Diversity & Personal Statement

My guiding principle is “To whom much is given, much is expected.” As someone who has both a bachelor’s degree and master’s, I will have immense privilege and power over others who have not attended college even due to choosing not to obtain a degree or being closed out of traditional higher educational due to cost or bias in the application process. It is my endowed duty to work to bring down the “ivory tower” of prejudice and oppression that exists in post-secondary education.

While I currently hold multiple intersecting marginalized identities that are currently under attack from both state and federal law makers, I still hold a great deal of privilege due to being a cisgender male who does not have any different abilities that allows me to find gainful employment and an education. My goal in life is to create educational opportunities for people, especially students, to learn about the vast array of identities that each of us hold, and how to work to create an active accomplice mindset to fight for social justice for all. My other main career passion is assessing and reviewing residential curriculums and institutional policies in order to ensure that they are equitable and just and are not written and being implemented from a socially unconscious framework. I also strive to use my power and privilege to work to liberate higher education from oppressive systems where marginalized students, especially students with disabilities do not have equitable access to a quality education and a place where they are able to flourish and create community.

My main interests areas of research are:

Exploring the Sense of Belonging for Queer, Trans, and Two-Spirit Students at Minority Serving Institutions. 

Comparing the Sense of Belonging Students hold at MSIs vs PWIs