Refer a Friend or Colleague

Bayard Rustin Faculty Fellow in African-American U.S. History


The History Department at Whittier College is seeking the applications of outstanding candidates for a faculty fellow position in African-American U.S. history, with any period considered, as part of the Bayard Rustin Fellowship program. Individuals who work on the historical intersections of race, class, gender, sexuality and/or other identity categories are particularly welcomed, although we also welcome candidates who bring depth and expertise in new or emerging fields. The Bayard Rustin Fellowships at Whittier are designed to attract faculty from underrepresented groups in higher education who are interested in teaching in a liberal-arts setting. Rustin Fellows teach three courses during the year (in a Fall 2023/Spring 2024 calendar), at a salary of $67,000 plus a small fund for research & development. As a Rustin Fellow, the successful candidate will have the opportunity to teach introductory survey courses in U.S. history, as well as more specialized upper-division courses of their choice and creation. The position is for one year, and the Fellowship is renewable for a second year, pending favorable review. Rustin Fellows are eligible for tenure-track consideration, pending budgetary and administrative approval and, if A.B.D., completion of the Ph.D.

We seek a colleague with a clear commitment to engaging with undergraduates from a wide range of racial, class, gender, cultural, linguistic, and economic backgrounds, and who wants to teach in a liberal-arts setting, which means smaller classes, close academic mentoring of students, and continuous assessment and improvement of our teaching. Individuals with a history of, and commitment to, teaching and mentoring students from underrepresented groups, or whose experience in teaching, research, or community service has prepared them to contribute to our dedication to diversity and equity, are strongly encouraged to apply. We also seek someone who is interested in collaboratively rethinking the curriculum of Whittier's history major, and – since faculty at Whittier College are also scholars – who has an on-going and promising research agenda in their area of specialization and interest. For a successful candidate who is interested, there is the opportunity during the second year of the Rustin Fellowship to participate in Whittier's Our Story oral history project which is dedicated to elevating and documenting the history and voices of Black/African-American alumni and culture at Whittier College.

Successful candidates will be recent Ph.D. recipients, or advanced graduate students. Candidates with some teaching experience, whether as instructor or teaching assistant, are particularly welcomed. Applicants should submit a letter of application (which describes relevant teaching and mentoring experiences, the dissertation and/or the most recent scholarly project, as well as other appropriate experiences), a brief statement of teaching philosophy, a c.v. and graduate transcript. Please also provide a reference list with contact information of two individuals capable of submitting a letter of reference on your behalf at a later date. Review of materials will begin immediately, and will continue until the position is filled. Submit application materials to http://apply.interfolio.com/121301.

Whittier College is a nationally recognized, selective, independent liberal arts college with a diverse student body of approximately 1,200 undergraduates. The College is distinguished by its small size and innovative interdisciplinary programs. The campus is located on a 95-acre hillside campus 18 miles southeast of downtown Los Angeles. We have a long history of commitment to equity, reflecting our Quaker origins, and our student body mirrors the diversity of the region, making the college one of the most diverse liberal arts institutions in the country. Whittier College adheres to the Family and Medical Leave Act/California Family Rights Act and provides tuition remission for dependents, spouses/domestic partners, and employees to support the needs of families. In addition, Broadoaks School, established over a century ago, located on the Whittier College campus, has exemplary preschool through middle school programs, including before and after-school care (http://www.whittier.edu/about/broadoaks).

Whittier College is an Affirmative Action, Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate against employees or applicants because of race, religion, creed, color, national origin, class, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, age, or sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by State or Federal Law.