Quinsigamond Community College was recently awarded $51,968 from the Healey-Driscoll Administration’s Higher Education Innovation Fund (HEIF). The state awarded more than $1.3 million in HEIF grants to higher education institutions for projects that advance racial equity. QCC is using its HEIF grant to create a new non-credit Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) certificate program for faculty and staff. QCC partnered with Anna Maria College, Middlesex Community College, Worcester State University and Worcester Polytechnic Institute to implement the program.
“By working together as a collective community, we are fostering an inclusive environment to meet the needs of diverse student populations in our region. This collaborative approach to educate faculty and staff will increase student recruitment and retention, improve classroom dialogue and advance student success,” said QCC President Dr. Luis Pedraja.
The primary objective of the DEI certificate program is to prepare faculty and staff to support the lived experience of all students and support the shift towards an inclusive campus environment. The certificate program will engage participants in advanced DEI thematic work led by trained instructors and will start in the fall of 2024.
“With the ongoing efforts to dismantle DEI programs, it's imperative to continue advancing this work and maintain institutional commitment to it. A key strategy involves educating our community,” said Executive Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Kevin Lovaincy. “When educators and staff prioritize intersectionality, they can provide stronger support to our students, fostering a sense of belonging that will directly correlate with academic and professional success.”
The program will consist of a curated curriculum focused on 8-12 core concepts. Concepts may include, but are not limited to: Intersectionality; Lived Experiences; Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Belonging and Access; Bias and Implicit Bias; Microaggressions; LGBTQIA+ Awareness; Power, Privilege, and Oppression; Social Constructs of Race and Class; Ending the Silence through Bystander Intervention; Language and Navigating Difficult Conversations; Race, Gender, Sexual Orientation, and the Intersection of Social Justice; and/or Socialization. Each concept will be explored in a separate module facilitated by trained faculty from QCC and partner institutions. The curriculum will be customized to events and experiences of Central Massachusetts.
For more information contact Kevin Lovaincy at klovaincy@qcc.mass.edu.