March 31-April 25, 2025

Instructor: 

Taléa R. Drummer-Ferrell, Ph.D.

Associate Vice President for Student Affairs, The Pennsylvania State University (Penn State)

Learning Outcomes:

• Intentionally reflect on own bias and assumptions that could get in the way of supporting students to one’s fullest capacity
• Gain an understanding of the importance of cultural affirmation and sense of belonging and how these can have an impact on the student experience and success
• Discuss best practices that can help support underrepresented students through their transition at a PWI
• Obtain knowledge from other participants discussing various experiences that support the course.

Course Description:

This course will discuss ways to support students of color at a predominately white institution. Underrepresented students have a variety of shared and unique experiences at PWIs, and this course will not only shed light to those experience, but also discuss how we can support those students. The weeks of the course will be themed around the concepts of addressing one’s own biases, cultural awareness and value, cultural affirmation, sense of belonging, and best practices. The instructor, Dr. Talea Drummer-Ferrell has her own lived experiences as a student at three different PWIs as well as in her current position as an Associate Vice President in Student Affairs. This course will encourage dialogue to allow the class to give their own voice to the subject as well.

Textbook (required):

Multiculturalism on Campus: Theory, Models, and Practices for Understanding Diversity and Creating Inclusion by Michael Cuyjet (Editor), et al. 2^nd edition (2016)

About the Instructor:

Dr. Drummer-Ferrell (Dr. D.) is the Associate Vice President for Student Affairs at The Pennsylvania State University (Penn State). Prior to her current role, Dr. D. was the AVP and Dean of Students for five years and historically the first Black woman to sit in that role at her institution. She also served as the Director of the Student Multicultural Center (SMC) for three years where her primary responsibility was to support the needs of underrepresented students through her oversight of the SMC, its major initiatives and programming, and through her work on various committees that she serves on. 

Dr. D. has also had experiences working various functional areas including Intercollegiate Athletics, Residence Services, Student Organizations and Fraternity & Sorority Life. Throughout her career, her focus has been on leadership, academics, career development, and empowerment of the individual student. Dr. D. attended undergrad at Miami University where she became a proud member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated and earned my bachelor’s degree in Family Studies. She earned her master’s degree from the University of Louisville in College Student Personnel, and earned her Ph.D. from Kent State University in Higher Education Administration & Student Personnel where her research focus was on second year students and the sophomore slump. Dr. D. lives in the State College area with her family, including their five-year old daughter, Gayle.

May 5-May 30, 2025

Instructor:

Catherine Hartman

Assistant Professor, North Carolina State University

Learning Outcomes:

• Understand national trends, literature, and data associated with student transfer
• Examine and understand the characteristics and assets of transfer and transfer-intending students
• Explore common tools and practices institutions use to meet transfer students needs
• Evaluate the ways in which programs or initiatives may or may not support transfer students’ transitions, engagement, and success during the transfer process
• Develop equity-minded strategies for promoting transfer student success within and across institutions, including through pathways, initiatives, and policies

Course Description:

Transfer students are a significant and growing undergraduate population on campuses across the U.S. Promoting transfer student success requires institutional agents to understand and support students’ navigation of the transfer process and their acclimatation to new institutions. As such, this course will provide foundational information about transfer, including national trends in transfer. Participants will also explore characteristics of transfer students, assets they bring with them to their institutions, and institutional barriers that impact their success. Participants will engage in learning activities and create equity-minded actionable plans that reinforce support for transfers. No textbook is required for this course.

About the Instructor:

Transfer students are a significant and growing undergraduate population on campuses across the U.S. Promoting transfer student success requires institutional agents to understand and support students’ navigation of the transfer process and their acclimatation to new institutions. As such, this course will provide foundational information about transfer, including national trends in transfer. Participants will also explore characteristics of transfer students, assets they bring with them to their institutions, and institutional barriers that impact their success. Participants will engage in learning activities and create equity-minded actionable plans that reinforce support for transfers.