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Faculty Diversity and Inclusion Fellowship

The Faculty Diversity and Inclusion Fellowship Program within the Office of Institutional Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (OIDEI) offers tenured faculty members opportunities for professional development, in addition to making substantive contributions to diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts at the university. These efforts include improving leadership skills; increasing effectiveness in their current positions through enhancing diversity, equity, and inclusion; and making a meaningful impact on diversity, equity, and inclusion policy.

Each Faculty Fellow will serve under the mentorship of the Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer (VP/CDO) to accomplish one or more mutually defined projects, take part in a formal diversity and inclusion professional development series, attend a DEI-focused conference, and participate in the OIDEI Diversity Symposium. Additional tasks and initiatives will be assigned as needed. Time and resources will be provided to support Faculty Fellows and ensure their completion of the program.

2024-2025 CMU Faculty Diversity and Inclusion Fellowship Program Description
Photo of Andrea Jasper

Dr. Andrea D. Jasper|Third Fellowship Recipient|Awarded January 2021

Dr. Andrea D. Jasper demonstrates a commitment to excellence, diversity, and inclusion in her leadership, research, teaching, and service. Her project will focus on teacher candidate diversity in the Educator Preparation Program at CMU. Dr. Jasper will investigate factors and strategies (e.g., student behaviors, university practices and procedures, college program policies, state certification policies and procedures) that may be helpful in increasing the number of students from historically underrepresented groups in Educator Preparation Programs. 

“This fellowship has enabled me to gain knowledge and experience with diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) issues at an institutional level. Particularly, the mentoring, time, and resources helped me broaden my understanding of DEI issues impacting CMU and higher education, in general. As a result, I am better equipped to engage in critical discourse and make meaningful contributions related to issues of DEI in my department and college.” — Dr. Jasper

Professional headshot Dr. Anne Hornak in dark attire against a brown background.

Dr. Anne Hornak | Second Fellowship Cohort | Awarded January 2020

Dr. Anne Hornak, professor in the Department of Counseling, Educational Leadership, and Higher Education, brings a commitment to ethics, social justice, and gender in higher education to her research and teaching as a member of the faculty in the Department of Counseling, Educational Leadership, and Higher Education. Her project this year is looking at the experiences of rural students and their participation in higher education across the state and here at CMU. Seventy-two percent of the U.S. is considered rural and 18% of K-12 public school students attend a school classified as rural (Crain, 2018). Her project generated data that offered important insights to make teaching, learning, and co-curricular experiences accessible for this important group of students.

"This fellowship has been invaluable in providing the time and space to investigate rural students and their college-going intentions. As CMU continues to center equity and justice, it is critical that we understand all our diverse populations, including geography." — Dr. Hornak

Professional headshot of Dr. Veronica Barone in white and black attire against a brown background.

Dr. Veronica Barone | Second Fellowship Cohort | Awarded January 2020

As a Physics professor, Dr. Veronica Barone has specialized in electronic structure calculations based on quantum mechanics to study novel materials for sustainable energy. As one of the few women-tenured professors of physics nationally, she is interested in the dynamics of gender in STEM faculty careers.

“This fellowship provided the time for me to focus on better understanding implicit bias and gender. Through this study, I was able to look into approaches taken at other institutions to increase representation for a diversely rich workplace and adapt these approaches to develop a new initiative that fits our needs here at CMU." — Dr. Barone

Dr. René Revis Shingles wears a grey suit while looking at the camera.

Dr. René Revis Shingles | First Fellowship Cohort | Awarded January 2019

Dr. René Revis Shingles, the first African-American woman inducted into the National Athletic Trainers' Association Hall of Fame, and professor of athletic training in The Herbert H. & Grace A. Dow College of Health Professions, applied to the fellowship for the purpose of creating faculty development workshops to help faculty teach DEI content. She first sought to obtain time to develop new knowledge, skills, and abilities in the area of diversity, inclusion, equity, and advocacy by working with and being mentored by professionals in the discipline. Secondly, Dr. Shingles aspired to develop, implement and assess a faculty development workshop/module and/or materials to help faculty teach diversity.

"Being a Diversity Fellow allowed me the time, resources, and mentoring to achieve my short-term goal of identifying and beginning to fill in the knowledge, skills, and ability gaps in the area of diversity, equity, and inclusion.  I still have much to learn, and I now have a better understanding of what I need to do. By facilitating eight workshops/presentations across campus, I was able to implement what I learned, in so doing contribute to CMU's core value of inclusiveness." — Dr. Revis Shingles

Dr. Cherie Strachan wears a black shirt and pink jacket while looking at the camera.

Dr. Cherie Strachan | First Fellowship Cohort | Awarded January 2019

Dr. Cherie Strachan, former CMU professor of political science, is the author of High-Tech Grassroots: The Professionalization of Local Elections among many published articles and book chapters, and co-founder of the Consortium for Intercampus SoTL Research. Several of her initiatives from her diversity project were outlined in her 2020 keynote address to the American Political Science Association's Teaching & Learning Conference.

"My time as a diversity fellow provided time to focus on my applied research on intersectional civic engagement pedagogy and to develop working relationships with program coordinators at several higher education associations.  These include the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU), the American Association of Colleges & Universities (AAC&U), the Institute for Democracy & Higher Education (IDHE), the Kettering Foundation, and the American Political Science Association (APSA)." — Dr. Strachan

Purpose of the program

  • Increase faculty members' awareness of the complexity of the equity, access, and inclusion issues facing higher education. 
  • Increase faculty members’ understanding of the nature of diversity and inclusion administrative operations at CMU.
  • Develop faculty members who demonstrate the potential to become effective diversity and inclusion administrative leaders.
  • Create a pathway for faculty members to provide "independent, professional, collegial support and assistance" and input to advance the best interests of CMU.
  • Provide faculty members with opportunities to observe and participate in a variety of decision-making processes and learning opportunities. 
  • Directly support the mission and continued evolution of CMU as a high-quality university committed to inclusive excellence.
  • Enhance research and collaboration, and leverage expertise in diversity, equity, and inclusion across pedagogy and praxis.
  • Support recruitment and retention efforts and initiatives at CMU.

Description of the program

Qualifications of applicants

Fellowship Recipients must hold a tenured position in an academic department, have sound interpersonal and communication skills, possess a reasonable working knowledge of CMU's history, organizational units and its governance framework, and have some record of effectiveness in leading one or more diverse groups to accomplish goals. Department chairs may apply to the program.

Duration of fellowship appointment

The Faculty Diversity and Inclusion Fellowship may be awarded each academic year. Each Fellowship Recipient will complete a formal diversity and inclusion professional development series, attend a DEI-focused conference, participate in the OIDEI Diversity Symposium, and complete one or more projects assigned by the VP. The project expectations will differ for each Fellowship Recipient based upon the needs of OIDEI.  

Reassigned time for fellows

The Fellowship Recipient will receive three (3) course releases each semester during the academic year (for a total of six) and a contribution of $2,000 to their professional development funds. These funds must be used within one year of their receipt and in accordance with policies defined by their respective departments. The Fellowship Recipient is expected to complete tasks, initiatives, and/or projects as assigned by the VP.

Activities and expectations for Fellowship Recipients

Based upon the interests expressed in their application and in consultation with the VP, the Fellowship Recipient may be assigned an additional consulting partner from among the University's Leadership Team or diversity and inclusion professionals. The consulting partner will work together with the Fellowship Recipient and the VP to design a fellowship experience that will promote an effective, productive, and collaborative program. 

The Fellowship Recipient will participate in a formal professional development series on diversity, equity, and inclusion issues of direct relevance to higher education. The self-guided curriculum is structured as a series of modules that provide Fellowship Recipients with foundational knowledge and opportunities to apply what they have learned to their practice. Fellowship Recipients are expected to complete one to two modules per month. A schedule will be provided.

The Fellowship Recipient will attend a national conference focused on issues related to diversity, equity, inclusion, and social justice. Potential conferences will be identified based upon the Fellowship Recipient’s areas of greatest interest and discipline, and the needs of the OIDEI. Final selection of a conference will be mutually agreed upon by the Fellowship Recipient and the VP. Fellowship Recipients are expected to attend the conference in its entirety. Further, they are expected to provide a write-up describing their conference experience and a reflection on how the information learned will be utilized during their fellowship experience.

The Fellowship Recipient is expected to participate and assist with the OIDEI Diversity Symposium. The Fellowship Recipient’s participation may vary depending upon the symposium topic and needs, as well as the skills and abilities of the Fellowship Recipient. As such, the Fellowship Recipient may be required to assist with planning aspects of the symposium, present at the symposium, assist with the OIDEI Gala, oversee the awards process, facilitate a workshop, or other tasks as assigned. Participation in the OIDEI symposium may require additional reading and preparation. Further, aspects of the symposium may occur outside of normal business hours (e.g., after 5:00 p.m. or on weekends). 

The Fellowship Recipient, VP, and consulting partner will agree on appropriate independent project(s) to be accomplished each semester or in the course of the academic year; such projects may be chosen from a menu of needs emergent within OIDEI. Projects should be consistent with the nature of the appointment to the Fellowship. After meeting to define appropriate independent projects, the Fellowship Recipient will submit a written outline of the planned projects (including goals and a timeline) to the VP during the first month of the fellowship appointment. The outcomes of the project and the format of the final report will be mutually agreed upon by the Fellowship Recipient and the VP/CDO. Because of the sensitivity of some matters, the Fellowship Recipient will be expected to sign bilateral confidentiality agreements with the administration as a part of the fellowship appointment.

Fellowship Recipients may be invited to attend meetings and work sessions related most closely to the normal duties and responsibilities of their collaborators or mentors (on- and off-campus), or consulting partner. In addition, the Fellowship Recipient may be invited and encouraged to attend other university-wide administrative meetings which demonstrate potential value to enhancing their research, practice, expertise, and understanding (e.g., Board of Trustees, the Academic Senate and some of its key subcommittees, the Graduate Council, the university Budget Priorities Committee).

Finally, the Fellowship Recipient will participate in progress meetings. Progress meetings are an opportunity for the Fellowship Recipient to meet regularly with their collaborators or mentors, consulting partner, and the VP to share observations and informally discuss progress on their various projects.

Fellowship Recipients should maintain notes with their reflections and experiences to share with the VP during progress meetings and as a point of reference for the OIDEI end of the year report. Fellowship Recipients will be expected to provide a final report which will include a description of the completed project(s), a reflection, and an evaluation of the experience of the year. In addition to working throughout the academic year to complete projected initiatives, Fellowship Recipients will, in regular consultation with both their mentors and the VP, develop comprehensive plans for meetings in which to participate during the year. The Fellowship Recipients will be expected to attend and take part in meetings chaired by the VP, such as the University Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Council, the VP/CDO's advisory council, as well as other units and projects reporting to them.

Application and selection process

Interested faculty members must complete the 2024 Faculty Diversity and Inclusion Fellowship Application Form and provide additional documents, as requested. All applicants will be expected to describe their interests and commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Additionally, applicants are required to describe their leadership skills, how this fellowship appointment will support their long-term career goals and identify a potential project that will meet a particular area of need in diversity, equity, and inclusion specific to CMU’s campus. Applicants must have both dean and department chair approval, to be emailed to Dr. Patterson-Stephens

Completed applications, with the required signatures and documents, must be submitted by February 2, 2024 before 5:00PM EST. Late applications will not be accepted.

Completed applications will be reviewed by the Selection Committee charged with making candidate recommendations for the fellowship to the VP. Recommended candidates will then be interviewed by the VP and current Fellow to assess their further interests. Final candidate selection will be made by the VP. 

Faculty Diversity and Inclusion Fellowship Program Application

In order of interest, please indicate areas in which you would like to gain knowledge and experience or enhance your understanding with respect to diversity, equity, and inclusion. If listing a requested mentor or consulting collaborator, please include a rationale for your choice.

Your cover letter should include a rationale for interest in the Faculty Diversity and Inclusion Fellowship, including your ongoing commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion at CMU and in higher education. The review committee will be particularly interested in an assessment of the following: (1) your leadership skills and abilities, (2) your current career development and short and long-term career objectives, and (3) your thoughts on how the award might contribute to your career objectives and to positive contributions to the university. Please mention any proposed research or projects you hope to work on during the fellowship period and how they would advance diversity, equity, and inclusion at Central Michigan University.

Please list all professional and community leadership experiences. Examples include, but are not limited to, service to the university (e.g., Academic Senate, program coordination or direction, department chair, chair of a university/college/department/program committee), service to the profession (e.g., board officer in a professional organization, committee membership in a professional organization, member on an editorial board of a professional journal), and service to the community (e.g., officer or member of a community organization, representative to a community organization, partnerships or collaborations with community organizations). You may also list other relevant leadership experiences, as you see fit.

Please provide the name, title, address, telephone number and e-mail address of three individuals who have agreed to provide a reference for you upon request. This list should include the person to whom you report and two other individuals familiar with your work and/or experience related to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Please include a current CV with this application.