Harper College will be closed Thursday, July 4 in observance of Independence Day.
The Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (JEDI) Faculty Fellowship program was designed by Dr. Tamara A. Johnson, the inaugural Vice President of the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, in 2022. This fellowship affords Harper College's full-time faculty members a distinguished opportunity to obtain exposure to the administrative aspects of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Social Justice (DEISJ) work while supporting the Office of DEI in achieving departmental goals and helping the institution actualize its equity-centered priorities. JEDI Faculty Fellows are awarded a one academic year appointment, with the possibility of renewal, 3-hour course reassignment each semester and access to professional development resources and experiences. Fellows also receive direct mentoring and coaching from Dr. Johnson and unique opportunities to interact with senior-level leadership.
The JEDI Faculty Fellowship program garnered national recognition within six months of its launch in the Community College Daily. Click here to read the news article " Harper’s JEDI Faculty Fellows are a Force for Change" by Bryan Wawzenek!
Each JEDI Faculty Fellow extends their talents, passion, scholarship and leadership to the program. Fellows commit to ten hours of service per week (including four office hours on campus at the Cultural Center) to support the Office of DEI. The Fellows' primary contributions and experiences are rooted in the following categories:
Additionally, Fellows attend weekly 1:1 meetings with Dr. Johnson and monthly Office of DEI team meetings. Fellows also have opportunities to lead, design and support campus-wide DEI initiatives.
Gerardo Cruz, Ph.D. (he/him)
Professor: Language Department
847.925.6472
Gerardo Cruz is an Assistant Professor of Spanish in the Language Department at Harper College. He also serves as Faculty Chair-Elect for the Employee Resource Group DREAM (Diverse Relationships Engaged in Affirming Multiculturalism) and as a Faculty Mentor for the ARC program.
Prior to his time at Harper, Gerardo’s experience in education includes serving as Assistant Professor and Chair of Cardinal Stritch University in Milwaukee, WI and working as an Assistant Professor at the Community College of Philadelphia in PA. Throughout his career, he has been involved with promoting language immersion programs to create student interest in studying abroad.
Gerardo has an M.A. in Spanish Literature from Marquette University and a B.A. in Spanish from UW-Milwaukee.
Joshua P. Sunderbruch, Ph.D. (he/him)
Professor: English Department
847.925.6618
Dr. Joshua P. Sunderbruch is a Professor of English and currently serves as a Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (JEDI) Faculty Fellow in the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. As a JEDI Fellow, he collaborates with student groups, faculty and administrators to help complete various DEI projects for the Harper community.
Dr. Sunderbruch has been teaching composition for 25 years and has taught in three departments at Harper (English, Humanities, and Speech) while also engaging in campus initiatives as part of the Achieving the Dream program, including serving as the faculty leader on efforts to decrease student achievement gaps in at-risk populations. During his career, he has been heavily involved with new teacher training and with efforts to help college campuses address taboo subjects, navigate conflicts, and create more equitable processes.
Dr. Sunderbruch has a Ph.D. in Rhetoric and Composition from Southern Illinois University Carbondale and a B.A. in English from Bradley University.
