When LaFleur Small, associate provost for academic and diversity affairs, arrived at Wilkes University in February 2024, she was ready to talk. More importantly, she was ready to listen. Small has spent the last six months connecting with students, faculty and staff to find out more about the campus, its culture and its diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) needs.
Small loves what she’s experienced so far and knows there’s always more to learn. “The sense of community is wonderful and refreshing. I’m excited to continue learning about the on-campus culture and get further acclimated with the community,” she says. “Wilkes has proven to be a wonderful community.”
As a result of these conversations with Wilkes stakeholders, Small launched a year-long engagement with The Academic Network, a leading academic training and consulting firm. The partnership, endorsed by Wilkes leadership, directly aligns with the University’s goal to strengthen and formalize its commitment to an inclusive and equitable campus climate as detailed in the strategic plan, Innovate. Engage. Thrive.
At the end of a year filled with training sessions, focus groups and a climate assessment, Small’s goal is a DEI strategic plan that will be used as a template to guide DEI efforts at Wilkes in the years to come. The process will involve input from students, faculty and staff, and the DEI strategic plan will be reviewed and approved by the University community. This significant initiative is just one part of Small’s portfolio of professional responsibilities, but she approaches it all with curiosity and enthusiasm — and she’s just getting started.
At Wilkes, Small provides leadership for the E.S. Farley Library, the Office of Institutional Research and the Office of Diversity Initiatives. She also represents the Provost’s Office on the Academic Standards Committee, the Council on Diversity, Inclusion and Equity and the University Assessment Committee and serves as the University’s liaison with the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.
“We at Wilkes are extremely fortunate to have the benefit of Dr. Small’s expertise in academics, administration and DEI work,” said David M. Ward, senior vice president and provost. “Her experience and commitment will continue to enhance the Wilkes University experience for our students, faculty and staff.”
Before she joined the administration at Wilkes, Small held the position of vice provost for academic administration and faculty affairs for the University of Toledo, where she previously served as the academic inclusion officer and a professor of public health. She was also vice provost for faculty, chair of the department of sociology and anthropology and director of the applied behavioral sciences master’s program at Wright State University.
Among her many key accomplishments at these universities, Small developed procedures surrounding faculty hiring to ensure the process was equitable, fair and inclusive, raising awareness of bias in hiring. She also created leadership and mentoring programs, providing networking opportunities with both an interpersonal and career focus. In addition, Small taught undergraduate and graduate sociology classes and served as department chair.
Small earned a doctorate in medical sociology/epidemiology and master of arts degree in sociology from the University of Miami. She earned her bachelor of arts degree in sociology/pre-med from Trinity College. Small started her career in the classroom and progressed through the academic ranks, earning tenure and promotion. She credits her dean and mentor at the time with noticing her leadership potential and encouraging her to serve as a director of a graduate program and then later as department chair.
While this mentorship and support shifted Small’s career trajectory toward administration, she remains actively involved in academic pursuits. She recently co-published a paper titled “Longitudinal Mixed Model Approach for Evaluating COVID-19 Vaccination” in Healthcare Analytics. “I am privileged to work in a community where I can continue my journey as an academic and a leader,” said Small.
While Wilkes plays a huge part in that journey, Small does spend some time off campus. She and her cat, Lizzo, call Shavertown, Pennsylvania, home, and when she has a free afternoon, Small enjoys exploring the region and recharging for the week ahead. “I just discovered Frances Slocum State Park,” she said. “It is magnificent, beautiful, serene and peaceful. That’s the hidden gem I’ve discovered recently.”
Small is also a travel enthusiast. She cites Venice, Italy, as one of her favorite places. She also enjoys the Greek islands, Thailand and Accra, Ghana. Small still plans to add stamps to her passport, with Ireland, Croatia, Slovenia and South Africa on her bucket list. “Travel is the best form of education besides what you receive in the classroom. It gives us the experience of realizing that what we know as normal day-to-day life is not normal at all. It allows us to truly understand what it means to be multicultural, inclusive and diverse.”
