The Black Scholars Institute is excited to announce it's line up of events.
Programming
The BSI hosts weekly programming and other regularly scheduled events, including: “Think Tank Thursday” where Black faculty and students meet to discuss research, current events and relevant topics; “Just Write” focused writing sessions; “Coffee and Convo” forums in collaboration with Leddy Library to discuss Black literature; student saloons, where Black graduate students are invited to present their works in progress in an inclusive and welcoming environment, and get feedback from other students and faculty; and the “Black Research Spotlight” during which Black scholars’ research and projects are highlighted.
Mentoring
The 13 new Black scholars have the benefit of group mentorship sessions led by the senior Black scholars to enrich their experience and support their success at the University of Windsor.
In recognition of the challenges posed by systemic anti-Black racism, BSI also offers its members a membership with NCFDD, formerly the National Centre for Faculty Development and Diversity, which gives scholars on-demand access to professional development resources as an additional tool to help them thrive and experience success in their academic careers. BSI would like to thank the Centre of Teaching and Learning and the Office of the Provost for their support with the mentorship initiatives.
Seed Grants
As a research institute, the BSI aims to support Black Studies and Black excellence in various ways. One crucial way is through the awarding of grants to assist with the commencement, advancement, and expansion of Black scholars’ research projects, since these are often overlooked in funding competitions. As a funding entity, the BSI does not only benefit the scholars, but the University and larger community, through the facilitation of increased productivity, creativity, innovation, and knowledge dissemination. The first of these grants will be awarded in the Fall 2024 and subsequent competitions are incumbent upon funding by way of grants and philanthropy to the BSI.
Instructional Skills Workshop
In 2021, the University of Windsor’s Anti-Black Racism Task Force produced a report with recommendations to address anti-Black racism on campus. Key recommendations included opportunities for Afrocentric practices, Black-Centric inclusivity, and safe space expectations. A critical entry point toward achieving these recommendations is through specialized, extended programming, designed to affect and encourage learning-centred, equitable teaching and learning environments. To that end, the BSI will offer the Instructional Skills Workshop to its members to support excellence in pedagogy. The Black Scholars Institute thanks the Centre of Teaching and Learning for their willingness to work collaboratively on achieving some of these shared goals.