Throughout their longstanding careers at CU Denver, Deneshia Hearon and Marlinda Hines have continuously shared a common goal of supporting Black students, faculty, and staff. Hearon, assistant director of undergraduate outreach and admissions pathways, has been at the university for 17 years, and Hines, associate director of recruitment and outreach, takes pride in her 20 years in the School of Education & Human Development (SEHD). A highlight for them both is their involvement in the university’s Black Faculty & Staff Affinity (BFSA) Group.
Hearon, chair of BFSA, joined the affinity group in 2008, around the time it started, to help foster a sense of belonging among Black students, faculty, and staff. “Seeing the struggles I faced while attending a PWI (primarily white institution) and being a first-gen student is why I’m very passionate about BFSA,” Hearon said. “I feel BFSA is a great place for our faculty, staff, and students to get engaged.”
Hines, who has been a member of the BFSA for the past eight years, said the group has encouraged her professional development and leadership opportunities. “I needed that sense of community,” she said. “The more community we have as staff and faculty, the better we can provide for our students.”
BFSA is made up of 75 Black faculty and staff from CU Denver and CU Anschutz—a number that Hearon would like to see grow to 200 in the coming years. Members meet virtually every month to discuss topics that are relevant to both campuses, share their perspectives, give updates, and hear from the group’s subcommittees, which focus on areas like faculty, special events, professional development, and more. Membership in any affinity group is open to all CU Denver employees. Those who are interested in joining the BFSA can email bfsa@ucdenver.edu.
The group is also committed to showing up on the campuses and in the broader community. They host tables at several student-facing events at CU Denver, including the academic year kick-off Block Party and the tri-institutional Spring Fling. They partner with the CU system to participate in the annual Martin Luther King Marade (march and parade) and Juneteenth celebrations. And they support students in important milestones, like the African and African American Graduation Celebration. Hines said it’s important for Black students to know “there are people here on campus that look like them and who are here to support them.”
Personally, the BFSA has helped Hearon discover her passions and excel in her career. Leadership mentors she met through the BFSA supported her in completing her master’s degree in public administration from CU Denver’s School of Public Affairs. And she just applied for her Doctor of Education in Leadership for Educational Equity (EdD) in SEHD. “I think having this group is so helpful,” she said. “Black faculty and staff experience different things that other members of our community don’t experience.”
Hearon’s focus is for the BFSA to be well connected in the communities it serves. Members support programs and engagements for faculty and staff, in addition to mentoring and serving as advisors to student organizations and clubs. “When I was in college, those [opportunities] really helped me get through the tough times,” she said. “We want them to know they have someone on campus they can relate to.”