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A Message From Shawna Patterson-Stephens

Dr. Shawna Patterson-Stephens (she, her, hers) is an award-winning scholar-practitioner with 20 years’ experience in higher education. Dr. Patterson-Stephens is the Vice President for Inclusive Excellence and Belonging at Central Michigan University. Her research interests include Black and Latinx issues in higher education, media influences in the postsecondary sector, and critical theory in higher educational contexts. She also experiments with various modes of knowledge dissemination to ensure scholarship remains accessible, evidenced through projects like the podcast, "Scholar Tea". Dr. Patterson-Stephens serves as the PI for the Central Michigan University NSF Aspire Alliance for Inclusion and Diverse STEM Faculty Grant. Shawna is currently a co-PI in a national project examining the experiences of Black doctoral women in higher education (Black Women Doctoral Students). She is co-editor of "Advancing Inclusive Excellence in Higher Education" (Information Age Publishing) and editor of the forthcoming volume, “Dirty Computer: Black Cyberfeminism in the Digital Age” (contract). In addition to her responsibilities at CMU, Shawna has been a member of ACPA for over 15 years, serving in various capacities, including Chair of the Pan African Network, Chair of the Coalition for Multicultural Affairs, and a member of the Governing Board.
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In Support of ACPA Foundation

Founded in 1994 during the presidency of Charles Schroeder, the purpose of the ACPA Educational Leadership Foundation (501c3 non-profit organization) is “to enhance the student affairs profession and to generate and disseminate knowledge of college students at all levels within higher education” (Article Three of the Articles of Incorporation). The organization is now known as the ACPA Foundation to more concisely communicate its role as the fundraising arm of ACPA College Student Educators International.

The Mission - The ACPA Foundation exists to support the priorities and activities of ACPA by raising funds and developing resources that help the Association fulfill its mission. 

The Vision - The ACPA Foundation will develop sufficient assets to effectively and sustainably fund ACPA’s efforts to provide excellent professional development opportunities to members, advance knowledge in the field, and support the transformative effect of education in the lives of college students.

In order to fulfill its purpose and mission, the Foundation invites members and non-members alike to provide philanthropic support for ACPA's vital initiatives involving research, scholarship, professional development and leadership program.