President Richard Davenport has named Michael Fagin vice president for Institutional Diversity.
Fagin – a 37-year employee of Minnesota State Mankato and an alumnus – has been dean for Institutional Diversity and special assistant to the president for multicultural relations since 2004.
“This title change reflects the importance that diversity and traditionally underserved students represent in my vision for the future of Minnesota State Mankato,” Davenport said in announcing the change. “Under Dr. Fagin’s leadership, we’ve been successful in attracting a diverse student population.”
“Dr. Fagin’s extensive experience as a cultural diversity strategist and administrator makes him an invaluable member of the senior administrative team,” Davenport added. “His counsel is widely respected, locally and nationally. He is the embodiment of diversity at the University, and a reason why the campus and the larger Mankato community is a more welcoming place for people of diverse cultures.”
Since joining the University in 1970 as director of the Minority Group Studies Center, Fagin has mentored, encouraged and empowered underrepresented students.
In 1991 he was named associate vice president for cultural diversity, and in 2004 Davenport named him dean of Institutional Diversity and special assistant for Multicultural Relations. Last year Davenport appointed him to the President’s Cabinet, his senior leadership group.
Fagin attended Dillard University in New Orleans, and then transferred to Wayne State University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree. In the late 1960s he took off-site classes from then-Mankato State College, earning a special certification in deaf education. Later he earned a master’s degree in rehabilitation counseling from Minnesota State Mankato, and a doctorate in educational psychology from the University of Minnesota.
Last year Fagin was lauded by the Minnesota Association of Black Psychologists as one of the association's “Honoring Our Elders” leaders. A proclamation by Gov. Tim Pawlenty cited his “significant contributions . . . to the entire Minnesota community.”
Last month he received the Claire E. Faust Public Service Award for outstanding service to the University, community, state and nation. He is the founder of Mankato’s Martin Luther King Jr. celebration, and the founder of the nationally renowned Pan African Conference. He has served as a diversity consultant for many organizations, including the Police Officer Standards and Training Board of Minnesota.
He was chair of the Mankato Human Rights Committee, was a part-time police officer with the Department of Public Safety, and is a long-time department volunteer. Fagin also chaired Mankato’s Leisure Education for Exceptional People (LEEP) program.
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