Boise State University is proud to announce the newly founded Institute for Inclusive and Transformative Scholarship (IFITS). Building on the former Institute for STEM and Diversity Initiatives, the goal of the new institute is to “create and nurture a vibrant, inclusive community where all are actively engaged in the scholarly life of the university and the region. The institute increases access to, supports professional development in, and accelerates the impacts from transformative scholarship.”
“As Boise State grows as a research university, it is imperative that we do so holistically – that ALL members of our campus community, from first year students through to distinguished professors from all disciplines, have the support to grow as scholars,” said Donna Llewellyn, executive director of the Institute for Inclusive and Transformative Scholarship.
Maintaining the initial focus of Institute for STEM and Diversity Initiatives, IFITS remains dedicated to inclusivity by increasing representation and support of students and faculty who historically have been underrepresented or minoritized.
The institute will have enormous impact on undergraduate and graduate students, as well as faculty. IFITS will serve as home of the brand new Office of Undergraduate Research at Boise State (OUR Boise State), offering communities of scholars, research fellowships, one-on-one advising and opportunities to present research. Faculty members thinking about engaging undergraduate students in scholarly activities are encouraged to contact the Office of Undergraduate Research at studentresearch@boisestate.edu.
The institute also will be home to the ASSERT faculty cohort program (Aligning Stakeholders and Structures to Enable Research Transformation) and will continue to offer tailored support to developing and established scholars. For faculty seeking assistance with proposal “broader impacts” or “educational components,” contact IFITS at ifits@boisestate.edu.
“Structurally, IFITS will be integral in the creation and change of university policies and practices to further transformational scholarship so that all members of the university community (students and faculty) can find their scholarly identity and their pathway to having impact through their work,” said Llewellyn.
More information can be found at boisestate.edu/ifits and https://www.boisestate.edu/undergraduate-research/. Follow IFITS @BoiseStateIFITS and OUR Boise State @BoiseStateOUR.