Uncrowned Community Builders

Personal: Born in Rochester, New York. Husband, Majied and son and stepchildren. Current Place of Residence: Rochester, NY Occupation: Assistant Professor in the Executive Leadership Doctoral Program at St. John Fisher College Education: Ph. D. Curriculum & Instruction, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington. M.S. Education, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York. B.A. English, University of Rochester,Rochester, New York. Community/Organization/Club/Volunteer Activities: Rochester Mentoring Charter School, Board of Trustees, Member; Rochester Educational Foundation, Board of Directors; Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Incorporated, Member.; Greater Rochester Professionals of Color, Member; Artrie M. Turner Women's Missionary Society, Baber A.M.E. Church, Member.

Accomplishment: 1) Earned degrees while raising young son; 2) Career and research interests are dedicated to African Americans in education. Awards/Nominations: Social Context of Education Early Career Scholar & Research Fellow, American Educational Research Association, Division G, Social Context of Education, 2006-2009; Forty Under 40 Recognition, Rochester Democrat and Chronicle, 2008; Spencer Foundation/American Educational Research Association Pre-Dissertation Fellowship Award, 1999-2000.

Biographical Sketch:

Dr. Jeannine Dingus-Eason is an Assistant Professor in the Executive Leadership Doctoral Program at St. John Fisher College where she teaches research methodology, leadership and diversity. Prior to this position, Dingus-Eason was an Assistant Professor at the University of Rochester (UR) and an Adjunct Instructor at Antioch University prior to teaching at UR. She also was a secondary English teacher in the Rochester City School District, where she taught English classes, multicultural literature and helped to develop district-wide curriculum.

Dr. Dingus-Eason's education, research and career interests are often centered on African Americans and the educational process. Her teaching and past research topics include African American teaching philosophies, the recruitment and retention of teachers of color, and the history of African American education.

Biggest inspiration: Dingus-Eason credits her mother with being her biggest influence and for teaching her many life-lessons. Her mother's dedicated constant care of others and her love and faith in God is her true inspiration.

How do you define yourself as Black woman today: Ã?¢ââ??¬Ã?â??A work in progress, always evolving with greater clarity".

For what do you feel fortunate: Ã?¢ââ??¬Ã?â??To have a prior generation that helped teach me about the importance of the past, present and future of African Americans." Dingus-Eason also recognizes that it is extremely important that African American culture needs to be passed on to the next generation.

Motivators: Her mother's constant caring for others and her love and faith in God is her true inspiration. Other women that Dr. Dingus-Eason counts as motivators to her education and career are Dr. Arlette Miller Smith of St. John Fisher College and Dr. Geneva Gay of the University of Washington.

Dr. Dingus-Eason's educational and career achievements, coupled with her involvement in community and church activities make her an inspiration to all people, especially women.

The above biographical sketch was researched and written by KIMBERLY S. HUNTER in partial fulfillment for the requirements of WGST 400- ASSUME[D] the POSITION[S]: Re/Dis/unCovering Resistance & Resilience in the Black Female Body.

Kimberly S. Hunter is a senior at St. John Fisher College in Rochester, New York where she is pursuing her B.A. in English Writing. Hunter is an avid writer and has contributed to various blogs, websites as well as The Minority Reporter, a newspaper in Rochester, NY. She resides in Rochester, NY with her daughter Siobhan, a freshman at SUNY Fredonia College.

The course title Assume[d] the Position[s]:Re/dis/uncovering Resistance & Resilience in the Black Female Body was created from the interjection Ã?¢ââ??¬Ã?â??Assume the position!" For the course, Assumed Positions refer to the myths, stereotypes, and controlling/disfigured images that often have characterized Black women's lives. Students in the course analyze the representation, resistance, resilience, and reimagination of Black women in America by interrogating the historical and contemporary issues of their colonization, marginalization and subjugation. The course is grounded in Black feminist/womanist theories, enhanced by the use of fiction, non-fiction, films, discussion, and distinguished speakers including Dr. Barbara Seals Nevergold. Students explore the work, contributions and agency of early feminists as well as contemporary scholar-activists and Black women leaders in the Greater Rochester community. The course was created & taught by Dr. Arlette Miller Smith (asmith@sjfc.edu).