The appointment of Camisha Sibblis as director of the Black Scholars Institute will help to advance its mission, says Shanthi Johnson, vice-president, research and innovation.

"I am excited to welcome Dr. Sibblis to this crucial role," Dr. Johnson said. “Her remarkable expertise and extensive experience will be instrumental in ensuring that our Black students and scholars not only succeed but also lead in their respective fields.”

Sibblis joined the Department of Sociology and Criminology as an assistant professor in August 2023. Her research crosses disciplines to study identity, oppression, and anti-oppressive alternatives.

The Black Scholars Institute is a crucial part of fulfilling the University’s Strategic Mandate Agreement and moving the institution into the future, enhancing its research profile and establishing it as a centre of excellence in Windsor-Essex.

After suggestions from across its membership, the name Black Scholars Institute was adopted in place of the original Black Studies Institute to highlight the focus on community, Sibblis says.

“It suggests that this is not only a think tank to generate Black knowledge, but also a home to Black scholars, meaning any Black knowledge producer, irrespective of their subject of study,” she says. “This was a more inclusive shift.

“I see leading the new Black Scholars Institute as an opportunity to develop and amplify Black research excellence at the University of Windsor in ways that foster pride and belonging in the Black faculty and students on campus and in the broader community.”

A larger celebration, dedicated campus space, and announcement of the 13 new Black Scholars who have recently joined the institute and are joining an existing cadre of outstanding Black scholars at the University of Windsor are planned for September 2024.