Sahar Al-Najjar still remembers the beginning of her academic career, and the first time she really felt seen as an undergraduate psychology student.
She met her first professor, who like her, was Middle Eastern. The professor, who was also a psychologist, was invested in her lived experiences, educational goals, and future success.
“I remember how transformative that space was for me,” she said. “I felt uplifted, heard, seen, supported, and empowered. Before that, within academia, I remember often feeling othered.”
According to the National Center for Education Statistics, of the 1.5 million college and university faculty in the U.S., 72% are White, 13% are Asian, 7% are Black, and 6% are Hispanic.
To help increase the diversity of educators in Illinois, the state established the Diversifying Higher Education Faculty in Illinois (DFI) program in 2004. Its goal: financially support students from traditionally underrepresented minority groups and grow the number of minority full-time tenure track faculty and staff at Illinois’ two- and four-year public and private colleges and universities.
In July, DFI announced its recipients for the 2024-25 DFI Fellowship, which included Al-Najjar — now a fourth-year student in the Doctor of Psychology in Clinical Psychology program — and four other recipients from Adler University. They are:
- Lauren E. Alexander, Doctor of Philosophy in Counselor Education and Supervision.
- Sahar Al-Najjar, Doctor of Psychology in Clinical Psychology.
- Violeta Barba, Doctor of Philosophy in Counselor Education and Supervision.
- Karyln Boens, Doctor of Psychology in Industrial and Organizational Psychology.
- Margaritta Fultz, Doctor of Psychology in Industrial and Organizational Psychology.
From left (top), Violeta Barba, Lauren Alexander; (bottom), Karlyn Boens, Sahar Al-Najjar, and Margaritta Fultz
“When I was given the opportunity to teach, I fell in love with it,” said Barba, an adjunct professor in the Master of Arts in Counseling: Art Therapy program. “There are many reasons why diversity in faculty is important for higher education institutions, including the varied perspectives in teaching methods and experiences that instructors from diverse backgrounds can bring. Representation, role modeling, and cultural perspectives help address biases and stereotypes.”
Boens, whose passion for teaching blossomed during her early college years when she found solace in her alma mater’s faculty and staff of color, agrees.
“Like the other few students of color on campus, I, a Black woman, first-generation college student, and former youth in care, yearned for inclusion, belonging, respect, and patience as I navigated the unfamiliar world of college,” she said. “The support and guidance I received were instrumental in shaping my academic and professional.”
“It is my belief that students flourish when they receive support from others who look like them and have a shared understanding of their experiences and challenges,” Boens added. “Increasing the representation of minority full-time tenure-track faculty and staff is crucial for fostering a more inclusive and equitable academic environment.”
To be eligible for the fellowship, which offers up to $17,500 for master’s degree fellows and $18,000 for doctoral fellows, students must be an Illinois resident, from an underrepresented group, must have above average academic ability, demonstrate financial need, a must pursue a career in teaching or administration at an Illinois post-secondary institution.
“I am truly grateful for the DFI Fellowship,” said Fultz, who was contemplating taking on part-time work to help cover the cost of tuition, fees, and essentials. “This funding could not have come at a better time. Now I can concentrate on my last few electives, my dissertation process, and my research.”
Fultz said her interest in and passion for teaching came from her parents, who were both educators.
“Being raised in a household where my parents valued books, earned their degrees in the 1950s and 1960s, and made education a top priority shaped how my brothers and I valued education,” she said. “When folx know better, they do better, and through educational attainment, my parents made a better life for our inner-city Black family and positively impacted our community.”
At Adler University, the DFI Fellowship is administered by the Center for Diversity and Inclusion, which plans to provide additional resources to the latest cohort of fellows. This includes an orientation for the recipients, which allows them to meet, learn more about CDI, and what to expect from the DFI. In addition, the CDI will start a faculty mentorship program, which connects the students with an Adler faculty member to whom they can learn more about where and how to start their journey in academia.
“I decided to pursue a doctorate and career in academia partly because I noticed a lack of representation of individuals like me in the field,” said Alexander, adding that the fellowship has helped take a huge financial weight off of her. “When students see professors with shared research interests and similar racial, ethnic, gender, or sexual orientations, it opens up valuable networking and mentorship opportunities.”
“I am committed to offering mentorship to students who want to learn from a BIPOC professor to support their career development,” Alexander said.
For Al-Najjar, who is an adjunct professor that currently teaches psychology courses at Triton College, she still remembers how impactful having a Middle Eastern professor take her under her wing was. She hopes to have that same impact in cultivating an inclusive and uplifting academic space that amplifies the voices of students who may not see themselves in many of their educators or broader academic system.
“I truly believe that when everyone feels that they belong and are represented in some facet, it not only enriches the learning experience but also dismantles prevalent stigma” she said.
The next application process for the DFI Fellowship will begin in March 2025, with Adler University allotted up to 10 recipients. Adler University students interested in applying for future DFI Fellowships and to learn more about eligibility requirements, contact the Center for Diversity and Inclusion at [email protected].