SUNY Chancellor King Announces Third Cohort of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Fellows
October 8, 2025
Faculty Fellows Will Provide Support for Continued Implementation of SUNY's Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion General Education Requirement
Albany, NY — State University of New York Chancellor John B. King Jr. today announced the third cohort of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Social Justice (DEISJ) Fellows. The nine faculty fellows will provide support for other faculty to incorporate diversity, equity, inclusion, and social justice into existing courses to meet DEISJ student learning outcomes in the general education framework.
"SUNY is committed to being a place of inclusion and equity for all, and all of our students must be prepared to succeed in diverse workplaces and communities," SUNY Chancellor King said. "Diversity, equity, and inclusion is embedded in SUNY's founding statute, and each of the 10 fellows' accomplishments and expertise will help SUNY uphold its core principles, and make sure students are well equipped for the future."
SUNY Trustee Marcos Crespo and SUNY Trustee Camille Joseph Varlack, Co-Chairs of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee, said, "DEISJ Fellows are a crucial part of supporting SUNY's dedication to diversity, equity, and inclusion, and to the success of our students. We congratulate this year's fellows for taking on this important work, and we are proud to celebrate their accomplishments and expertise."
The nine fellows selected for the third cohort of the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Social Justice Fellows Program are:
- Jessica Best, Professor of English and Diversity Initiatives Coordinator, Adirondack Community College
- Jaime Hartless, Assistant Professor of Sociology and Anthropology, Farmingdale State College
- Shelton K. Johnson, Assistant Professor of Black Studies, SUNY New Paltz
- Stephen Santa-Ramirez, Associate Professor of Higher Education, State University of New York at Buffalo
- Danica Savonick, Associate Professor of English, SUNY Cortland
- Simone Sellstrom, Academic Chair and Assistant Professor of Communication, Jamestown Community College
- Amy Shore, Professor of Cinema and Screen Studies, SUNY Oswego
- Shameika Williams, Assistant Professor of Public Health, SUNY Old Westbury
- Leo Wilton, Professor of Human Development, State University of New York at Binghamton
The DEISJ Fellows will support SUNY faculty to develop and teach courses in the General Education Framework, and work to sustain and grow a community of practice in areas related to the teaching of diversity, equity, inclusion, and social justice across disciplines.
The DEISJ Fellows program is open to all current SUNY full-time faculty. Preference is given to applicants who are scheduled to teach a DEISJ-designated course during the 2025-2026 academic year; have experience with General Education curriculum approval or assessment; have a record of working with organizations or initiatives on their home campus that demonstrate a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion; and professional experience with Title VI protections against discrimination and harassment.
About the State University of New York
The State University of New York is the largest comprehensive system of higher education in the United States, and more than 95 percent of all New Yorkers live within 30 miles of any one of SUNY’s 64 colleges and universities. Across the system, SUNY has four academic health centers, five hospitals, four medical schools, two dental schools, a law school, the country’s oldest school of maritime, the state's only college of optometry, 12 Educational Opportunity Centers, over 30 ATTAIN digital literacy labs, and manages one US Department of Energy National Laboratory. In total, SUNY serves about 1.7 million students across its portfolio of credit- and non-credit-bearing courses and programs, continuing education, and community outreach programs. SUNY oversees nearly a quarter of academic research in New York. Research expenditures system-wide are nearly $1.5 billion in fiscal year 2025, including significant contributions from students and faculty. There are more than three million SUNY alumni worldwide, and annually one in three New Yorkers who earn a college degree is a SUNY alum. To learn more about how SUNY creates opportunities, visit suny.edu.
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