La Serna, Miguel

UNC Service

Leadership: Study Abroad Advisory Board; Institute for the Study of the Americas Advisory Board; History Department Executive Committee

Teaching and Instruction: University Classroom Redesign Committee; Greenlaw 101 Redesign Committee; Center for Faculty Excellence/Lenovo Teaching Innovation Grant Steering Committee

DEI: Moore Undergraduate Research Apprentice Program (MURAP) Faculty Mentor; Director of DEI, History Department; CAS Diversity Liaison

Candidate Statement

In 2020, UNC identified DEI as the first strategic initiative in its "Carolina Next" strategic plan, committing to "invest in policies, systems, and infrastructure that promote belonging, community, and benefits of diversity, equity, and inclusion." My advocacy in DEI has provided me with the leadership and institutional experience to ensure that the university meets its DEI commitments. As an original signatory to the UNC Roadmap for Racial Equity, I have engaged fellow BIPOC faculty leaders and university officials to identify concrete steps toward its implementation. In my role as DEI Director in the History Department, I have collaborated with departmental heads and diversity liaisons across the CAS to assess DEI needs and develop measurable outcomes. I hope to draw from this experience to ensure that UNC fulfills its DEI promises.