Increasing Diversity in Education

Seattle University’s College of Education is the recipient of a $2.67 million Augustus F. Hawkins Centers of Excellence grant. These funds, over a five-year period, will be dedicated to the implementation of an initiative proposed in the grant application focused on increasing diversity in the teaching profession: Project STRIDE.

Project STRIDE (Sustaining Teachers through Responsiveness, Inclusion, Diversity and Equity) is a multifaceted approach to not only the recruitment of teacher candidates from historically underrepresented groups, but also transforming the way these aspiring educators experience the classroom environment. And, in turn, create transformational teaching and learning experiences for their future K-12 students. 

Each year, 10 Project STRIDE teacher candidates will be selected and will earn their degree and teaching certification through one of three existing teacher education programs in the College of Education. Project STRIDE teacher candidates will receive tuition support, a teaching internship stipend, specially designed mentorship experiences and ongoing professional development throughout the program and beyond. These and other unique program components are designed to ensure successful completion of their teacher education degree program—and a successful transition into the teaching profession. Project STRIDE will serve 40-50 prospective teachers over the course of five years. 

The need for this project is significant. Roughly 45% of Washington’s K-12 public school students are non-white, yet roughly 13% of their educators are teachers of color. More than 17,000 Black students, almost 59,000 Latino students, more than 18,000 Asian students and nearly 47,000 students of two or more races in Washington state attend a school where they have no same-race teachers. The College of Education is engaged in transforming this reality by contributing to the development of a teacher workforce that matches the diversity of Washington’s student population.

The pursuit of this grant opportunity was through a close collaboration between the College of Education and Seattle University’s Office of Diversity and Inclusion, under the leadership of Vice President of Diversity and Inclusion Natasha Martin, JD. Assistant Vice President of Diversity and Inclusion Laura Heider served as the lead author for the comprehensive 50+ page grant application, closely collaborating with Professor of Teacher Education Charisse Cowan Pitre, PhD, who is also the associate dean for faculty development and justice initiatives.

As the central thrust of the funding opportunity centers on advancing equity in education and aligns with SU’s strategic directions Goal 4: Promote Inclusive Excellence, this was a natural partnership with the College of Education, led by Dean Cynthia B. Dillard. 

“When VP Martin suggested we apply for the Hawkins Center for Excellence Grant, we immediately said yes and began to ‘freedom dream,’ excited by the opportunity to encourage and support greater equity in teacher education,” says Dean Dillard. “Through the amazing efforts of Dr. Cowan Pitre, Laura Heider and our teacher education faculty, our freedom dreaming actually came to fruition!” 

Dr. Cowan Pitre will serve as the Principal Investigator for the grant, with co-principal investigators Carol Adams, PhD, Shane Pisani, PhD, and Kerry Von Esch, PhD. Drs. Adams, Pisani and Von Esch—teacher education faculty who bring critical areas of expertise to the project—were key contributors in the development of the grant. In addition to this core grant team, other teacher education faculty will have opportunities to engage in the project. A truly collaborative endeavor from the very beginning, Sarah Bricknell in the Office of Sponsored Projects was also instrumental in the grant development process.

Says Dean Dillard, “We are excited by the possibilities this funding will provide for diverse students across our Washington schools who are choosing teaching as a profession and Seattle University as their place to learn and grow into joyful, justice-oriented teachers in the Jesuit educational tradition.”

The Augustus F. Hawkins Centers of Excellence grant is only open to higher education institutions that are designated as minority-serving. Seattle University was designated as Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institution (AANAPISI) in March 2024, thanks to the efforts of a cross-disciplinary task force spearheaded by the Office of Diversity and Inclusion.

“Securing this grant is truly the result of a wonderful collaboration between the College of Education and the Office of Diversity and Inclusion,” Vice President Martin says. “The potential transformative power of the STRIDE initiative reflects Dean Dillard’s and the COE’s vision for educational equity. It is both exciting and gratifying to engage in such a robust partnership in support of our common goal—pursuing inclusive excellence for Seattle University.”