Work

Promoting a “Home for All” at an Urban Midwestern University Through a DEI Seminar Series

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: We explore changes in perceptions and actions related to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) among faculty, staff, students, and community members who participated in a year-long seminar series at a university located in the urban core of a Midwestern city. The results of a pre-/post-survey to assess color-blind racial attitudes and post-project individual interviews demonstrate that participants changed their perceptions to adopt a broader definition of diversity and developed a new awareness of their own intersectional identities and biases. Participants also reflected on the cohort experience and relevance of the curriculum, and they engaged in actions in their professional and personal lives to apply concepts from the series. The paper shares implications for successful DEI professional development projects within urban higher education communities in an increasingly challenging political context.

Source: Journal of Urban Learning Teaching and Research

DOI: 10.51830/001c.157917

Authors: Jennifer Friend, Michael J. Powers, LaTisha Davis, Nicole Smith

Institutions: Wichita State University, Graceland University

Language: English

Topic: Critical Race Theory in Education

Subfield: Sociology and Political Science

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDGs: Quality education, Reduced inequalities, Sustainable cities and communities

Open Access status: diamond

OpenAlex ID: W7130420988