Our sixth class of Fellows represents professors, staff and graduate students from a broad range of disciplines and backgrounds, selected from the largest number of fellowship applications received to date. This cohort’s research focuses on higher education’s role in preparing scientifically literate voters, diversity professionals’ views on political bans and marginalized students’ experiences with biased and hateful speech, among other topics. Their projects include developing educational materials and programs that can serve as a roadmap to safeguarding and encouraging the robust exchange of ideas while simultaneously upholding the institutional values of equity and inclusion.

Learn more about the 2023-2024 class of Fellows and their work by watching this brief video:

Susan Balter-Reitz & Michael Bruner

Professor of Communication, Montana State University Billings; Professor of Communication Studies, University of Nevada Las Vegas

Research Title: "The Performance of Argument in University Free Speech Legislation: Lessons for University Leadership in Public Communication"

Read and download Susan and Michael’s work

Kaleb Briscoe

Assistant Professor, University of Oklahoma

Research Title: "Dismantling DEI in Higher Education: An Analysis of How Diversity Professionals View Political Bans"

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Eliza Epstein

Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Texas at Austin

Research Title: "Campus Civic Engagement during Turbulent Times: Student Responses to State Based Attacks on DEI and Academic Freedom"

Read and download Eliza's work

Frank Fernandez

Associate Professor, University of Wisconsin, Madison

Research Title: "Can Universities Support Civic Engagement through Science Literacy?"

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Nina Flores — Senior Fellow

Associate Professor, California State University Long Beach

Research Title: "Resources for Supporting Faculty and Staff During Incidents of Targeted Harassment"

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Sara Johnson

Assistant Professor, Tufts University

Research Title: "Role Models as a Motivator of College Students’ Civic Engagement"

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Alex Kappus

Account Executive for Student Success, Credo Higher Education Consulting

Research Title: "Cultivating a Culture of Civic Engagement and Democratic Learning: Examining Institutional Responses to the California Student Civic and Voter Empowerment Act (AB 963)"

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Raquel Rall

Associate Dean of Strategic Initiatives, UC Riverside

Research Title: "The Reach of Civic Engagement: The Impact of Student Trustees on Campus and Beyond"

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Ashley Robinson

Assistant Professor of Higher Education, Fairleigh Dickinson University

Research Title: "Institutional Dismissal and Betrayal in the Name of Free Speech: Student Stories of Reporting Bias"

Read and download Ashley's work