CUE Co-Director Estela Mara Bensimon receives ASHE Council on Ethnic Participation's 2011 Founders Service Award

Dr. Estela Mara Bensimon receives award at the 2011 ASHE Conference

Dr. Estela Mara Bensimon has been named the 2011 recipient of the Association for the Study of Higher Education (ASHE) Council on Ethnic Participation's Founders Service Award at a November 17th reception of its annual conference in Charlotte NC. This honor recognizes her dedication to promoting access, opportunity and equity in higher education for students of color. Dr. Bensimon was the principal investigator for the ASHE Institutes on Equity and Critical Policy Analysis, a series of five institutes held over two years that brought together nearly one hundred assistant professors, emerging and established scholars, policy analysts and others in higher education.  The goal of the institutes was to develop a community of equity minded scholars and policy analysts who would identify and change policies and practices that result in racial-ethnic inequities in postsecondary outcomes.

Through relationships developed at the institutes, CUE and the National College Access Network (NCAN) formed a new partnership to pilot the Equity Scorecard™ at two Boston high schools.  Similarly, officials from the Illinois Community College Board  adopted elements of participatory action research and incorporated equity into their data practices for a state initiative to improve graduation rates and employment prospects for students in career pathway programs.  Two participants were even inspired to launch the Journal of African American Males in Education after many fruitful conversations held during the institutes; and they invited institute participants to join the journal's advisory board.

The Ford Foundation generously supported the ASHE Institutes on Equity and Critical Policy Analysis, which were organized and convened by the Center for Urban Education in 2009 and 2010. The idea for the institutes emerged from discussions Dr. Bensimon had as a member of ASHE's Equity Task Force in 2004-2005; and the structure, purpose and goals of the institutes were developed during her ASHE presidency in 2005-2006. 

In addition to these leadership roles, Dr. Bensimon has dedicated her time in service to ASHE in other capacities:  as Member and Co-Chair of the Research Papers Review Committee (1987-1989); Member of the Awards Committee (1989-1990); Member of the Dissertation of the Year Award Committee (1990-1991); Chair of Focused Dialogues (1992); Member of the Nominations Committee (1997); Member of the Program Review Committee (1984, 1989, 1990); and Member of the Board of Directors (1984-1985).