Center for Faculty Excellence 2022 Teaching Enhancement Grants

The Center for Faculty Excellence (CFE) is pleased to announce that two proposals have been awarded funds for the Teaching Enhancement Grants! These proposals aim to increase diversity and anti-racism awareness in course content or address implicit or explicit bias in the classroom climate to improve the classroom experience for all. Each proposal was awarded the original $1000 grant as well as supplemental funds for their project for a total of $2250 for each grant.
 
One of the grants is to be awarded to the faculty team of Dr. Shelley Jagow, Mr. Bill Jobert, and Dr. Gretchen McNamara, from the Wright State University School of Music. The project will attempt to diversify the current Music curriculum (in multiple classes) by programming wind and percussion repertoire composed by Black American composers. Additionally, they plan to further increase diversity and anti-racism awareness by inviting a black conductor and music educator to be the featured Conductor for the WSU Honor Band Festival to be held in February 2023 on Wright State's campus. In addition to reaching WSU students, the festival regularly brings in more than 250 middle and high school students to campus.

 
The other grant is to be awarded to the faculty team of Christen Johnson, MD, MPH; Amanda Bell, MD, FAAFP; and Priya Small, MPH from the Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine. This project will utilize specialized antiracist curricula methodology and the UnderstandingByDesign educational framework. Both will help student physicians learn and use skills to combat biases and institutional racism when recognized, employ culturally appropriate means of communication with people from all backgrounds, and demonstrate increased empathy and ability to create inclusive spaces. This project will affect students in each year of medical school and will assist them in becoming socially conscious physicians.

Congratulations to both teams!