3272 - MFP’s 45th Anniversary Year: Reflections of Elected ASA Leaders (and Former MFP Fellows) on Its Disciplinary Impact and Legacy

Session Submission Type: Invited Session

Description

The ASA Minority Fellowship Program (MFP) welcomes its 45th cohort in 2018—which is quite a milestone. In 1974, ASA began MFP as a pre-doctoral training program to support and develop underrepresented minority (URM) scholars in sociology. It continues as a central activity strongly supported by the discipline. Partnerships with regional/aligned organizations annually provide sufficient funding for ASA to continue MFP, in addition to smaller amounts that are donated annually by many individual ASA members.

The original purpose of MFP was to increase the number of minority scholars completing doctoral degrees in sociology. This was to address both the severe underrepresentation of minority faculty as campuses were becoming more diverse and the need for sociological scholarship to include the rich research perspectives, issues, and methods of URM scholars. The push for greater representation continues to be a focus and MFP today centers on support for doctoral candidates who need financial support to complete their dissertations and launch their careers.
MFP’s cohort-based approach is built on the premise that far more than one-on-one mentoring is needed today. ASA organizes and hosts research and professional development activities and events at the ASA Annual Meeting for current and past MFP Fellows, and supports the links in multiple networks of “thick” mentoring relationships within and across cohorts. In this panel session, five former MFP Fellows, now all senior faculty members and elected ASA leaders, reflect on the contributions of MFP to the discipline—its scholarship, leadership, and diversity.

Description

The ASA Minority Fellowship Program (MFP) welcomes its 45th cohort in 2018—which is quite a milestone. In 1974, ASA began MFP as a pre-doctoral training program to support and develop underrepresented minority (URM) scholars in sociology. It continues as a central activity strongly supported by the discipline. Partnerships with regional/aligned organizations annually provide sufficient funding for ASA to continue MFP, in addition to smaller amounts that are donated annually by many individual ASA members at the time they renew their memberships.

The original purpose of MFP was to increase the number minority scholars completing doctoral degrees in sociology. This was to address both the severe underrepresentation of minority faculty as campuses were becoming more diverse and the need for sociological scholarship to include the rich research perspectives, issues, and methods of URM scholars. The push for greater representation continues to be a focus and MFP today centers on support for doctoral candidates who need financial support to complete their dissertations and launch their careers.

MFP’s cohort-based approach is built on the premise that far more than one-on-one mentoring is needed today. ASA organizes and hosts research and professional development activities and events at the ASA Annual Meeting for current and past MFP Fellows, and supports the links in multiple networks of “thick” mentoring relationships within and across cohorts. In this panel session, five former MFP Fellows, now all senior faculty members and elected ASA leaders, reflect on the contributions of MFP to the discipline—its scholarship, leadership, and diversity.

Sub Unit

• Special Sessions

Session Organizer

• Jean H. Shin, American Sociological Association

Panelists

• Patricia Hill Collins, University of Maryland-College Park

• Aldon D. Morris, Northwestern University

• Mary Romero, Arizona State University

• Rogelio Saenz, University of Texas-San Antonio