Hey there. It is my pleasure to introduce myself as Kutia Swinney, the Membership & Operations Sr. Associate at the American Evaluation Association (AEA). In my role, I support, expand, and promote AEA’s programs which include the Graduate Education Diversity Internship, Minority Serving Institution Fellowship, and Student Evaluation Case Competition. Future evaluation leaders are shaped by all three of these hallmark programs.
Graduate Education Diversity Internship
During the academic year (September-June), the Graduate Education Diversity Internship (GEDI) program offers training opportunities for graduate students from traditionally underrepresented groups in the field of evaluation, celebrating its 20th anniversary recently during Eval 2023 in Indianapolis, Indiana. It moved me to see how many people-alumni and community alike-came back to celebrate not only this important program milestone but each other. The GEDI community has grown into a thriving family of individuals who strive to improve the world through culturally responsive evaluation.
Over the past two decades, the GEDI program has impacted countless lives, bringing about positive transformations and creating a ripple effect of change. Its impact has been truly remarkable. These trailblazers (150+ alumni to date) have created numerous pathways that inspired countless scholars to follow in their footsteps. We currently have scholars who serve on AEA’s Board of Directors, chosen to give back by serving as leaders of the program, served as leaders of AEA affiliates across the country, and so much more. GEDI is an impressive program, and I am excited to see its future progress as we enter our next decade of fostering generations of culturally responsive evaluators. Interested in applying for the GEDI program as a host site or a scholar? Applications are now open. Learn more about the program and its requirements on the AEA website. Join GEDI leadership for a discussion about the program on February 14th for prospective scholars, and February 7th and 28th for prospective host sites at 1 PM ET.
Minority Serving Institution Fellowship
The Minority Serving Institution Fellowship (MSI) program gathers a group of faculty members who belong to and serve underrepresented groups in the applied social sciences, public health, or education at a Minority Serving Institution. This program provides these individuals with the opportunity to participate in professional development activities, expand their professional network, and improve their knowledge and skills related to evaluation, assessment, and applied research. I have had the pleasure of meeting and working with these remarkable fellows led by Dr. Art Hernandez in person as they eagerly absorb everything they learn and apply it to their individual professional development projects and through dissemination at their academic institutions. If you are interested in becoming a fellow, applications will open later this month. To learn more about the program and the requirements for applying, please visit the AEA website.
Student Evaluation Case Competition
Last year, AEA was pleased to introduce the first annual U.S. Student Evaluation Case Competition. I had the opportunity to support a group of passionate members in building this competition from scratch. The winners of this year’s competition, the first in AEA’s history, advanced to the World Evaluation Case Competition and secured a 3rd place position. The winning team from the University of Massachusetts Lowell consisted of Meg Johnson, Marian Dyer, James Farngoli, Golnar Fotouhi, and Nadia Sahila, with their coach Jill Lohmeier. This is an incredible achievement! AEA extends its congratulations to Evalu850 and all those involved in organizing the annual competition. You can find more information about the competition on the AEA site. Registration for student teams and judges will open soon. All three programs offer an excellent opportunity to get involved with AEA, expand your network, and grow professionally and personally. To learn more about these programs or other programs offered by AEA, contact AEA at info@eval.org and visit eval.org.
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