University of Texas at Austin
PA-7: Support for Future Faculty Diversity

One of the core strengths of UT Austin’s Division of Diversity and Community Engagement is attention to the full education pipeline, from pre-K through graduate and professional school. Some initiatives offer incentives and support for academic success, while others provide dual high school and college credit, tutoring, mentoring and interactive conversations with families about what it takes for students to be ready for college. Once these students are enrolled in The University of Texas at Austin, DDCE programs offer the academic support, mentoring and tutoring they need to succeed at a tier-one university, obtain research experience, and gain exposure to graduate school. Together these aligned initiatives provide a continuous pathway for students to achieve their highest postsecondary goals, including becoming faculty at other institutions. The McNair Scholars Program is a federally funded program (one of the TRIO Programs funded by the Department of Education) mandated by Congress. The goal of the program is to increase the number of students in doctoral degree programs who are low-income and first-generation undergraduates, or students who come from groups underrepresented in graduate education. All McNair Scholars obtain a faculty mentor, work on an independent research project, receive free GRE prep (worth $2,000), and are eligible for up to $5,500 for participating. Program participants must be committed to enrolling in graduate programs with an end goal of successfully completing a Ph.D. Our graduates have gone on to dozens of top institutions such as Northwestern University, Harvard University, Brown University, and New York University. Gateway Scholars, similarly, is designed to facilitate and enhance students’ transition to and through college. We support our students in becoming top-notch competitors in any industry they are passionate about entering. The Gateway Scholars have a strong multi-disciplinary identity and focus on competitive GPAs and on-time graduation. DDCE itself also provides support for an average of 15 graduate students annually from diverse backgrounds. These students work as graduate research assistants and graduate assistants in a number of DDCE programs, ranging from the Longhorn Center for Academic Excellence, which supports first-generation students, to the division’s communications office. The majority are working on doctorates in higher education administration. The DDCE provides supplementary funding for 12-14 faculty members each year who are involved in research or service that supports underserved populations. For example, several of our faculty fellows are involved in projects that help ensure Pre-K-12 students of color advance through the education pipeline; another directs the Social Justice Institute; another engages diverse populations in scientific discussions around issues such as environmental equity, weather forecasting, global warming, space travel, and primate behavior. Through this work, faculty are role models and mentors to students who, in turn, are inspired to pursue their own academic achievements. UT Austin’s internal hiring practices are also worthy of mention: the university recruits diverse faculty through the thematic faculty hiring initiative. The Vice President for Diversity and Community Engagement works with colleges and schools to identify gaps in scholarships and works to recruit and provide funding for faculty to fill those gaps. For example, past thematic hires included a professor of nursing whose research examines healthcare in Asian American populations and a professor of pharmacy who has been researching the smoking habits of African American college students.