The Office for Inclusive Excellence, housed within the Office of Academic Affairs, provides leadership through thoughtful community engagement of strategies, initiatives, and programs that enhance and foster an energized and inclusive campus community.
Led by the Assistant Provost for Inclusive Excellence, the Office provides Faculty, Student, and Community Intellectual Engagement and Cultural Enrichment. The Office of Inclusive Excellence also partners with the Appalachian Regional Commission’s Appalachian Freedom Heritage Tour.
Dr. Cicero Fain, III
Assistant Provost for Inclusive Excellence
Modes of Engagement
Faculty Intellectual Engagement and Cultural Enrichment
In conjunction with Dr. Alan Letton, Director of the Center of Economic and Community Development in Black Appalachia and Isolated Communities, created the Betty J. Cleckley “Great Voices” Speakers Series. Speakers include Professor Emeritus Dr. William H. Turner, author of The Harlan Renaissance: Stories of Growing Up Black in Appalachia Coal Towns, Emory University Professor Dr. Karida L Brown, author of Gone Home: Race and Roots through Appalachia.
From left to right: Glenville State University Associate Professor Dr. Tim Konhaus; Eric Jordan, Program Director, WVU Center for Black Culture; Dr. Cicero Fain; Dr. Bill Turner; and Dr. Alan Letton
Yeager Scholar Indigo Graves interviewing Dr. Bill Turner
Dr. Karida Brown presenting at Huntington High School
Dr. Cicero Fain, Dr. Brown and Dr. Letton
Ariel Barcenas and husband Dr. Shawn Schulenberg, Dr. Cicero Fain and wife Helen Zublic-Fain, Dr. Julian K. Glover, Patrick Fain, and Dr. Maria Gindhart, Marshall University Dean of the College of Arts and Media.
Student Intellectual Engagement and Cultural Enrichment
For the first time, five MU students attend the 2024 Association for the Study of African American Life and History conference in Pittsburgh, PA. Started by Huntington’s own, Dr. Carter G. Woodson in 1915, ASALH is the world’s largest learned society dedicated to the study and appreciation of African-American History.
From left to right: Yeager Scholars Abby Christian, Nicole Asamoah, Indigo Graves, and Lauren Dunsmore
Breakfast–From left to right, clockwise: History Student Adrienne Hall, Indigo Graves, Dr. Cicero Fain, Abby Christian, Nicole Asamoah, Lauren Dunsmor.
Group photo: August Wilson African American Cultural Center, Pittsburgh, PA.
Community Intellectual Engagement and Cultural Enrichment
Black Huntington History Trolley tours
Dr. Cicero Fain presenting from trolley on the Huntington Black History Tour.
Dr. Cicero Fain and fellow guide David Harris
Dr. Cicero Fain and Dr. Frances Hensley.
Appalachian Freedom Heritage Initiative
The Appalachian Freedom Heritage Initiative is a nine-county, three state $1.5 million ARC funded initiative to locate and document 27 sites in the Tri-State region of West Virginia, Ohio, and Kentucky to be placed on the National Park Service Underground Railroad Network to Freedom. The NPS approved the first three sites in October 2024 (Press release from 10-29-2024).
AFHI website: https://appalachianfreedom.com/
News story from WSAZ: “Bringing the Underground Railroad to light in our region“, November 18, 2024
ABC News Chief Justice Reporter Pierre Thomas’ Journey to Huntington
Through the partnership of ABC News and the 10 Million Names Project, Mr. Thomas journeyed to the Green Bottom/Jenkin’s Plantation, located in eastern Cabell County, to walk the sacred ground where Adaline Jenkins, his great, great grandmother was born an enslaved person in 1858. Dr. Fain served as chief history consultant for the production.
Pierre Thomas and Dr. Cicero Fain at the Jenkins Plantation