The Office of Faculty Affairs Leadership announced Dr. Nichole Crenshaw as the University of Miami’s associate provost for diversity, equity, and inclusion effective July 1, 2021.
Crenshaw is an associate professor of clinical at the School of Nursing and Health Studies (SONHS), and since January 2021 has served as Associate Dean for Undergraduate Nursing Programs at the School.
In her additional role as associate provost within the Office of Faculty Affairs, Crenshaw will be responsible for developing innovative initiatives, systems, and programming to support the recruitment, retention, and career development of underrepresented minorities and women at the University of Miami, explains Dr. Guillermo “Willy” Prado, vice provost for faculty affairs, Graduate School dean, and professor of Nursing and Health Studies, Public Health Sciences, and Psychology.
“At a time where racial justice issues are at the forefront, I am excited to be in a position where I can facilitate genuine and candid dialogue about the issues of diversity and inclusion at the university,” said Crenshaw. “I look forward to collaborating with others at UM and taking deliberate actions to build a diverse, inclusive, and equitable community, where, as stated in our roadmap, all members of the University community feel valued and can add value.”
Crenshaw will work closely with Vice Provost Prado, who recruited her to the position, and with Dr. Tatiana Perrino, associate provost for faculty development.
“Nichole is committed to mentoring, diversity and inclusion, and serving the University faculty,” said Prado. “I came to know Nichole a few years ago in her role as the School of Nursing and Health Studies’ representative on the Graduate Council, which I chair. I was immediately impressed by her leadership abilities. Nichole was incredibly engaged, thoughtful, and inclusive. She was just a natural choice.”
Crenshaw sees her new role as associate provost for diversity, equity, and inclusion as a natural and important extension of her work on the Dean’s Special Advisory Committee on Faculty Diversity at SONHS.
“I am confident that Dr. Crenshaw’s work will be central to the enhancement of diversity, equity, and inclusion at the University of Miami, and will directly benefit the entire University community, including the SONHS,” said Cindy L. Munro, dean and professor at the School of Nursing and Health Studies.
Crenshaw succeeds the position’s inaugural appointee Osamudia James, who has pursued opportunities at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. This associate provost role was established as part of a 15-point plan, announced by President Julio Frenk last July, to support racial equality, inclusion, and justice across the University of Miami and in the South Florida community.
Since joining SONHS as a faculty member in 2013, Crenshaw has taught and mentored hundreds of students, nurses, and nurse practitioners, proving to be a leader in advancing simulation-based education to bridge the gap between didactic instruction and clinical practice. She earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in nursing from Florida International University, followed by her Doctor of Nursing Practice degree and a post-master’s certificate at SONHS.
In addition to her academic teaching, research, and leadership roles, Crenshaw practices in Jackson Memorial Hospital’s cardiothoracic/surgical intensive care unit. Later this year, she will be inducted as a Fellow of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners. She and her husband, a graduate of Miami Law, have three children, two of whom are students at UM.
