Viewing Student Success on Campus Through a Historian's Lens | Dr. Jessica Harris | Wednesday, February 15, 6:00 P.M. | Brookens Auditorium

Equity is a moral, social, and economic imperative. The democratic and economic future of the state of Illinois and the country rests in our collective ability to get a greater number of citizens with a post-secondary credential. The equity gaps that persist in student outcomes at colleges and universities are rooted in the past and have endured over time. As such, addressing inequity is also an act of justice that acknowledges that the root cause for these gaps is systemic in nature. Please join Dr. Jessica C. Harris, Vice Chancellor for Anti-racism, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and Associate Professor in the Department of History at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, as she discusses equity-centered student success as a critical focus of the present and future of higher education.

Jessica Harris, Ph.D., was named Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s (SIUE) inaugural Vice Chancellor of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in March 2021. Prior to this appointment, Dr. Harris served as Assistant Provost for Academic Equity and Inclusive Excellence in the Office of the Provost. An accomplished teacher and scholar of 20th century African American History, she is also a tenured Associate Professor in the Department of History and formerly served as Director of the Black Studies Program.

Harris earned both her Ph.D. and Master of Arts in history from Cornell University and her Bachelor of Arts from Dillard University. In recognition of her tireless efforts to promote student success on campus, Dr. Harris received the SIUE Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Faculty Humanitarian Award in 2018.  In 2019, Governor Pritzker appointed Dr. Harris to serve on the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum (ALPLM) Board.  As a member of the Board, Dr. Harris is charged with setting policy and advising the executive director on programs related to the ALPLM.

Co-sponsored by the UIS Department of History and UIS Diversity Center