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Nov. 9, 2020 —  51���� is proud to announce Dr. Danielle McDonald as its inaugural Diversity Fellow. Dr. McDonald is tasked with advancing 51����'s strategic inclusive excellence and global awareness goals alongside Chief Diversity Officer Darryl A. Peal.

Dr. McDonald serves as the assistant department chair for the Department of Political Science, Criminal Justice, and Organizational Leadership and has taught criminal justice at 51���� for the past twelve years. Her courses examine how people experience the criminal justice system differently based upon their ethnicity, class and gender and discusses best practices to address these inequities.

“Danielle is a talented civic leader, and her research is translatable across all disciplines,” said Chief Diversity Officer Darryl A. Peal. “As our Diversity Fellow, she will lead our efforts to embrace diverse learners through new teaching strategies that create pathways for opportunities. One of the unique ways she promotes critical classroom discussions is by encouraging students to connect what they are learning with what they observe and experience in the community.”

A well-renowned scholar, Dr. McDonald navigates round table discussions nationwide about teaching race and criminal justice. She also presents these topics to the campus and community through events, like the and the . In 2017, she published a textbook titled “Race, Class, Gender and Criminal Justice: Examining Barriers to Justice.”

“I'm thankful for the university leadership continuing to be a voice for cultural/societal transformation,” said Dr. McDonald. “Given the global pandemic and social unrest, we're focused on elevating our campus community's diverse perspectives so we can better meet the needs of those who are currently being underserved.”

Dr. McDonald earned her Ph.D. in criminology from the Indiana University of Pennsylvania, an M.S. from Virginia Tech in sociology with a criminology emphasis, and two B.A. degrees in sociology and psychology from West Virginia University.