Dr. Bobby Berry has been named assistant dean for diversity and outreach for the College of Applied Studies at Wichita State University.

In the newly created position, Berry will provide leadership for diversity and inclusion initiatives, oversee diversity and inclusion educational programs, and serve as a resource for students, faculty, staff, administration, and the community regarding diversity and inclusion matters. He will also provide leadership for the college’s recruitment and retention efforts.

“This new assistant dean position is critical to the college’s work in attaining our university priorities and strategic goals,” said Dr. Clay Stoldt, interim dean of the CAS. “I am really excited to see the many ways Dr. Berry will help advance our work in embodying inclusive excellence and empowering a campus culture that meets the needs of our students, faculty, staff and community.”

Berry is an assistant professor in the Department of Sport Management. He joined the college’s faculty in 2015 and was selected for the assistant dean position via an internal search within the college.

“I’m excited to take on this role, and I look forward to helping my college continue to move the needle forward by elevating diversity and inclusion,” Berry said. “I plan to think creatively when it comes to outreach initiatives and partnerships.”

Berry has been involved with CAS since 2007 — as a student, faculty member and administrator — and has a deep understanding of the college and its programs.

“I truly feel that my perspective, experiences, and identities will complement this role. I am grateful that CAS has entrusted me to walk alongside our faculty, staff students, and partners to drive change on and off campus,” he said.

Berry currently serves as a member of the First-Generation Coordinating Council for WSU and sits on the President’s Diversity Council. In addition to being the vice president of the African American Faculty and Staff Association and director of The Fuse, Berry currently co-chairs the University Equity Task Force and is a faculty fellow for Office of Diversity and Inclusion (ODI). Within that role, he is a co-facilitator for Men of Excellence which is a support group for men of color on campus and serves as an Advisor for the Black Excellence living learning community.

Additionally, Berry served as chair of the Diversity Committee for the College of Applied Studies from 2019-2021 and recently chaired the Campus Culture Committee for the refreshed Strategic Plan at WSU. He previously served as a Faculty Fellow for the Office of Admissions for both Recruitment and Freshman Orientation.

Berry’s service has been acknowledged by two recent awards: 2019 recipient of the University Recognition Award from the WSU Alumni Association and a 2019 recipient of the Diversity and Inclusion Award from the Wichita Business Journal.

His new position aligns with his research interests in African American males and their experiences at a pre-dominantly white institution, and the impact of formal and informal mentoring between generations, as well as identity and adaptation of student athletes.

Berry currently sits on the board for National Alliance of Mental Illness Wichita, Urban Professionals, Community Operations Recovery Empowerment Inc., Impact Board for the Boys and Girls Club and is a Hero for the non-profit Real Men Real Heroes. Berry also co-hosts a podcast called Let’s Talk About and is the CEO of Intentional Work LLC, which provides coaching, consulting and professional development.

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Wichita State University serves as the Kansas urban-based research university, enrolling more than 16,000 students from every state in the U.S. and more than 100 countries. Wichita State and WSU Tech are recognized for being student centered and innovation driven.

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