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intersections of research, teaching & service

"Advocacy is scholarship. Pedagogy is scholarship. Advocacy is pedagogy. Pedagogy is advocacy."

(Fassett & Warren, 2007, p. 32)

I believe that in order to have an impact as a scholar, teacher, and activist it is important to create meaningful intersections between my research, teaching, and service activities. During my time as a graduate student at Bowling Green State University (BGSU), my involvement with We Are One Team (WA1T) has provided me with prime opportunities to combine my research with my teaching and service -- and vice versa:

Interdisciplinary Research

My biggest service commitment at BGSU has been my involvement with the We Are One Team (WA1T) initiative at BGSU, which is a campus-wide initiative that uses the emotional power of sport to promote diversity, inclusion, and social justice at the university and beyond. I am grateful that my work with We Are One Team (WA1T) has provided me with unique opportunities to conduct research that approaches sport and physical culture(s) from a critical perspective. Indeed, the success of We Are One Team (WA1T) at BGSU has prompted me to conduct a variety of interdisciplinary research projects on the initiative. For instance, I incorporated some of my experiences with We Are One Team (WA1T) into a performance ethnography colleagues and I presented at the 2016 International Congress for Qualitative Inquiry (now published in the journal International Review for Qualitative Research). I am also currently working on a co-authored case study analysis of We Are One Team (WA1T)'s strategic efforts to promote diversity and inclusion as well as on a manuscript that uses auto-ethnography to deconstruct my experience as the founder of We Are One Team (WA1T). Finally, I am in the process of establishing an interdisciplinary research team, the goal of which is to assess the impact of the initiative at BGSU (and beyond) and to examine the experiences of the people involved with the initiative using mixed-method approaches. 

Curriculum Development

I have linked my service work with We Are One Team (WA1T) to my teaching activities. For instance, I have developed class sessions for freshman seminars geared toward student-athletes that prompt them to critically reflect on their experiences and worldviews and that empower them to use their involvement in intercollegiate athletics as a platform to advocate for positive social change. As part of a faculty learning community on community-based learning, I have also developed a series of service learning components for the COMM 3500: Rhetoric of Sport class in the Department of Communication, which I taught in the 2018 spring semester. The course allowed students to work with We Are One Team (WA1T) to create programming for the BGSU community that uses sport as a platform to address social justice issues.

In my new role as Assistant Professor of Sports Communication and Media at Rowan University (starting fall of 2019), I will also have the opportunity to teach in and develop courses for the university's newly launched Sports Communication and Media (Sports CAM) major -- a great opportunity to create impactful curricula for future sports professionals. In addition, I will have the opportunity to work with the Center for Sports Communication and Social Impact at Rowan University.

Internship Supervision

Beyond the classroom, I strive to use We Are One Team (WA1T) as a tool to create meaningful learning experiences for undergraduate and graduate students at BGSU. Since the initiative’s launch in the fall of 2015, I have supervised multiple undergraduate students on service-learning projects linked to We Are One Team (WA1T). I have also served as internship supervisor to one graduate student and six undergraduate students who completed their on-campus internships with We Are One Team (WA1T). In this capacity, I have developed curricula for internships focused on Leadership Studies and Marketing & PR.  If you are a graduate or undergraduate student interested in interning with We Are One Team (WA1T), please check out our career opportunities page.

WA1T Team Player Program for Diversity & Inclusion Leadership

In the fall of 2017, We Are One Team (WA1T) launched the WA1T Team Player Program, which is an inclusive leadership certificate program specifically designed for student-athletes. The program represents a partnership between We Are One Team (WA1T), the Office of Multicultural Affairs, and the Center for Leadership at BGSU. Incorporating research on identity, leadership, and social justice education, the program aims at encouraging student-athletes to utilize sport as a platform to promote diversity and inclusion by preparing them to become inclusive leaders in their respective teams, the BGSU and Bowling Green community, as well as their future careers. This year-long program includes nine sessions focused on topics such as the student-athletes' identities, intercultural communication, microaggressions, social norms, power and privilege, media literacy, and inclusive team environments.

 

Consulting Work & Speaking Arrangements

My work with We Are One Team (WA1T) has allowed me to travel across the United States to do presentations and consulting work on diversity and inclusion leadership within sport and higher education contexts. I frequently speak at institutions and venues that focus on topics related to social justice and sport, diversity and inclusion leadership, and strengthening campus communities. For instance, I was recently invited to be one of the presenters in a session titled "Best Practices to Ensure Inclusive Campus Cultures" at the 2017 NCAA Inclusion Forum. I also presented at the 2017 convention of the Minority Opportunities Athletic Association (MOAA) in Orlando, Florida, and the Lone Star Conference Women's Workshop in Dallas, Texas. For a more detailed overview of my upcoming speaking arrangements, please visit the news & media page on this website. 

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