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R.I.S.E. Certificate Program

R.I.S.E. graphic

About the Program

The TCU R.I.S.E. Certificate Program is hosted in partnership between TCU Human Resources and the Office of Diversity and Inclusion. The TCU R.I.S.E. Certificate is designed to provide participants tools and learning opportunities to advance personal and professional development in diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Selected participants will be challenged to:

  • Improve their intercultural development through personal assessment
  • Strengthen skills in advocacy and social change activism
  • Develop strategies to interrupt structural and systemic issues of power, privilege, and oppression.

The TCU R.I.S.E Certificate program graduates will be empowered to move concepts into concrete action.

2022-2023 Session Dates

All sessions will take place from 9 a.m. – noon. Participants must attend all sessions to receive the TCU R.I.S.E. Certificate.

Session 1 - Expanding Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion. Awareness - October 14 
Session 2 - Developing & Demonstrating Intercultural Competence - November 11 
Session 3 - Understanding Social Justice & Systems of Oppression - December 2 
Session 4 - Interrupting the “isms” - February 10
Session 5 - Agency & Action: becoming an Agent of Change - March 3 
Session 6 - Utilizing an Inclusive Excellence Framework - April 14  
Closing Celebration - May 19

For more information please email Ebony Rose at e.rose@tcu.edu or Aisha Torrey-Sawyer at a.sawyer@tcu.edu.

  • Amy Peterson
    Social Media Manager, Marketing & Communication

  • Amy Stewert
    Instructor, School of Music

  • Andrea Kaelin
    Associate Head Coach, Women’s Golf
  • Brooke Scogin
    Director, Fraternity and Sorority Life
  • Caroline Collier
    Director of Editorial Services, Marketing & Communication
  • Charles Dewar
    IT Coordinator, IT
  • Chris Gilbody
    Director, Financial Education & Scholarship, TCU and UNTHSC School of Medicine
  • Clint Thomas
    Director, Asset Management & Technical Services, Facility Services
  • Crystal Page
    Care Coordinator, Dean of Students Office
  • Dora Aguilera
    Administrative Assistant, Campus Recreation 
  • Eric Simanek
    Professor, Chemistry
  • Erin Houchin
    Director of Brite Housing, Brite Divinity School
  • Glenda Daniels
    Associate Professor, Nursing
  • Isuru Perera
    Research Compliance Coordinator, Office of Research & Graduate Studies
  • Krista Scott
    Associate Professor, Theatre
  • Lynita Yarbrough
    Assistant Professor of Professional Practice, Communication Sciences & Disorders
  • Lynné Cravens
    Art Galleries Manager, School of Art
  • Marc Melanson
    Assistant Manager, Facility Services
  • Mat Wenzel
    Instructor, English
  • Mayra Guardiola
    Faculty Development Coordinator, Office of Faculty Affairs & Development, TCU and UNTHSC School of Medicine
  • Meredith Curtis
    Instructor, Biology
  • Shelia Williams
    Executive Assistant, Office of the Provost 
  • Angela Gonzaga, Director of Operations, Women’s Basketball

    Action Plan: Create a DEI Training Tracking Tool for Athletics Department

  • Ann Tasby, Program Director, Accounting and Office of Inclusive Excellence Neeley School of Business

    Action Plan: Undergraduate Mentoring for Students of Color

  • Anne Rooney, Executive Director Graduate Programs, Neeley School of Business

    Action Plan: Prepare Neeley MBA and MS graduates to lead inclusively and to advocate for DE&I in their post-graduate careers.

  • Brian Gutierrez, Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration

    Action Plan: Create a plan to Diversify Candidate Slates for High Level Hiring

  • Candice Payne, Director, Budget Office

    Action Plan: Create Vice Chancellor of Finance and Administration Inclusive Excellence Initiative

  • David Dibble, Director of Parent Giving, University Advancement

    Action Plan: Increase Awareness of TCU Donors to the urgency and importance of DEI initiatives

  • Dr. Eric Yorkston, Department Chair and Associate Professor, Marketing Department

    Action Plan: Create a Recruitment plan to diversify enrollment in Neeley sales certificate program

  • Dr. Frank Hernandez, Dean, College of Education

    Action Plan: Development of an Employee Resource Group (ERG) focused specifically on Latinx males

  • Imani Wimberly, Assistant Director of Residence Life, Housing & Residence Life

    Action Plan: Create a food pantry on campus for students navigating food insecurity

  • Dr. Janine Kraus, Assistant Vice Chancellor, Loyalty Giving

    Action Plan: Adding focus on DEI initiatives in University Advancement new employee orientation

  • Jess Price, Academic Advisor, John V. Roach Honors College

    Action Plan: Improved Honors Experience for First-Generation Students

  • Kelcia Righton, Hall Director, Housing & Residence Life

    Action Plan: Create a mentorship program within the residence halls for incoming females of color

  • Lindsay Cowdin, Coordinator of Theatre Operations, Theater Department

    Action Plan: Create a Recruitment Plan to attract a more diverse student body for the theatre program

  • Melissa Austin-Weeks, Associate Director of Alumni Relations, Alumni Relations

    Action Plan: Generating Effective DEI Training for Alumni Association Volunteers

  • Sara Sorenson, Assistant Director of Admission Programs, Office of Admissions

    Action Plan: Create an Inclusive Excellence Scholarship for enrolling first-year students

  • Dr. Sophia Garcia, Biology Instructor, College of Science and Engineering

    Action Plan: Creating Equitable Access to Student Research Opportunities in the College of Science and Engineering

  • Stephen Dominy, Associate Director, Fraternity & Sorority Life

    Action Plan: Enhance recruitment and retention efforts of diverse graduate student candidates in the Higher Education Leadership program

  • Suhail Johnson, Senior Coordinator, TCU and UNT Health Science Center School of Medicine Office of Diversity and Inclusion

    Action Plan: Create a Communication Plan for Student Interest Groups

  • Dr. Trung Nguyen, Interim Assistant Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs

    Action Plan: Provide Mental Health Support for BIPOC Faculty and Staff

  • Dr. Vanessa Roberts-Bryan, Assistant Dean of Student Development, Student Development Services

    Action Plan: Focus on the Role of Staff Assembly as DEI Change Agents

  • Dr. Wendy Macias, Associate Professor, Strategic Communication

    Action Plan: Schieffer College Recruiting & Sustaining Inclusive Undergraduate Excellence

  • Dr. Will Gibbons, Associate Dean/Associate Professor, College of Fine Arts

    Action Plan: Incentivize and Recognize DEI Efforts in the College of Fine Arts

  • Dr. Zoranna Jones, Assistant Dean, School of Interdisciplinary Studies

    Action Plan: Designing DEI Education and Training for Introduction to University Life Course Instructors