Knapsack Institute

Apply Now!

Applications are now open for this summer's Knapsack Institute: Transforming Teaching and Learning. Apply now to join us for our June, 2025 sessions. If you have any questions, please contact Abby Ferber at aferber@uccs.edu.

Welcome to the Knapsack Institute!

An Intensive Three Day Summer Institute Focused on Social Justice Pedagogy

Join our 2025 Cohort!

Picture of Previous Knapsack Institute Cohort

June 9-11, Virtual

Race, ethnicity, class, gender, disability, and sexuality are emotionally laden subjects that have become increasingly politicized. As we face new and more serious threats to advancing inclusion and equity, how can we continue our work at the individual, institutional and national levels? This is one of the many issues we will consider at our three-day Knapsack Institute (KI), which is now in its third decade.

Designed for all educators (K-12; higher education; workshop facilitators, etc.), the Knapsack Institute provides the most current knowledge, tools, strategies, and support to build inclusive and equitable learning and working environments and encourage radical self-care.

The KI is an intimate learning community facilitated by specialists in the field. Our intersectional curriculum is updated each year to incorporate the latest research and best practices. The KI provides both a foundational framework and a range of workshops to select from.

Embrace this opportunity to learn with, and from, people working in a diverse range of settings, all with a shared commitment. This cross-fertilization is one characteristic that makes the KI a unique experience and differentiates it from other professional development programs or conferences. This year we will inaugurate a structured cohort model that will incorporate follow-up action; cultivate relationships in order to better support one another; promote ongoing networking opportunities; and inspire future colloboration.

What's in your Knapsack?

Photo of several people around a table at a Knapsack Institute small group.

The name, "The Knapsack Institute" hails from Peggy McIntosh's renowned article, "White privilege and male privilege: A personal account of coming to see correspondences through work in women's studies," in which she states:

"I have come to see white privilege as an invisible package of unearned assets which I can count on cashing in each day, but about which I was 'meant' to remain oblivious. White privilege is like an invisible weightless knapsack of special provisions, assurances, tools, maps, guides, codebooks, passports, visas, clothes, compass, emergency gear, and blank checks." (Peggy McIntosh, 1988 "White privilege and male privilege: A personal account of coming to see correspondences through work in women's studies." Excerpted from Working Paper 189, Wellesley College Center for Research on Women, Wellesley, MA.)

"A major training opportunity I ask for all staff that report me to me to attend. It was one of the best institutes I had ever attended, and I learned so much. The authentic discussions, but also all of the participants' willingness to bring me in was truly life changing."
- Stephen T. Cucchiara
2022 Participant - Director of Student Engagement

"The Knapsack Institute was extremely impactful. It provided insightful discussion, modeled effective facilitation techniques, and deeper insight into complex topics. The different tracks provided the opportunity to choose the areas you were most interested in learning about while allowing for the right balance of larger group interaction, sharing and facilitation. I highly recommend this program and will be back to participate in it again."
- Mariejo Truex
2018 Participant – Sr. Director, Education, Programs & Services, USA Swimming Sport Development

"This was hands-down the best workshop that I have ever attended!"
- Lyndele von Schill
2018 Participant – Director of Diversity and Inclusion, National Radio Astronomy Observatory

"KI enabled me to reflect on self, as well as, transformed my point of view on privilege - economically, politically and socially."
- Janice “JJ” Frazier
2019 Participant - Equity Specialist/Student Teacher Recruitment and Placement, Colorado Springs School District 11

"Especially valuable was the matrix for framing privilege and oppression. The model helped me recognize my own paths of privilege and provides a useful paradigm to raise students' awareness. I left the Knapsack Institute with lots of activities I can use, lists of films, copies of syllabae, ways to "transform" my courses, and ways to manage resistance. The leaders are insightful, personable, and responsive to questions and concerns. Colorado Springs is a beautiful setting!"
- Dr. Beverly Romberger
Professor of Communications - Susquehanna University - Selinsgrove, PA

"In this Institute we all have so many opportunities to learn-not only from the presenters, but from each other and we are learning about ourselves. I think this is enormously valuable in our journeys of making a difference in the world around our social justice work!"
- Holly Fulton
2016 Participant - Educator, Denver Public Schools