Diversity Statement

For a full copy of my Diversity Statement please contact me through the contact form or my email address anna.schirrer@columbia.edu 

See an excerpt here:

“I was born and raised in a largely white, working-class city in Northern Denmark. I am a first-generation college student, and I believe I have a particular sensitivity for working with students who are the first in their family to pursue a university degree: whether walking a new path by being the first to obtain a college degree like myself, or the first in their family to pursue graduate school. Last semester, I would send an email each week to a student who had told me about their family hardship. As a first generation low income college student, they faced particular challenges navigating university life. Campus offers numerous support networks for students in need. Even when students know what resources are available to them, it can be challenging making use of these resources. While I linked the student with special advising initiatives for First-Generation Low-Income Students, my weekly email efforts also nudged the student to seek out the university’s Writing Center and the Medical and Psychological Services. Despite difficult circumstances, the student finalized the term with a well deserved A for a stunning personal essay that I recommended they published online. I am convinced the student’s use of an on-campus professional support network played a significant role in their completion of the term. Three aspects of my teaching and scholarly work highlight my commitment to diversity and equity. These include my scholarly research, my class policies, and my approach to course activities.”