<html>
<head>
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1">
<style type="text/css" style="display:none;"> P {margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;} </style>
</head>
<body dir="ltr">
<div style="font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">
<span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Candara, Optima, sans-serif;">"The way we gather matters. Gatherings consume our days and help determine the kind of world we live in, in both our intimate and public realms. Gathering - the conscious bringing together
of people for a reason - shapes the way we think, feel, and make sense of the world." - Priya Parker from
</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Candara, Optima, sans-serif;"><i>The Art of Gathering</i></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">
<br>
</div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">
We cannot wait to gather safely with all of you in October! Proposals are due in less than four weeks - on May 15th. Be sure to put "writing your MWERA proposal" on your to-do list! Also, remind your colleagues to submit their proposals as soon as possible. </div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">
<br>
</div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">
Best,</div>
<div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">
<br>
</div>
<div id="Signature">
<div>
<div></div>
<div id="divtagdefaultwrapper" style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; background-color:#FFFFFF; font-family:Calibri,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif">
<div style="font-family:Tahoma; font-size:13px">
<div class="BodyFragment"><font size="2">
<div class="PlainText">Dr. Delane A. Bender-Slack<br>
Professor</div>
<div class="PlainText">MWERA President</div>
<div class="PlainText">Reading/TESOL Program Director<br>
Xavier University<br>
College of Professional Sciences<br>
School of Education<br>
3800 Victory Parkway<br>
Cincinnati, OH 45207-3231<br>
(513) 745-3958</div>
</font></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</body>
</html>