African Diaspora Council
Mission
The African Diaspora Council (ADC) at UWM aims to further the academic and civic interests of its members by offering professional and social opportunities for collaborative work across the campus; fostering partnerships with community-based organizations; serve as a consultant to the UWM community on academic, sociocultural, climate, and faculty/staff/student matters; encourage and recognize the academic success and community involvement of UWM African Diaspora students; as well as facilitating networking and social interactions. Our mission is to promote and enhance a sense of community on campus, promote equity, support professional and educational development, and provide platforms for discussing issues, ideas, and actions.
Guiding Principles Stated in ADC Bylaws
- Advocating for greater participation of African American faculty and staff in the leadership and decision-making process of the University.
- Participating in and advocating for the recruitment, retention, and promotion of African American faculty and staff.
- Participating in and advocating for the recruitment, retention, and graduation of African American students.
- Establishing and maintaining effective lines of communication between the African American faculty, staff, and the University.
- Maintaining an ongoing professional development support group and a communication network for African American faculty and staff to keep members informed of common issues and concerns.
ADC Officers
- Arcetta Clay Jones, Chair, Housing at UWM
- Cory Harris, Chair-Elect, Department of Human Resources
- Dawn Jones, Recording Secretary, Department of Human Resources
- Tamara McKinney, Corresponding Secretary, Office of Undergraduate Research
- Celestine Guma, Treasurer, Business & Financial Services
- Tiffany Nation, Financial Secretary, Graduate School
9th Annual School Supply Drive
The African Diaspora Council is excited to kick off our 9th Annual School Supply Drive in support of LaFollette School, 53rd Street School, and Hopkins-Lloyd School. Students are in urgent need of school supplies to help them start the year strong—and you can make a difference. Please share this effort with your networks and help us spread the word!
What students need
Campus Collection Locations | 8:00 – 4:00 pm
- College of Health Professions & Sciences | Cunningham Hall 743, Enderis Hall 815
- Division of Student Affairs | UWM Student Union EG40 2200
- UWM Human Resources | Engelmann Hall 125
- UWM Police Department | Main Lobby
Supply Drive Wishlists
Prefer to shop online? Donate through one of our curated wishlists. Scan the QR codes on our flyers or follow the links below to make a direct contribution.
- Amazon Wishlist: https://shorturl.at/1qVkR
- Walmart Wishlist: https://shorturl.at/vZxwR
Make a Tax-Deductible Donation
Support our mission with a financial contribution at uwmfoundation.org/ADCFund2025
For more information, please get in touch with us at adc-info@uwm.edu.
ADC History
Our journey began in the winter of 1992 when several African American Academic Staff members expressed concerns about the recruitment and retention of African American Academic Staff. We decided to meet to discuss this and other issues, such as professional development, improving the climate at the University of Wisconsin for African American faculty, staff, and students, greater community connections, and the overall desire to support and see each other on a regular basis.
The African American Academic Staff Council was formally initiated in March 1993. One of our first actions was to meet with the Black Faculty Council to discuss our common agendas and to jointly present a plan of action to the Chancellor for making UWM more “user-friendly” to the African American community at large. In 2000, the two groups merged, forming the African American Faculty & Staff Council.
Some of our goals have been to serve as a welcoming unit to new African American employees, provide a forum for discussion of issues and actions about our community, initiate an annual conference focusing on African Americans in education, and provide a mechanism for us to participate in mentoring and supportive relationships.
Achievements
One of our biggest achievements was the institution of our Annual African Americans in Education Conference. The conference served as a professional development outlet for the UWM and greater Milwaukee communities. It afforded African Americans the opportunity to address issues in greater depth to a larger audience. Finally, the African Americans in Education Conference served to facilitate new insights and create new alliances that help members remain renewed and refreshed in our knowledge, perspectives, and goals.
- Organized the UWM Blood Drive to find a bone marrow match for an African American colleague. The University has continued the blood drive annually.
- Established the “Flo Seefeldt Scholarship”
- Hosted four one-day conferences
- Hosted a 3-day national conference. It was after the success of this conference that the two groups merged, the African American Academic Staff Council and the Black Faculty Council, together to form the African American Faculty & Staff Council.
- Recognized faculty and staff for their accomplishments and achievements
- Recognized retiring African American faculty & staff
- Organized an annual picnic in July and an annual holiday gathering in December
- Held annual meetings with the Chancellor to discuss issues relating to black staff and faculty on campus
- Spearheaded and conducted a comprehensive survey on race and ethnicity at UWM. This effort was led by Larry Martin, Professor in the Administrative Leadership department.
We have met our initial goals and continue to seek new and better ways to assist each other on our journey at UWM.
ADC Scholarship & Information
Multiple $1,500 Student Awards
- Undergraduate junior and senior-status students who can clearly demonstrate their significant engagement with or significant service to the African American/Black/African Diaspora Community
- Minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5
- Demonstrated financial need, as determined by Student Financial Services
- Enrolled in a degree-granting program at a minimum of half-time status
Make your tax-deductible contribution today! For Faculty/Staff Payroll Deductions, please access the online donation form and direct your gift to the African Diaspora Council Scholarship (#67970). For more information, contact Diana Borders, dborders@uwm.edu, (414) 229-6406.
Help Us Continue to Close the Graduation Gap
The African Diaspora Council (ADC), formerly the African American Faculty and Staff Council, had an idea: reach out and bring forward equality through education and training. Our plan: engage and encourage support from within our community to attract and retain more African Diaspora students and increase their graduation rates at UW-Milwaukee.
We are happy to report that donors have already funded several ADC scholarships, helping to graduate an increasing number of senior-status African American/Black students.
Please give now to help close the gap!
To date, we have provided 90+ scholarships at $151,000!