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AUx Working Group

The AUx Working Group is charged with refining the AUx1 and AUx2 curricula, supporting and providing guidance to AUx1 instructors, and connecting with campus partners to enhance the AUx Program and course content.

Expand the box below for a full list of the AUx Working Group members.

Nakeesha Ceran - Adjunct Instructor, AUx, UEAS

Quintenilla Merriweather - Associate Director for Student Equity, Access, and Retention, Center for Diversity & Inclusion, DSA

Ashley Roccamo - Instructional Designer, Head of Digital Research and Inquiry Lab, University Library

Kernysha Rowe - Assistant Dean of Students, Office of Student Accountability & Restorative Practices, DSA

David Salgado - AUx Senior Instructor & First-Year Advisor, UEAS

Izzi Stern (co-chair) - Director, AUx, UEAS

Michelle Swiger (co-chair)- AUx Instructor & First-Year Advisor, UEAS

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Former AUx WG Members: Stephon Bradberry, Amanda Getz, Tara W. Rison

Former AUx1 WG 2.0 Members: Matt Bruno (past co-chair), Camille Clark, Caroline DeLeon, Joyice Harris, Kyle Whitaker, Morgan Maxwell, Shaina Spann, Stacey Miles, Luis Alvarado, Elissa Margolin (CAS), Angela Chen

Former AUx2 WG Members: Shaina Spann, Aja Simpson-Zulfiqar, Munroe Bell-Rose, Rachel Brown, Steven Crudele, Sarah Jones (past co-chair), Luis Alvarado, Roshan Abraham (past co-chair), Caroline Figueiredo Hausmann, Diamond Brown, Juliana Martinez (CAS), Angela Chen

Former AUx1 WG 1.0 Members: Jessica Waters, Aja Simpson Zulfiqar, Matt Bruno, Ashley Dorsey, Stef Woods, Izzi Stern, Ashley Roccamo, Robin Adams, Jolynn Gardner (CAS), Erica Hart (CAS), Scott Talan (SOC), Mickey Irizarry, Christina Colasanto, Ashley Rozendaal, Lindsay Northup-Moore, Bradly Knight, Courtney Pollack, Kelly McGrath

Former AUx2 Council Members: Jessica Waters, Jane Palmer (SPA), Sybil Roberts Williams (CAS), Traci Dennis (SOE), Amanda Taylor, Juliana Martinez (CAS), Hannah Park (Library), Justin Bernstine (SOC), Ashley Roccamo, Izzi Stern, Michael MacEwen

AUx Faculty Fellows

The AUx Faculty Fellows provide support by facilitating professional development workshops for instructors focusing on developing pedagogical and facilitation skills necessary for successful teaching and anti-oppressive practices in the classroom. They will also be available to provide instructor consultations and support in the form of individually scheduled meetings, small group meetings, or regular “office hours.” On a limited basis and at instructor request, the AUx Faculty Fellows can also provide instructors with opt-in peer teaching observations. These peer observations would be used for professional development purposes, and instructors can decide independently whether they want these observations to be incorporated into their adjunct faculty reappointment packages. In addition to instructor training support, they will facilitate 1-2 trainings for Peer Facilitators.

Amaarah DeCuir, Ed.D., educator, researcher, and inclusive pedagogy fellow, is a faculty member at American University in the School of Education and an Executive Board member at the Center for Islam in the Contemporary World at Shenandoah University. Her scholarship spans the areas of antiracist pedagogy, Muslim student experiences, Prophetic pedagogy, faith erasure, equity, antiracism and social justice, education leadership, teacher education, and faculty development. Dr. DeCuir has published articles and chapters in peer-reviewed journals and books and her public scholarship appears in news and media outlets. A highly regarded educator and facilitator, Dr. DeCuir teaches Education Studies and Social Justice, Education Leadership, and teaches an Antiracist Research Methods course she co-designed. She brings over 20 years of teaching and leadership experiences from public and private K-12 schools to inform her current work in higher education

William N. Thomas IV joined the faculty at American University in 2021 as a Professorial Lecturer in the School of Education’s Ed.D. program.

After graduating in 2004 with a BA degree in English from Morehouse College, Dr. Thomas taught in Washington, DC for eight years as a science teacher and received a Master’s degree from the George Washington University in Middle School Science.

From 2012 to 2014 he was promoted to principal of the Community Academy Public Charter School’s Butler Global Campus and helped to create an authentic global culture for the school. After serving as the Academy Leader for the campus, he decided to transition to secondary school leadership and earned the position of Director of High School Programs for Paul International High School and helped the school in the development of a 21st century international studies program. During his time, he traveled to Panama, London and Costa Rica with Paul PCS students and increased opportunities for students to travel. In addition, he led the My Brother’s Keeper mentoring program at the school establishing a monthly Saturday Academy, weekly mentoring and an annual male team builder.

His passion for developing young males of color led him to go back to the classroom to teach at the Ron Brown College Preparatory High School as a Biology teacher for two years. He led the development of a new all-male high school using an event-based approach to teaching NGSS cross-cutting science concepts. He also was the founding sponsor of the school’s chapter of the National Honor Society and facilitated the Morehouse Mystique mentoring program for ninth grade students.

His service leadership is grounded in a growth mindset that promotes reciprocal development through open communication, trust, motivation and accountability. In addition, William believes that strategic programming that meets students in and out of the classroom is key in the development of 21st century skills.

Recently, William served as the Director of Science for the Mastery Charter Schools of Philadelphia and Camden. He led the network’s science program by supporting and building capacity of K-12 educators through curriculum development, strategic implementation, collaborative leadership, professional development and effective use of data and research. Dr. Thomas has a particular research interest in Global Education, Culturally Responsive Teaching in STEM education and the experience of Black Male Teachers in various public-school systems. His doctoral studies unpacked the intersectionality of self-motivation, professional development and young males of color as it relates to teacher retention of Black men in public-schools.

Campus Partners

Faculty, staff, and students from the AU community shared their knowledge and ideas, providing feedback on the AUx1 curriculum and the AUx2 curriculum during its creation and piloting phase.

Expand the boxes below for a list of campus partners. Please note that these lists are not exhaustive.

Scott A. Bass, Formerly of Office of the Provost

Mary Clark, Formerly of Office of Academic Affairs

Jessica Waters, Formerly of Office of Undergraduate Education

Gail Short Hanson, Formerly of Office of Campus Life

Fanta Aw, Formerly of Office of Campus Life

Christopher Moody, Formerly of Housing & Residence Life

Lisa Freeman, Formerly of Housing & Residence Life

Robert Hradsky, Formerly of Office of the Dean of Students

Sara Bendoraitis, Formerly of Center for Diversity & Inclusion

Briana Weadock, Formerly of First Year Advising

Matt Bruno (Bruno), Formerly of First Year Advising

Senem Bakar, International Student & Scholar Services

Traci Callandrillo, Formerly of Office of Campus Life

Mark Schaefer, Formerly the University Chaplain

Jennifer Johnson, Formerly of Orientation, Transition & Retention

Katie Porras, Student Conduct & Conflict Resolution

Mickey Irizarry, Formerly of Health Promotion & Advocacy Center

Sara Yzaguirre, Formerly of Health Promotion & Advocacy Center

Maya Vizvary, Formerly of Health Promotion & Advocacy Center

Abby Wolfe, Formerly of Health Promotion & Advocacy Center

Regina Curran, Formerly of Title IX

Fariha Quasem, Formerly of Title IX

Shyheim Snead, AU Alum

Devontae Torriente, AU Alum

Taylor Dumpson, AU Alum

Diego Alemán, AU Alum

Nakeesha Ceran, Formerly of One Card & Dining Programs

Juliann Winn, Formerly of Academic Support & Access Center

Marianne Thomson, Formerly of Academic Support & Access Center

Gihan Fernando, Career Center

Kiho Kim, Formerly of CAS Faculty

Lyn Stallings, Formerly of CAS Faculty

Alison Thomas, CAS Faculty

Lacey Wootton, CAS Faculty

Caleen Jennings, Formerly of CAS Faculty and Former Chair of PCDI

Larry Engel, SOC Faculty

Rose Shinko, SIS Faculty

Shirleyne McDonald, Office of Enrollment

Courtney Pollack, AU Abroad

Isaac W. K. Thweatt, Formerly of Office of Alumni Relations

Scott A. Bass, Formerly of Office of the Provost

Mary Clark, Formerly of Office of Academic Affairs

Jessica Waters, Formerly of Office of Undergraduate Education

Robin Adams, Center for Diversity and Inclusion

Tiffany Speaks, Formerly of Center for Diversity and Inclusion

Michelle Strange, Formerly of Center for Diversity and Inclusion

Sara Bendoraitis, Formerly of Center for Diversity and Inclusion

Larry Engel, SOC Faculty

Filippo Trevisan, SOC Faculty

Leena Jayaswal, SOC Faculty

Cheryl Holcomb-McCoy, School of Education

Fanta Aw, Formerly of Office of Campus Life

Bev-Freda Jackson, SPA Faculty

Andrea Brenner, AUx Creator, Former Director & Former Curriculum Designer

Celine-Marie Pascale, Formerly of CAS Faculty

Theresa Runstedtler, CAS Faculty

Lily Wong, CAS Faculty

Caleen Jennings, Formerly of CAS Faculty and Chair, PCDI

Juliana Martinez, CAS Faculty

Sarah Trembath, CAS Faculty

Salvador Vidal-Ortiz, CAS Faculty

Gay Young, CAS Faculty

David Vine, CAS Faculty

Eileen Findlay, CAS Faculty

Amanda Choutka, CAS Faculty

David Pike, CAS Faculty

Mike Bader, CAS Faculty

Keith Leonard, CAS Faculty

Noemi Enchautegui-de-Jesus, CAS Faculty

Michele Carter, CAS Faculty

Maria De Jesus, SIS Faculty

Christine Chin, SIS Faculty

Easten Law, SIS Faculty

Malini Ranganathan, SIS Faculty

Maina Singh, SIS Faculty

Derrick Jefferson, Library

Sonya Grier, KOGOD Faculty

Emily Lindsay, KOGOD Faculty

Elijah Fosl, AU Alum

Koji Wieber, AU Alum

Janny Jang, AU Alum

Gabriel Benitez, AU Alum

Krista Chavez, AU Alum

Jaelynne Palmer, AU Alum

Chrissandra Jackson, AU Alum

Serina Williams, AU Student

Raquel Baudrit, AU Alum

Dyani Brown, AU Alum

Salimah Shabazz, AU Alum

Ashley Dejean, AU Alum