Dr. Christina Wright Fields, Professional Lecturer of Education and Clinical Fellow for Community Partnerships, was recently recognized by one of the leading organizations for student affairs professionals in higher education. NASPA selected Dr. Wright Fields as the recipient for its annual Region II Distinguished Excellence in Diversity? Award, honoring her for her work on the Balfour Pre-College Academy at the Indiana University (IU) Bloomington’s School of Education. Part of the Balfour Scholars Program, the Balfour Pre-College Academy offers rising high school seniors from underrepresented backgrounds the opportunity to spend a week living and learning at IU, where they participate in informational sessions and activities to develop their ability to make informed and personalized decisions regarding collegiate and career paths. Students also attend daily classes and workshops while exploring cultural identity and career development with IU faculty and staff. Outside of class, participants engage in reflection exercises and attend social events.

Since joining the School of Social and Behavioral Sciences in April 2016, Dr. Wright Fields has developed and regularly teaches the course “Diversity in Public Education.” She also works closely with the Beacon City School District on a program called LEAD Scholars, whose goal is to recruit high school students to teacher education. LEAD is an acronym for Lead, Educate, Aspire, Diversify. “Students come from diverse backgrounds, bringing a wealth of experiences and knowledge to the classroom, thus as educators we must incorporate meaningful approaches to student engagement while fostering and supporting welcoming and inclusive environments,” Wright Fields said. “Supporting a social-justice minded education encourages students to not only learn how to engage in critical topics, but also allows them to understand how to approach and impact their community as well.”  

Deborah Gatins, Dean of the School of Social and Behavioral Sciences, notes the significant positive impact Dr. Wright Fields and her work have had. According to Dean Gatins, “In the short time she has been with us, Christina has merged seamlessly into the School of Social and Behavioral Sciences’ mission of creating a more inclusive community and exploring innovative ways to enhance educational opportunities for underprivileged and underrepresented populations. We are delighted to have her as part of our team.”  Dr. Wright Fields’ research and teaching interests relate to student academic access and success, comprising five inter-related aspects: 1) student access and success; 2) college-going cultures; 3) culturally relevant pedagogy; 4) campus collaborations; and 5) cultural identity development. Dr. Wright Fields received a Ph.D. in higher education administration from Bowling Green State University.