Growth, Teaching, Learning

1. Africana Studies Certificate

The College of Letters and Science (CLS) is developing a certificate in Africana Studies, driven by student interest and opportunities for curricular growth. Because of the interdisciplinary nature of Africana Studies, the proposed certificate will be housed in the Department of Liberal Studies. Over the past year, efforts towards establishing the certificate have included:

  •  The Office of Diversity and Inclusion and CLS provided mini-grants for summer faculty research to support content development around the Africana Studies curriculum.
  • Dr. Jelani Mahiri, instructor in Sociology and Anthropology, has offered the first foundations course for the certificate twice, and Dr. Brooke Bocast, Assistant Professor in Sociology and Anthropology, has developed the second course in the foundations sequence.
  • The proposal to initiate the development of an Africana Studies certificate was submitted in summer 2022. 

2. Campus Workshops

The College of Education, Health, and Human Development (EHHD) and campus collaborators hosted Colene Elridge, a Human Resources professional and diversity coach, to lead a series of workshops centered around transforming workplaces through leadership, communication, and engagement. Over the course of two days, around 300 MSU students, staff, and faculty attended sessions to dig deeper into inclusive practices.

3. Implementing Inclusive Practices in the Classroom, Research, and Outreach

Along with several campus partners, the Center for Faculty Excellence sponsored a weeklong series highlighting ways that MSU faculty and staff are changing the culture through their inclusive practices in advising, teaching, mentoring, podcasting, writing workshops and more. Members of the MSU community can watch the sessions from this series through the Center for Faculty Excellence webpage.

2022 President's Award for Gender Equity Recipients
  • Dr. Virginia “Ginny” Bratton, professor in the Jake Jabs College of Business and Entrepreneurship. 
  • Stephanie Wilson, co-founder of the Asian Student Interracial Association and graduate of the individual interdisciplinary doctoral program.
  • Ellie Jackson, Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience student and President of the MSU HEART Initiative.
  • Erika Hernandez, community health student, McNair Scholar, and volunteer with Proyecto SALUD.
University-wide Workshop Attendance

In the past year:

  • 458 students, faculty, and staff attended a Safe Zone workshop.
  • 110 students, faculty, and staff attended a Diversity Development workshop.
  • 683 students, faculty, and staff completed the Indian Education for All course.
  •  59.5% of MSU faculty and staff have completed the IEFA course to date.