Black Excellence at Fielding: Student Donica Harper and Faculty Anthony “AGee” Greene Receive the Inaugural Clinical Psychology Award for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

As the Fielding Community joins in to honor Black History Month, we are thrilled to celebrate Black Leaders at our university.

The Clinical Psychology Program’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Award recognizes the contributions students and faculty make to advance DEI work. Clinical Psychology student Donica Harper and core faculty AGee Greene, Ph.D., are the award’s inaugural recipients.

Donica Harper

“Donica and Dr. Greene were clear candidates for the inaugural award,” said Clinical Psychology DEI Committee Outgoing Chair and core faculty Lauren Mizock, Ph.D. “They have gone above and beyond to contribute to the program, including program development, student mentoring, teaching, student governance, leadership, clinical training, committee work, research, and many other areas in the DEI realm.”

Dr. Mizock said that the award was inspired by VP of DEI Allison Davis-White Eyes, Ph.D., who, since joining Fielding a year ago, has been working with the Global Inclusion Council on advancing DEI principles and values at our university.

Dr. Davis-White Eyes shared that it is essential to incentivize DEI work at any organization. Recognition through awards helps incentivize people to do this work. The Clinical Psychology Program’s DEI Award is one example of how we can celebrate those who have given their time to advancing DEI initiatives at Fielding.

When organizations, including educational institutions such as Fielding, have community members dedicating their work to advancing DEI values, the university becomes a more welcoming and successful organization.

“Our program has advanced in the DEI areas thanks to Donica’s and Dr. Greene’s tireless contributions,” Dr. Mizock said. “We hope this award helps to recognize and commend them for these contributions and promote their work through the program and university as leaders in DEI.” 

Agee Greene, Ph.D.

“It was an honor to be nominated and receive the inaugural award,” shared Donica. “As students, we often do not think we can make as much of a difference as those in leadership. However, throughout my time at Fielding, my voice has been one that individuals were willing to hear and learn from. This award is a motivational opportunity to continue doing the work that means so much to me.”

Dr. Greene said: “To win this inaugural DEI faculty award is really appreciated because it suggests that my commitment has been seen by others. The fact that this award has evolved suggests that we are getting better at valuing DEI work, which, hopefully, will continue to make things better.”

The field of clinical psychology has much work to do to embrace and advance DEI values in academia. Dr. Greene shared: “I believe that the majority, though not all, have come to recognize that we have to evolve our approaches to include Indigenous worldviews and practices. We are still learning what that means and how to accomplish it. I think that academia is poised for another paradigm shift in clinical psychology in order to incorporate more decolonized epistemology and pedagogy. This, to me, is the future of DEI in academic psychology.”

Whether in the clinical psychology field or at Fielding, we know well the DEI work is ongoing. The next generation of clinical psychologists and scholars like Donica Harper are our role models. “It is our job to teach the next generation the pitfalls we have made in the past and instruct them on ways they can continue to make improvements,” said Donica.

To learn more about the DEI work at Fielding, visit: https://www.fielding.edu/diversity-equity-and-inclusion-dei