Michelle Nelson is the first DEI Postdoctoral Research Fellow in the College of Arts and Sciences at LTU. She has a PhD in Educational Leadership from Oakland University. Her research explores relevant issues focused on sense of belonging, identity development, social justice education, and global education to promote transformative learning experiences and equity in education. She has presented at conferences, and her dissertation is entitled, Heritage Seekers Not on Purpose: A Phenomenological Case Study Exploring the Lived Experiences of African American Students Who Studied Abroad to Ghana, West Africa. Her recent articles have been published in the International Journal of Qualitative Research and Teachers College Record. In addition to her research and scholarly practice, she has spent more than 17 years working in higher education administration in various aspects of academic and student affairs, and 8 years as an adjunct faculty member.