ABSTRACT
The University of St. Thomas (UST) created Dougherty Family College (DFC) in 2017 to disrupt the educational status quo in Minnesota, where the state nears the bottom for college matriculation and economic and social mobility of marginalized individuals. To improve college access and persistence, DFC hired faculty with skills in culturally sustaining pedagogy (CSP) and anti-racist lenses, seen as foundational to their teaching and mentoring. Embodying the CSP model and infusing aspects of universal design for learning, DFC faculty create strong connections with the scholars that yield success. An essential part of their pedagogy requires reflection and adjustment throughout the process. In this chapter, six faculty members who teach at or in collaboration with DFC describe the tools, assignments, and interventions they utilize within the classroom to create a strong sense of belonging and inclusion. They intentionally highlight course interventions so that faculty at any college or university, with any level of institutional support, can replicate their work.
