Diversity Faculty Fellows Program

This program supports the university’s vision for diversity by providing selected faculty members with opportunities to infuse diversity into existing curriculum, create models to improve classroom dynamics in support of social justice, or identify strategies to enhance institutional practices.

Program Overview

Towson University’s Diversity Faculty Fellows Program (DFF) provides support for TU faculty who are interested in developing or redesigning courses for major or core curriculum, developing curricular practices to support inclusive classroom environments, supporting research and teaching projects, developing pedagogy and research toolkits, and/or identifying the needs of the university or developing models to affect change.

Selected Faculty Fellows will be awarded a $1,500 stipend for their participation in the program.

 

 AREAS OF FOCUS

I. Develop Curricular Practices to Support Inclusive and Diverse Classroom

Examples include developing assignments, methods of universal design, and other techniques in the classroom that guide students towards adopting an analytical framework for understanding and valuing difference.

II. Develop and/or Redesign Courses for Major or Core Curriculum

Examples include development departmental courses that add to students’ understanding of the experiences of others. These courses might be added as part of a major or the core curriculum.

III. Support Scholarly Engagement

Examples include innovative research, community engagement, or workshop facilitation that enriches the campus.

IV. Develop Resource Toolkit

Examples include creating usable materials for faculty or students so that best practices are replicated and circulated. Workshops may also be included.

V. Create Opportunities for On-Going Mentorship

Examples include projects that sustain long-term relationships related to inclusion and diversity. Mentoring might be related to student and faculty retention, curriculum development supporting inclusive and diverse classroom, the tenure process, and other opportunities.

Diversity Faculty Fellows Expectations

  • Attend monthly workshops during the academic year of program participation.
  • Implement the newly developed Diversity initiative during spring semester of program participation.
  • Showcase project at TU's annual January conference following program completion.
  • Assess and eva;uate the project.
  • Participate in DFF networking gatherings and provide informal mentorship to future Diversity Faculty Fellows for an academic year following fellowship, as available.
  • Act as a resource for the Provost's Office as available.

Diversity Faculty Fellows Review/Advisory Committee

Name Department
Ziad Bentahar Assistant Professor, Foreign Languages
Alyse Minter Research and Instruction Librarian, Cook Library
Maggie Reitz Vice Provost, Office of the Provost
Leticia Romo Associate Professor, Foreign Languages
Debbie Seeberger Assistant Vice President for Diversity and Inclusion, Office of the Provost
Marcia (Marci) Watson Assistant Professor, Elementary Education

Want to learn more?

Diversity Faculty Fellows Program

For more information on the program, contact Marcia Watson at 410-704-4630 or at 410-704-2360.