CARLISLE, Pa. — Leaders in Continuing Education and Workforce Development at Penn State had been mulling ways to develop a noncredit antiracist leadership certificate when they learned about the Penn State Dickinson Law Antiracist Development Institute (ADI) last spring.
The ADI was formed in 2021 to dismantle structures that scaffold systemic racial inequality. In 2024, Penn State approved an ADI scaleup across the University ecosystem to support and grow strong, interdependent partnerships and collectives to advance institutional antiracism using systems design and critical pedagogy frameworks.
ADI Program Manager TaWanda Hunter Stallworth and Education Program Coordinator Serena Hermitt met with Andrea Tessier, senior director of Statewide Continuing Education and Workforce Development at the University, and Jamie Merida, interim manager of community outreach and engagement, Continuing Education, to discuss collaboration.
Tessier and Merida realized their certificate ambitions aligned perfectly with the scaleup. They attended a June ADI event at University Park, where they learned more about systems design and subsequently joined one of the ADI’s initial five “PODs,” which are University-wide focus groups developing projects to disrupt systemic racial inequality and intersectional injustice. Their project: creating a noncredit antiracist leadership certificate.
“After speaking with TaWanda and Serena, Jamie and I became very invested in this project and very excited about the possibilities,” Tessier said. “We realized we have the means to help develop something and the mechanisms available that could help get this online. We could promote and offer this certificate fairly quickly.”
Quickly indeed — the POD is eyeing a certificate launch date as soon as fall 2025.
“We are excited to produce something with high-quality material that the ADI is proud to put its name on and distribute across the state,” Tessier said.
Using systems design to address ‘critical topics in higher education’
Progress on creating an antiracist leadership certificate is just one of the promising early developments of the ADI scaleup. During this fall’s second annual ADI convening, POD participants presented their early work to convening attendees, showcasing an impressive depth of inquiry and range of ideas.
PODS will have another opportunity to meet and share updates at the ADI’s recently announced mini-convening, being held in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, on May 15-16. Registration is available at this link.
“We have enjoyed seeing the progress and innovation of these PODs exploring critical topics in higher education,” said Penn State Dickinson Law Dean and Donald J. Farage Professor of Law Danielle M. Conway, the ADI’s executive director. “Members have demonstrated their dedication to change by conducting critical conversations about real pain points. We appreciate their commitment to iterating creative, considered solutions to issues that deserve our attention.”
Each POD includes members of Penn State faculty and/or staff as well as an ADI systems designer, who guides the POD through a process of inquiry and examination that disrupts traditional hierarchies and prioritizes empathy to redesign systems that work for everyone.
Merida appreciated how these design thinking exercises invite participants to take a step back and examine things in a new light. “This approach is giving us a better perspective on how to put this together from an end user standpoint by asking different questions to get to that end result,” Merida said.
“We were thrilled to hear the diversity of ideas, viewpoints and perspectives laid out during the POD presentations at the convening. Each group has made impressive progress exploring topics in areas such as transformative justice, leadership and reimagining higher education policy. We cannot wait to hear more from them,” said Stallworth.
Folayemi Wilson, Penn State College of Arts and Architecture associate dean for access and equity, has enjoyed learning more about the ADI’s approach and how to use it to spark change.
“I hope that Penn State can use these efforts as an example of how important it is to start from the ground up and ensure people feel like they are a part of the conversation,” said Wilson, who is also a professor of art. “In the future, I would love to see students become involved in initiatives like the PODs. They are the ones making our future.”
Year One POD overview
Below is an overview of the year-one ADI POD discussions and goals so far:
Antiracist Leadership Certificate POD
This POD envisions a noncredit certificate program comprising five modules, two of which have already been developed, targeting decision-makers to drive cultural change. The POD has identified several main challenges, including determining a price point. An alternative to charging for the program could be finding sponsors and then offering it for free. Once the pilot program, which may have a hybrid delivery, has launched, feedback and adjustments will be made, an iterative approach in line with the ADI’s systems design focus.
The POD hopes to partner with state government agencies, municipal organizations, and intermediate units to reach the best audience. To that end, the POD is talking with members of the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission about potential intersections of their work.
Reimagining Higher Education Policy from Undergraduate Admissions to Graduate and Professional Degree Attainment POD
The POD’s early work has focused on solving systemic problems in undergraduate, graduate and professional admissions and financial aid. The POD has classified pain points within the system into two categories — access to education and persistence in education.
The POD has floated using artificial intelligence (AI) and technology to facilitate a more holistic approach to admissions, which would also entail connecting with people who can address bias within AI and help to eradicate it. The POD has discussed potential overlap and collaboration with the Antiracist Leadership Certificate POD. Additionally, it has talked about ways to expand support for foster youth pursuing higher education.
Building Leadership Capacity with Antiracism POD
The POD, which includes Conway, wants to help build leadership capacity around institutional antiracism. Often when discussing leadership, people focus on a top-down perspective. The POD recognizes the importance of encouraging leadership at all levels, including staff, post-doctoral students and community leaders.
It also proposed incorporating the Penn State Council of Academic Deans (CADs) into its work. The POD used a design thinking approach to identify a need for CADs to model, with their community, how to engage in conversations that at times are rooted in conflict. “This way, CADs could help lead similar community conversations on differences and then keep these conversations going while also practicing how to engage conflict in a way that promotes the democratic ideals on which this nation was built,” said Conway.
Antiracist Justice Frames: K-12 Engagement, Community Engagement, Sustainability, and Praxis POD
The POD has entered the ideation stage, using a systems design approach to reframe K-12 engagement, community engagement, sustainability and praxis through an antiracist lens. Members’ interests lie mostly in the sustainability and environmental justice spheres, so they are considering focusing more on these elements of the POD. Members noted they look forward to inviting more faculty and staff to join the POD and expand its aims.
Transformative Justice: Methods for Dismantling a System of Incarceration POD
The POD focuses on marginalized communities' experiences with the justice system, with discussions revolving around the need to prevent children from entering the system, addressing implicit bias in juries, and supporting reentry programs. Its goal is to create an antiracist system that minimizes disproportionate impact on Black and Brown individuals.
An early priority of the group is to teach and learn about the carceral system and what is meant by “transformative justice.” The POD will meet throughout the semester to use the systems design approach to tie together members’ various areas of expertise.
Learn more
Those interested in learning more about the PODs, or Penn State employees interested in joining a POD, can email ADI@psu.edu.