Today, no institution can ignore the need for deep conversations about race and ethnicity. But colleges and universities face a unique set of challenges as they explore these topics. Diversity Matters offers leaders a roadmap as they think through how their campuses can serve all students well.

Five Key Sections

Campus Case Studies: Transforming Institutions with a Commitment to Diversity

Why We Stayed: Lessons in Resiliency and Leadership from Long-Term CCCU Diversity Professionals

Voices of Our Friends: Speaking for Themselves

Curricular/Cocurricular Initiatives to Enhance Diversity Awareness and Action

Autoethnographies: Emerging Leaders and Career Stages

Each chapter in Diversity Matters includes important discussion questions for administration, faculty, and staff.

Karen A. Longman is the PhD Program Director and Professor of Doctoral Higher Education at Azusa Pacific University. She also serves as a Senior Fellow of the Council for Christian Colleges & Universities (CCCU), where she worked for nineteen years as Vice-President for Professional Development and Research. In 2016, Longman’s contributions to Christian higher education were recognized through receiving the John R. Dellenback Global Leadership Award. Longman is coediting Christian Higher Education: An International Journal of Research, Theory, and Practice and an eight-volume book series being sponsored by the International Leadership Association focused on Women and Leadership—the first volume is titled Women and Leadership in Higher Education. She holds a PhD in Higher Education from the University of Michigan. 

Allison N. Ash is Dean of Student Care and Graduate Student Life at Wheaton College. Her prior experience includes working seven years in full-time church ministry in Michigan and Texas and serving as an administrator at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California, where she also earned her Master of Divinity degree. She is the coauthor of several publications related to racial diversity in Christian higher education, including “Pathways to Success for Students of Color in Christian Colleges: The Role of Institutional Integrity and Sense of Community” and “The Paradox of Faith: White Administrators and Anti-Racism Advocacy in Christian Higher Education,” both published in Christian Higher Education. Ash serves on a research team that explores the experiences of white administrators active in racial justice advocacy in Christian higher education institutions. She is currently completing her PhD in higher education from Azusa Pacific University and enjoys roasting marshmallows and going to parks with her husband and two young daughters. 

Andrea Cook has been dedicated to higher education for forty years, holding positions at Judson Baptist College, University of Oregon, George Fox University, and Goshen College before assuming the role of Vice-President of Institutional Advancement at Warner Pacific. She was inaugurated as the College’s seventh and first female President in September 2009. Cook holds a bacheor’s degree in Elementary Education from Northwest Nazarene University and both a master’s degree and a PhD in Educational Policy and Management from the University of Oregon. During her time at Warner Pacific, Cook has led the institution to embrace its urban identity. Through specially tailored programs, diverse, first-generation students are achieving their higher education goals, paving the way to a brighter future. 

Kimberly Battle-Walters Denu is the Vice-President and Chief Diversity Officer at Azusa Pacific University. She has a master’s degree in Social Work from Temple University, and a doctorate in Sociology, with an emphasis in race and family, from the University of Florida. Denu received a Fulbright Scholar award to teach and conduct research in South Africa and has published articles on African American issues, women, and family matters. Her book Sheila’s Shop: Working-Class African American Women Talk about Life, Love, Race, and Hair was listed in a Los Angeles newspaper as one of the top ten African American books. She and her mother coedited a book entitled Mothers Are Leaders (ACU Press, 2014). In addition, Denu is an ordained minister who does ministry work around the globe.

 Like a medical doctor who cures ailing patients, Edwin F. Estevez is passionate about healing the woes that leave organizations struggling to function at an optimum level. For more than twenty-two years, Estevez has delivered transformational growth to individuals, groups, and organizations by providing the remedy to complex problems. Employing big-picture analysis to enhance project and risk management efforts, Estevez understands how to change an organization’s culture and help its people grow. The Dominican Republic native holds an undergraduate degree in Social Work from Greenville College and graduate degrees in Social Work, Education, and Administration, including a master’s degree in Social Work from Washington University-St. Louis and a doctorate in Administration from St. Louis University. Before his current role as Senior Vice-President and Chief Operations Officer at Greenville University, Estevez also served as Provost overseeing Academics, Admissions, and Student Development. 

As Associate Dean, Rukshan Fernando helps to manage the School of Behavioral and Applied Sciences at Azusa Pacific University in Los Angeles, California. Fernando has lived in the urban core of Colombo, Sri Lanka, the rural cornfields of Indiana, and in the dynamic metro regions of Washington, DC, and Los Angeles. These community contexts empowered him to pursue a life of reconciliation and restoration between and among people in Christian higher education, the local community, and the church. Fernando has also served as a consultant to World Vision Sri Lanka, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, and the Department of Treasury. 

Leah Fulton is a Common Ground Consortium fellow at the University of Minnesota where she is pursuing a PhD in Organizational Leadership with an emphasis in Higher Education. Prior to full-time doctoral studies, she spent nearly eight years in Christian higher education with student development, including five years at Bethel University in Saint Paul, Minnesota. More than four years of Fulton’s time at Bethel were spent as the Associate Dean of Intercultural Student Programs and Services where she provided oversight for a number of diversity initiatives, including the successful implementation of a campus cultural center and the Act Six Leadership program. Fulton’s interests are related to organizational leadership, student success, culture, and women in the workplace. Her research has previously been published in the journal Growth. 

Kathy-Ann C. Hernandez was born and raised on the twin island republic of Trinidad and Tobago. She is a professor in the College of Business and Leadership at Eastern University. Hernandez earned her doctorate in Educational Psychology from Temple University where she received the Marlene Smigel Korn Humanitarian Award (2004) for excellent contribution in teaching, scholarship, and/or service from the College of Education. Hernandez is a scholar/activist who has collaborated to conceptualize and lead several university-community partnership programs for underserved populations including the Bill Cosby Academic Posse Program and the Temple University After-school Program. Her research is focused on the Black Diaspora and the salience of race/ethnicity, gender, and social context in identity formation, leadership development, and social and academic outcomes. 

Rebecca Hernandez currently serves as Associate Vice-President of Intercultural Engagement and Faculty Development at George Fox University. Previously, she served as a Center Director and Associate Dean at Goshen College from 2008 to 2014. Through her work in administrative roles in academia, government, and non-profit sectors, Hernandez has developed and advocated for policies and programs to serve diverse communities through health and education. She completed her BA at Southeastern College, MPA at Portland State University, and PhD in Human Development and Family Studies at Oregon State University. Hernandez grew up in Nampa, Idaho, where her family settled after working as migrant farmworkers. She enjoys travel, meeting new people, and spending time with her eighteen (and counting) nieces and nephews. 

Shirley V. Hoogstra is the seventh President of the Council for Christian Colleges & Universities. In this role, Hoogstra combines her zeal for the rule of law and her passion for Christian higher education as she promotes the value and purpose of high quality, Christ-centered liberal arts education that shapes the heart, soul, and mind. For fifteen years, Hoogstra served as Vice-President for Student Life at her alma mater, Calvin College, which prepared her for many of the issues facing higher education today. She also has been a leader in the legal profession, having spent more than a decade practicing law as a partner at a firm specializing in litigation in New Haven, Connecticut, and serving as President of the New Haven Bar Association and Foundation. 

Brian M. Howell came straight from his graduate program at Washington University in St. Louis to Wheaton College in 2001 to teach Cultural Anthropology. His graduate research on Philippine Protestantism became the foundation of his first book (Christianity in the Local Context, 2008), but it was his participation in a multicultural congregation in St. Louis that did the most to push forward his interest in race, equality, and education. While at Wheaton, Howell wrote two other books (Short Term Mission, 2012, and Introducing Cultural Anthropology [with Jenell Williams Paris], 2011), in addition to articles and book chapters addressing questions of culture, Christianity, conflict, race, and identity. Howell has three children and lives in Wheaton, Illinois, with his wife, Marissa Sabio. 

Jeanette Hsieh is Provost Emerita at Trinity International University in Deerfield, Illinois. Previously at Trinity, she served as Interim President, Executive Vice-President/Provost, the Susan Stover Chair for Leadership, and Professor of Education. The Jeanette Hsieh Chair for Educational Leadership was given in her honor and is occupied by the Director of the PhD (Educational Studies) program at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. Prior to Trinity, Hsieh chaired the education departments at Wheaton College (Wheaton, Illinois) and Judson University (Elgin, Illinois). She also served as President of the Illinois Association of Colleges for Teacher Education and the Illinois Association for Teacher Education in Private Colleges. Hsieh served on the boards of David C. Cook Ministries, Illinois Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, Ecker Center for Mental Health, and Wheaton College. 

Lisa Ishihara has held the role of Director of Chapel Programs at Biola University since 2008. She earned an undergraduate degree from California State University at Fullerton in Business Administration and a Master of Divinity and a Master of Arts in Spiritual Formation and Soul Care from Talbot School of Theology. As a member of the Evangelical Spiritual Directors Association, she has led prayer services and soul care retreats and worked as a speaker and spiritual director. Prior to campus ministry, she worked in the church for ten years and as an Executive Team Leader for the Target Corporation. She is ordained in the Free Methodist Church and loves her multigenerational church. In her free time, she enjoys sharing a good meal with friends and family and traveling to beautiful places. 

Alexander Jun is Professor of Higher Education at Azusa Pacific University. He has published extensively on college access for disenfranchised students, and he conducts research on equity and justice in higher education. He is the author of From Here to University: Access, Mobility, and Resilience among Urban Latino Youth (2001). A TED speaker and international scholar, Jun was a Global Fellow with the Center for Khmer Studies (CKS) in Cambodia and International Research Fellow with the National Centre for Student Equity in Higher Education (NCSEHE) at Curtin University in Perth, Australia. Jun is Associate Editor of The Journal of Behavioral and Social Sciences. His latest book with coauthor Christopher Collins is entitled White Out: Understanding White Privilege and Dominance in the Modern Age (2017). 

Glen K. Kinoshita currently serves as the Director of Imago Dei Initiatives at Biola University. In this role, Kinoshita seeks to enhance cultural competency and cultivate inclusive excellence throughout the Biola community and beyond to honor the Image of God in all of us. He previously served for twenty-two years as the Director of Multi-Ethnic Programs. Kinoshita’s professional background includes diversity training for both secular and Christian institutions, serving ethnically and socioeconomically diverse student populations, and creating learning communities for staff and faculty to engage on topics of diversity. He is the founder and current director of the national SCORR conference (Student Congress on Racial Reconciliation) and has produced several documentary films and articles on enhancing diversity within Christian institutions. 

Karen A. Longman is the PhD Program Director and Professor of Doctoral Higher Education at Azusa Pacific University. She also serves as a Senior Fellow of the Council for Christian Colleges & Universities (CCCU), where she worked for nineteen years as Vice-President for Professional Development and Research. In 2016, Longman’s contributions to Christian higher education were recognized through receiving the John R. Dellenback Global Leadership Award. Longman is coediting Christian Higher Education: An International Journal of Research, Theory, and Practice and an eight-volume book series being sponsored by the International Leadership Association focused on Women and Leadership—the first volume is titled Women and Leadership in Higher Education. She holds a PhD in Higher Education from the University of Michigan. 

Aisha Lowe is a passionate educator who has dedicated her life to improving education for youth and communities. Lowe serves as Associate Professor of Education at William Jessup University, where she oversees the thesis research of future teachers in training. She also serves as the Associate Dean of the Office of Academic Research, leading the university’s Strategic Academic Research Plan and academic grant making. Lowe uses her research on effective strategies for educating students of color to help K–12 and college faculty identify and combat their own implicit biases, and create classroom environments of acceptance and belonging to fully support students and maximize their academic outcomes. Lowe received her bachelor’s degree in Psychology, her master’s in Sociology, and her PhD in Education from Stanford University. 

Michelle R. Loyd-Paige completed her graduate work at Purdue University, earning both a master’s and a doctoral degree in Sociology. Currently serving as the Executive Associate to the President for Diversity and Inclusion at Calvin College, Loyd-Paige is responsible for leading deep, meaningful, and pervasive change in the way the college understands and practices diversity and inclusion. Prior to her current role, Loyd-Paige—a tenured member of the Department of Sociology and Social Work at Calvin College— taught classes on diversity for twenty-two years and served for nine years as the Dean for Multicultural Affairs at Calvin College. Her work outside the college includes chairing the CCCU Commission on Diversity and Inclusion and serving as a college representative to the West Michigan President’s Compact. 

Pete C. Menjares is Senior Fellow for Diversity with the Council for Christian Colleges & Universities and currently serves at Vanguard University of Southern California as Senior Director of the Institute for Faculty Development. With over two decades of leadership in the CCCU, he has held various roles as a tenured faculty member and administrator at Biola University, as the eleventh president of Fresno Pacific University, and member of the Board of Trustees at Seattle Pacific University. His commitment to diversity and racial harmony is rooted in an understanding of God’s kingdom as inclusive and just; he continues to serve as a resource to presidents, boards, campus leaders, faculty, staff, and students across the CCCU who seek to nurture communities of intercultural learning. 

Kristy Paredes-Collins is the Dean of Enrollment Management at Pepperdine University, where she leads a team of forty individuals in the Offices of Admission, Financial Assistance, and International Student Services. Prior to serving in this role, she held a variety of admission-related roles, as a doctoral writing consultant, Special Assistant to the Provost at Azusa Pacific University, and as Associate Editor for the journal Christian Higher Education. She earned a BA and an MA from Pepperdine and a PhD in Higher Education from Azusa Pacific University. Paredes-Collins’s scholarly research focuses on the intersection between spirituality and diversity in Christian higher education. Paredes-Collins and her husband, Chris, live in Malibu, California, with Mateo and Adela, their two beautiful children via the miracle of adoption. 

David L. Parkyn has dedicated his professional career to teaching undergraduates and leading institutions of higher learning. A graduate of Messiah College, he holds a master’s degree from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary and a PhD in higher education from Boston College. Early in his career, Parkyn held faculty appointments at Endicott College and Messiah College. Subsequently, he was Executive Assistant to the President and then Senior Vice-President at Messiah College. After serving as Provost at Elizabethtown College, he began an eleven-year tenure as President of North Park University in Chicago. Raised in Guatemala as the son of church workers, Parkyn’s scholarly interests include the intersection of religion and politics in Latin America, and religious folk art in Guatemala. He also writes and speaks frequently on topics related to higher education. 

Yvonne RB-Banks recently served as Dean for the Center of Academic Programs for Support Services and was in an administrative post from 1998 to 2015 at the University of Northwestern. Prior to that, she worked for sixteen years in K–12 public education. Her international travels, speaking engagements, various publications, board affiliations, and scholarship center on themes related to educational equity, inclusion, and leadership. She is a founding member of the Minnesota Chapter of the Association of Black Women in Higher Education, a rich resource for mentoring new scholars. Serving with the Coalition to Increase Teachers of Color and American Indians (MN) allows her to work as a core advocate. She consults on projects related to educational reform and follows her teaching passion, doing so in both traditional and online settings. 

Gladys Robalino is an Associate Professor at Messiah College. She holds a BA in Linguistics from the Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador, an MEd from Universidad Tecnológica Equinoccial (Ecuador), an MA in Hispanic Studies from McGill University (Canada), and a PhD in Spanish Literature from Vanderbilt University. Her doctoral dissertation on the plays of Ruiz de Alarcón studies colonial voices in seventeenth-century Mexico. She has published scholarly articles in Bulletin of the Comediantes, Alarconiana, and Comedia Performance. Robalino’s teaching and research interests are on sixteenth-century chronicles of discovery and conquest as well as seventeenth-century theater and novels with a particular focus on transatlantic themes, identity, and gender issues. She currently chairs the Modern Languages Department at Messiah College. 

Jennifer W. Shewmaker is Professor of Psychology and the Assistant Provost for Teaching, Learning, and Inquiry at Abilene Christian University in Abilene, Texas. She graduated with her bachelor’s in Psychology from Abilene Christian University and her PhD in Psychology from Texas Woman’s University. Shewmaker is a nationally certified school psychologist who has worked with hundreds of families, children, teachers, and community organizations in her career. She is a graduate of the HERS Leadership Institute, the American Psychological Association’s Leadership Institute for Women, the CCCU Women’s Advanced Leadership Institute, and the Center for Courage & Renewal’s Academy for Leaders. Shewmaker is a cofounder of the ACU Master Teacher Program, helping faculty use researchbased teaching practices and peer observation to promote greater student learning. 

Rodney Sisco, Director of Multicultural Development at Wheaton College, has consistently provided leadership in Wheaton’s developing diverse community. He has served on the Racial Harmony Commission of the CCCU, the Board of the National Christian Multicultural Student Leaders Conference, and the Diversity Taskforce of the Association of Christians in Student Development (ACSD). Presently, he serves on the Executive Committee of ACSD, where he was recognized with the Jane Higa Award for Racial Harmony. Sisco is a transformational leader with a history of leadership in increasingly complex situations, bringing a global perspective including strategic planning, diversity and inclusion, leadership, and communication. He has developed a reputation for guiding and leading people to excel and to develop their own unique abilities. He and his wife, Hasana, run the PennaSis Group.

 David F. Turk has been Provost and Vice-President of Academic Affairs at Nyack College since 2003. A “lifer” at the College, Turk has also served as Director of the Higher Education Opportunity Program, Head of the English Department, and Vice-President of the NYC Campus. He did his undergraduate work at Nyack and received his MA and PhD in English and American Literature from New York University. Having taught a wide range of literature classes at Nyack and having directed over twenty plays and musicals, Turk continues to teach and even direct occasionally. He frequently leads book discussions at public libraries near Nyack and has lead a number of site team evaluation visits for the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. Currently, he serves the CCCU on the Diversity Commission. With his wife of forty-three years, Dr. Vara Neverow, Turk enjoys hiking, gardening, and traveling to world cities. 

Rebecca Torres Valdovinos is currently Director and Assistant Professor for the English Language Institute at George Fox University in Oregon. Her career has spanned the West Coast states for the past thirty years in education. She was born in the barrio of East Los Angeles, which shaped her understanding of the urban experience. She started as a preschool teacher with LA’s county Parks and Recreation Department. Her undergraduate degree is from the University of California at Santa Barbara. She has received a number of teaching credentials from California, Oregon, and Washington. Valdovinos’s graduate work in teaching started at the University of Southern California and was completed at California State University Los Angeles. She has been an international TESOL presenter in Asia, including conference presentations in Singapore and Mainland China. 

Sarah Visser serves as Vice-President for Student Life at Calvin College. A 2001 Calvin graduate, Sarah spent more than twelve years working in higher education institutions in southern California, serving in both faculty and administrative roles. She completed her PhD in higher education at Claremont Graduate University, where her research focused on diversity and change, exploring how institutions build capacity in the area of diversity. She has a passion for engaging scholarship and praxis related to social justice issues, with specializations in organizational culture, gender studies, and identity development. Sarah and her husband of sixteen years, Matt, reside in Grand Rapids, Michigan, with their three children, Emma, Max, and Adelyn. 

Roberta Wilburn is the Associate Dean for graduate studies in Education and Diversity Initiatives at Whitworth University. In addition to setting the vision and mission for eleven graduate programs in Education, Wilburn develops and coordinates diversity initiatives across the School of Education. She has held a variety of positions, including Chair of the Division of Education, Director of International Studies, Founder and Director of Global Village Child Development and Family Studies Center (a laboratory school), and Coordinator for Early Childhood Education. Her research interests are aligned with her career’s focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion in the context of leadership development, counseling, and education.

As Assistant Director of Residence Life, Kevin Williams Jr., until recently, oversaw the Special Interest Houses and the SALT House through the Student Affairs division at Messiah College. He enjoys new initiatives and helping to shape and determine direction for projects and research. Williams taught a class called “Engaging Harrisburg” in which he helped students engage the city through the lens of the kingdom, not just the media. He served on Messiah College’s grant team through the Office on Violence Against Women. Williams and his family love road trips, movies, and telling jokes. Upon the conclusion of writing his chapter, Kevin made a job transition and will now serve as Director of Residence Life and Restorative Justice Coordinator at Bluffton University in Ohio.

FOREWORD | A Fierce Resolve toward Unifying Grace | Shirley V. Hoogstra, JD 

INTRODUCTION | Diversity in the CCCU: The Current State and Implications for the Future | Pete C. Menjares, PhD  

SECTION ONE | Campus Case Studies: Transforming Institutions with a Commitment to Diversity 

INTRODUCTION | Diversity, Inclusion, and Institutional Faithfulness | Pete C. Menjares, PhD 

CHAPTER ONE | Nyack College | David F. Turk, PhD 

CHAPTER TWO | North Park University | David L. Parkyn, PhD 

CHAPTER THREE | Warner Pacific College | Andrea Cook, PhD 

CHAPTER FOUR | Greenville University | Edwin F. Estevez, PhD 

SECTION TWO | Why We Stayed: Lessons in Resiliency and Leadership from Long-Term CCCU Diversity Professionals 

INTRODUCTION | Speaking Up for Such a Time as This | Michelle R. Loyd-Paige, PhD 

CHAPTER FIVE | Going Deep: Connecting Vocation, Conviction, and Human Thriving | Glen K. Kinoshita, MDiv 

CHAPTER SIX | Resilient Leadership through a Cultural Lens | Jeanette L. Hsieh, EdD 

CHAPTER SEVEN | God’s Battle: Using Spiritual Strategies in Diversity Work | Kimberly Battle-Walters Denu, PhD 

CHAPTER EIGHT | Unintentional Longevity: The Role of Responsivity and Resiliency | Michelle R. Loyd-Paige, PhD 

CHAPTER NINE | The Music God Puts in Your Heart: Reflections from an Ongoing Journey | Rodney K. Sisco  

SECTION THREE | Voices of Our Friends: Speaking for Themselves

INTRODUCTION | White Allies Striving to Be Aware and Engaged | Allison N. Ash, MDiv, and Alexander Jun, PhD 

CHAPTER TEN | Identity, Awareness, and Engagement: Understanding My Whiteness | Allison N. Ash, MDiv 

CHAPTER ELEVEN | From Denial to Solidarity: Finding My Place as a White Ally | Brian Howell, PhD 

CHAPTER TWELVE | The Evolution of a White Scholar-Practitioner | Kristin Paredes-Collins, PhD 

CHAPTER THIRTEEN | Living the Questions: The Convoluted Path from Fear-full Shame to Courageous Hope | Sarah Visser, PhD 

SECTION FOUR | Curricular/Cocurricular Initiatives to Enhance Diversity Awareness and Action 

INTRODUCTION | The Other Side of Diversity | Rebecca Hernandez, PhD 

CHAPTER FOURTEEN | Leading Change through Diversity in Spiritual Development | Lisa Ishihara, MDiv 

CHAPTER FIFTEEN | Building Belonging: Fostering Difficult Conversations around Diversity | Jennifer W. Shewmaker, PhD 

CHAPTER SIXTEEN | Interlocking Crossroads: Starting Conversation about Complex Matters | Yvonne RB-Banks, EdD 

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN | Moving from Theory to Practice | Rebecca Hernandez, PhD 

SECTION FIVE | Autoethnographies: Emerging Leaders and Career Stages 

INTRODUCTION | The Faces behind the Numbers | Kathy-Ann C. Hernandez, PhD 

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN | A New Rite of Passage: Agency, Integration, and the StrongBlackWoman | Leah Fulton, MA 

CHAPTER NINETEEN | Potholes on the Professional Journey of a Developing Leader | Kevin L. Williams Jr., MA 

CHAPTER TWENTY | The Power of “The Only” | Aisha N. Lowe, PhD 

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE | Embracing the Perspective of the Other | Kathy-Ann C. Hernandez, PhD 

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO | Navigating the Transition to Administrative Leadership | Gladys Robalino, PhD 

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE | I Don’t Belong Here: A “Circle” Leader in a “Square” University | Rukshan Fernando, PhD 

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR | A Lifetime in Search of a Sponsor | Rebecca Torres Valdovinos, MEd 

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE | Going to the Next Level: Opportunities and Challenges FacingAfrican American Women Leaders in the Academy | Roberta Wilburn, EdD, ThD 

FOR FURTHER READING

ABOUT THE CONTRIBUTORS

“Diversity Matters is a welcome offering not just in the realm of evangelical Christian higher education, but also in the realm of evangelical Christianity as a whole. Through it, the contributors clearly and courageously address the why, the what, and the how of developing institutions where racial and ethnic diversity can flourish in ways that benefit the institutions and honor God.”
—Bishop Claude Alexander, Pastor of The Park Church in Charlotte, North Carolina

“The future of Christian higher education is in educating the diversity of God’s followers for the work of Christ on earth. This book is a giant step to get us there. Bringing together a who’s who of Christian authors on the topic, this volume is a tour de force.”
—Michael O. Emerson, Provost, North Park University, author, Divided by Faith: Evangelical Religion and the Problem of Race in America and Transcending Racial Barriers

“Diversity Matters is a poignant book. It touches on what really matters in the effort to create diverse communities and expand racial equity on campus, in classrooms, at faculty meetings, and more. The writers challenge structural and institutional racial injustices and speak to the heart of diversity and how it can be achieved.”
—Grace Ji-Sun Kim, associate professor of theology, Earlham School of Religion, author of Embracing the Other and Mother Daughter Speak

“We are at a critical moment in Christian education in regard to diversity. With the demographics of our nation changing dramatically every year, it is imperative that the church and Christian institutions of higher learning keep pace with this changing reality. To that end, Diversity Matters offers sound advice to all who wish to join in this necessary progress.”
—Noel Castellanos, President, Christian Community Development Association

"Diversity Matters brings together a diverse set of voices and is filled with truth, grace, conviction, and hope! Diversity Matters invites readers to assess both their personal diversity journey as well as their institution’s history and diversity efforts. As a consultant with colleges and universities for many years, I am confident that Diversity Matters: Race, Ethnicity, and the Future of Christian Higher Education is a significant and timely new resource that will contribute to ensuring that campuses more fully reflect the values and commitments of the Kingdom of God. I highly recommend it!"
—Brenda Salter McNeil, President, Salter McNeil & Associates, author of Roadmap to Reconciliation

“What is taught (content) matters greatly, but so does who teaches it and what experience they bring (voice). Diversity matters because education, deep and broad education, is worth it. I’m excited to support the release of this new and much-needed study on the value of racial diversity in the future of Christian higher education.”
—Ken Wytsma, President, Kilns College, Founder of The Justice Conference, author of Pursuing Justice, The Grand Paradox, and Create vs. Copy

“Diversity Matters brings together a diverse array of scholars and leaders from across the Christian higher education spectrum to offer serious engagement with a variety of issues surrounding race, ethnicity, and the future of Christian higher education. In Diversity Matters, readers will encounter multiple approaches and perspectives related to these topics. I have no doubt that people who take time to work their way through this volume will be blessed, challenged, helped, stretched, encouraged, and perhaps even disappointed at the state of things along the way. They will find much with which they agree and much from which they can learn while also being pushed to reflect on a number of diverse perspectives that dot the chapters throughout this volume. The editors who envisioned and orchestrated the writing of this book are to be commended for fostering these serious conversations. All readers will want to celebrate the call to authentic racial reconciliation while offering gratitude for the guidance that is provided regarding genuine kingdom diversity.”
—David S. Dockery, President, Trinity International University

“With racism at center stage in the nation’s public discourse, Diversity Matters is most timely. Christian universities should be known for reconciliation. More often they are places of pain for persons of color and justice-minded whites. Powerful contributions from so many voices within Christian higher education make this volume a treasure trove of case studies, curricular/cocurricular initiatives, and lessons in resilience. Scholarly and accessible, thorough and concise, practical and inspirational, the Gospel and the future demand that this book is a must-read by faculty, administrators, and staff at Christian colleges and universities. In fact, all Christian institutions and organizations will benefit from this book.”
—Curtiss Paul DeYoung, CEO, Minnesota Council of Churches, formerly professor of Reconciliation Studies, Bethel University

“Diversity is an essential component of any healthy university; but at a Christ-centered university, it is even more essential. Diversity is not just an educational value; it’s a biblical priority. But growing in this area is easier said than done. That’s why we need resources to help us, as Christian colleges and universities, to better embody the biblical value of diversity.”
—Barry H. Corey, President of Biola University, author of Love Kindness: Discover the Power of a Forgotten Christian Virtue

“In a hurting world and polarized society, Christian higher education should be distinctive, especially in matters of diversity. In the many stories and reflections provided in this volume, there is ample evidence of missteps and failures. But this chorus of diverse educational leaders presents a gift to help us move forward in ways that will not only allow faith based colleges and universities to better reflect the calling of Scripture, but also influence congregations and communities that their graduates will lead.”
—Dr. Steven Timmermans, Executive Director, The Christian Reformed Church in North America

“Diversity Matters requires critical reading by any individuals, leaders, or institutions truthfully addressing their need to increase awareness, sensitivity, cultural competency, and appreciation of diverse populations. This vital resource is particularly insightful and relevant for educational Christ-centered institutions still grappling with how to accept and embrace diversity. This powerful book will have a profound impact on any institution truly committed to fulfilling a leadership role of enhancing the understanding, discourse, and interactions of its constituents.”
—Dr. Cheryl T. Chatman, Executive Vice-President and Dean of Diversity, Concordia University

“Serving nearly twenty years in Christian higher education, I have long felt that if anyone should be leading the movement when it comes to diversity and inclusion on college campuses, it should be Christian universities. Ironically, in recent years most of my time has been spent working with secular universities across the country and globe and have watched what seemed to be greater progress in their diversity efforts. But how refreshing and encouraging to read about the level of commitment and demonstrated progress being made in the Christian higher education community. This book is a must-read and rightfully repositions Christian institutions to lead the way, offering hope and powerful lessons to both Christian and secular institutions alike.”
—Dr. Sandra Upton, Vice-President, Educational Initiatives, Cultural Intelligence Center

“Diversity Matters is a critically important and timely resource for Christian higher education. I have often wished for a resource that could provide campus leaders with an inspiring biblical perspective on diversity, compelling personal narratives, and replicable campus strategies. This highly readable volume accomplishes this and more. A long overdue and refreshingly honest, yet inspiring publication that seamlessly blends an exploration of historical challenges with refreshing stories of resiliency and hope.”
—Deborah Taylor, PhD, Provost and Senior Vice-President, Biola University

“Ask a leader about diversity and you might hear a vision; ask a colleague, she may provide a thoughtful proposition; ask a friend, he may tell you a story. Compile several together and you have elements to drive a transformative movement. In this book, leaders provide a compelling vision, colleagues give helpful instruction, and friends relate persuasive stories that prompt action. We must get better at engaging with diversity. I will use this volume in my leadership for that purpose.”
—Dr. Edee M. Schulze, Vice-President for Student Life, Westmont College, and President of the Association for Christians in Student Development (ACSD)

“At a critical juncture in Christian higher education, Diversity Matters introduces voices vital for us to hear. Multi-faceted narratives, deeply personal yet broadly communal, give form to the complexities of race and ethnicity. With clarity and grace, these voices offer practical wisdom and future directions marked by urgency and redemptive hope. I highly recommend this book to academic administrators and faculty as a valuable conduit for increasing understanding, action, and systemic change within our institutions.”
—Janet Sommers, PhD, Senior Vice-President for Academic Affairs, professor of English & Literature, University of Northwestern – St. Paul

“Faculty and cocurricular educators of any race/ethnicity and length of service will find Diversity Matters a timely, thought-provoking, and helpful resource as they seek inclusive excellence for their institution and transformational change for their students. The essays argue for personal introspection on one level and a strategic call to action (if you’re ready) on another. Diversity Matters is a courageous invitation for Christian college educators to acknowledge and put an end to unequal educational practices and policies that have led to differential and inequitable experiences and outcomes for students of color. I highly recommend it!”
—André Stephens, Vice-President for Student Development, Biola University

“Diversity Matters is a groundbreaking and revolutionary book that shatters the myth of ‘one way (teaching style, chapel services, student events, etc.) fits all’ in Christian higher education institutions. Engaging biblical principles, using practical application tools, and affirming personal experiences from this book will revolutionize your campus culture, nurture a revival climate, and reveal the greatest assets on a college and university campus. As an African American woman ‘called’ to Christian higher education for over twenty-five years, I challenge each administrator to make Diversity Matters a non-negotiable read for your campus community.”
—Doretha O’Quinn, PhD, Provost and Vice-President for Academic Affairs, Vanguard University, author of Silent Voices, Powerful Messages

“Compelling ...immediately swept into the first person honest accounts of pursuing diversity in Christian higher education. Courageous leadership in following the teachings of Scripture to shape the future of our nation. Convicting but at the same time instructive in developing a diverse campus of faculty, students and staff. The principles are applicable beyond higher education. A seminal book!”
—Jo Anne Lyon, Ambassador, General Superintendent Emerita, The Wesleyan Church

“Diversity Matters illuminates current realities in Christian higher education and inspires readers to embrace the gift of diversity on our campuses. The truthful accounts of racial identity development up to racial battle fatigue remind us that the work of diversity can only be sustained in community with one another. This is a seminal read for faculty, staff, and administrators who desire honest reflection and practical strategies to lead their institutions toward inclusivity and thriving.”
—Rebecca Hong, Dean of Curriculum and Assessment, associate professor of Education, Biola University

“This book is a breath of fresh air in Christian education. It represents the stories of experienced educators of color along with others who share their desire to see Christian colleges flourish—the work of diversity being at the center of this flourishing.”
—Leroy Barber, The Voices Project, Board Chair Missio Alliance

“For years we have worked with Christian colleges and universities, looking for ways to faithfully serve the increasingly diverse landscape of Christianity in America. Beyond facile responses, Diversity Matters is an answered prayer. This tome masterfully weaves together the biblical and theological imperatives on diversity with the practical lessons of university leaders charting the way forward. This is a must-read for twenty-first-century Christian educators and visionaries.”
—Rev. Dr. Gabriel Salguero, President, National Latino Evangelical Coalition, Pastor, Calvario City Church

ISBN: 9780891124542

Pages: 336

Dimensions (inches): 9 X 6

Chapter one has been made available for you to read online or to download. To access the file, click here.