectually and emotionally and can in some instances affect individuals deeply.<\/span><\/p>\n

Each session is limited to 40 participants. Pre-registration required.<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

Spotlight II: Friday, June 20th, 8.15-8.45 am<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

NAHA and NAHA-Norge: A Century of Making History<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Amy Boxrud, Kristina Warner, and Ellen Volleb\u00e6kk<\/span><\/p>\n

Location: Viking Theater<\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s no coincidence that 2025 marks both the bicentennial of Norwegian migration and the centennial of the Norwegian American Historical Association. The NAHA staff will highlight a century of NAHA publications, archives, and membership. In addition, we\u2019ll hear about its more than 40 year relationship with NAHA-Norge, which was originally founded as a Norwegian chapter of NAHA. The organizations now enjoy cooperation in their closely related goals of supporting and promoting research in Norwegian American history.<\/span><\/p>\n

Spotlight III: Friday, June 20th, 10.45-11.30 am<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

200 Years of Norwegian Immigration: A Conversation with Odd Lovoll<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Moderator: Kyle Jansson<\/span><\/p>\n

Location: Sun Ballroom<\/span><\/p>\n

Join this special conversation with St. Olaf Professor emeritus, Dr. Odd Sverre Lovoll. Moderated by NAHA President, Kyle Jansson conference attendees will have a special opportunity to join in conversation with our esteemed Norwegian-American historian.<\/span><\/p>\n

Professor Lovoll taught at St. Olaf College for 30 years, holding the King Olav V Chair in Scandinavian-American Studies from 1992 to 2000. Additionally, he served as publication editor for The Norwegian-American Historical Association from 1980 until 2001. <\/span>Dr. Lovoll spent his entire career chronicling the stories of Norwegian immigrants to the United States and Canada, and that hasn\u2019t ended with his retirement!<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

His most well known publications include:<\/span><\/p>\n