Wismer Professorship

Patricia Wismer Professorship for Gender and Diversity Studies


2021-2023 Recipient of the Patricia Wismer Professorship for Gender and Diversity Studies

Dean Spade

Fr. Steven Sundborg, S.J. appointed Dean Spade as the 2021-2023 recipient of the Patricia Wismer Professorship for Gender and Diversity Studies. Professor Spade is an influential scholar with broad intersectional reach, whose scholarship is anchored in intersectional feminism and anti-racism and informed by two decades of participation in social movements for gender, racial, economic, and disability justice. Read more about Professor Spade here.

The Wismer Professor serves as an intellectual leader, modeling academic excellence through a scholarly agenda that is focused on issues of structural inequality and rooted in our commitment to education for justice in the Jesuit and Catholic tradition. This two-year professorship supports academic scholarship in the fields of gender and sexuality and its intersections with race and class. As the Wismer Professor, Dean Spade will collaborate extensively with the Office of Diversity and Inclusion to pool talent and resources, co-sponsor university-led programs and events, and support inclusive excellence priorities such as LIFT SU. 

About the Wismer Professorship

The Patricia Wismer Professorship for Gender and Diversity Studies is a two-year fellowship offered through the Office of Diversity and Inclusion (ODI) and the Provost’s Office. The award supports academic scholarship in the fields of gender and sexuality and its intersections with race and class. It enables the Professor to pursue activities that enhance their development as scholars, teachers, and campus leaders, enables their advancement within the Seattle University system, and promotes diversity within the SU community.  

The Wismer Professor serves the University as an intellectual leader, modeling academic excellence through a scholarly agenda that is focused on issues of structural inequality, in keeping with our commitment to education for justice in the Jesuit and Catholic tradition. The Wismer Professor aligns with two University areas as follows: 

  • The Office of Diversity and Inclusion: Works collaboratively with the Vice President, and pools resources to sponsor or co-sponsor university-led events such as Women’s History Month; sponsors book launch events; offers thought leadership and works to support Goal 4 of Reigniting Our Strategic Directions (Promote Inclusive Excellence) and other related aspects of SU’s inclusive excellence priorities as led by the ODI; and can include working with students on events to foster skills for research, advocacy, activism, and community organizing and engagement. 
  • Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Executive Committee: Serves as an ex officio member representative of the larger WGST Network; attends Executive Committee meetings (three/term) during the academic year to assist the Director in operations of the program, including recruiting of faculty for specific courses; and includes full voting privileges on all major and minor motions related to the Program. 

Award Components (per year): 
Course release(s) provide release time from teaching and resources to conduct an individual research project, lead and participate in relevant ODI endeavors, and present research findings in various Seattle University fora. Awardees will receive three course releases (15 work units), if the Professor teaches on a quarter system (Albers, ASC, CAS, College of Education, Nursing), or two course releases (10 work units), if the Professor teaches on a semester system (Law School).  

Monetary compensation includes:  

  • Professional development funding: $7,000
  • Programmatic funding: $3,000  

Eligibility: Tenured faculty who are accomplished interdisciplinary scholars in the areas of gender and diversity.