Offers guidance that helps facilitate the attainment of tenure, promotion, and advancement at each faculty career stage, particularly for underrepresented racial/ethnic minority tenure-track faculty members.

Senior Faculty Mentors

Gilyard, Keith

Edwin Erle Sparks Professor of English and African American Studies

Hamer, Jennifer

Professor in African American Studies

Staples-Dixon, Jeanine

Professor in Literacy and Language

Support for all Campuses

The Senior Faculty Mentors Systemwide Network (SFMSN) is designed to extend critical elements of the existing mentoring support provided by the Senior Faculty Mentors to all Penn State campuses.

The senior faculty who have agreed to participate in the network all have the requisite skills, temperament, experience and interest to provide sound guidance to colleagues. Network members serve as an initial point of contact for faculty members from underrepresented groups both at their campus and for campuses in close proximity. They are available to provide advice and counsel as needed regarding a variety of professional development matters. In the event that some issues require more in-depth interventions, network members work directly with the Senior Faculty Mentors to address concerns.

Equity Leadership Fellow

Laura Leites

Associate Research Professor of Quantitative Forest Ecology in the Department of Ecosystem Science and Management at Penn State University.

The Equity Leadership Fellows Program is designed to recognize faculty members’ ongoing efforts to foster greater DEIB across the University while helping faculty further develop their knowledge and expertise as leaders in fostering a more equitable and inclusive institution.