Samford University’s Orlean Beeson School of Education will host the 6th annual Character Convening conference May 12-14. The two day event invites global leaders to collaborate on the importance of character education in P-12, higher education and community settings.
This year’s keynote speaker is Liz Gulliford, an associate professor at the University of Birmingham in England and a leading researcher in character education and positive psychology. Gulliford has explored virtues like gratitude, forgiveness, hope, courage and compassion and has published extensively across psychology, education and philosophy disciplines. She has also authored children's books on these virtues.
The conference theme, "Caught, Taught, Sought," highlights key elements of character education and their evolution within a community. In addition to keynote addresses, the event will feature breakout sessions, opportunities to explore problems of practice and character-themed faculty research projects.
The theme "Caught, Taught, Sought," underscores the interconnected nature of character development in a community setting.
- Character Caught refers to learning character through an organization’s culture, set by the relationships that exist among those who participate in the organization. A positive workplace, family or community environment fosters virtue development, both formally and informally.
- Character Taught involves intentionally designing curriculum and pedagogies that foster understanding, appreciation and application of civic, moral and intellectual virtues. Character Taught also emphasizes the importance of intentional mentoring and modeling within an organization.
- Character Sought encourages students to reflect on, make intentional choices about, and commit to actions that demonstrate their character. This process, supported by leaders, faculty and trusted mentors, empowers students to set and seek personal growth goals.
The conference will focus on this holistic approach to character education—exemplifying positive virtues (Caught), teaching about them explicitly (Taught), and empowering students to seek their own growth through action (Sought). Research has shown that a holistic approach to character and virtues development can positively impact individuals and the culture of educational and community settings.
The 2025 Character Convening conference will take place at the Hilton Pensacola Beach Resort in Pensacola, Florida. A limited block of rooms has been reserved for attendees. After registration, participants will receive an email from Eventbrite with details on booking their stay at the resort.
