Examining Culturally Responsive Faculty Development for Criminologists

Despite decades of diversity initiatives, Black academics remain systematically underrepresented and under-retained in criminal justice and criminology programs. This study examines a culturally responsive faculty development program at a Historically Black University through a mixed-methods design integrating post-workshop surveys and autoethnographic narratives. Findings revealed consistently high satisfaction across workshop organization, instructor expertise, and skill development in grant writing and research methods. Narrative analysis identified two cross-cutting themes: profound isolation and mentorship deficits in predominantly white academic spaces, and program benefits including expanded networks and heightened scholarly confidence. These findings demonstrate that culturally grounded interventions can build disciplinary competence and affirm professional identity. Advancing equity in criminal justice and criminology demands both targeted programming and sustained institutional reform.