CFAES appoints Patrice Dickerson as director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Patrice Dickerson

CFAES welcomes Patrice Dickerson as assistant dean and director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI).

Prior to her official start date of July 1, 2020, Dickerson is working part-time to onboard to the college, and is holding conversations about recent national events with students, faculty, and staff members of color. 

In her new role, Dickerson will lead change as she oversees and manages DEI efforts that support CFAES’ strategic goals. She will be responsible for evaluating the college’s climate for faculty, staff, and students and for developing strategies to ensure that all CFAES faculty, staff, and students feel valued for their individual talents and unique cultural perspectives. She will also connect with CFAES faculty, staff, and students who do work in DEI to create synergies and garner guidance regarding CFAES’ DEI efforts and direction as a college.

“Dr. Dickerson brings a rich background of work and accomplishments in DEI,” said Tracy Kitchel, CFAES associate dean for faculty and staff affairs and Dickerson’s supervisor. “More immediately, her leadership will be important in keeping in mind the needs of our faculty, staff, and students during the COVID-19 pandemic as such situations can exacerbate issues of inclusion and access.’’

Following the tragic, unjust death of George Floyd in Minneapolis and the expressions of sadness, confusion, pain, and rage—not only here in Ohio but across the nation—as well as the civic unrest that has sadly accompanied the protests, the college will turn to Dickerson to help our community move forward, together, to elevate current standards and practices to be more equitable and inclusive, college leadership has said.

Dickerson joins CFAES from Virginia Tech University, where she is currently the inaugural director of faculty diversity in the Office for Inclusion and Diversity.

For more on CFAES's Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, click here