Joel Olufowote

Biography

"Dr. Joel Olufowote is the Executive Director for Inclusive Excellence on the residential campus of Indiana Wesleyan University and associate professor of political science in the Division of Social Sciences and Business. Serving on the IWU- Marion senior administrative cabinet, Olufowote oversees the Office of Intercultural Learning and Engagement, the central residential hub dedicated to creating and maintaining student belonging, purpose, and thriving through the institutional pursuit of inclusive academic and co-curricular excellence.

In addition to these primarily roles, Dr. Olufowote is a frequent speaker on inclusive administration, inclusive pedagogy and culturally responsive curriculum, at post-secondary institutions, and presents academic workshops and professional continuing education on topics such as implicit biases, non-violent communication, power and privilege, inclusive leadership, among others. Most currently, Olufowote is a 2019 National Inclusive Excellence Leadership Academy Fellow, 2019 State of Indiana Achievement in Education Awardee, awarded by current Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb, and serves as an advisory board member for Global Indiana at the Sagamore Institute, located in Indianapolis, IN.

Dr. Olufowote is married to Dr. Rachael Olufowote, professor of marriage and family therapy at Abilene Christian University and practitioner of the trade at Family Piece Counseling in Kokomo, Indiana. Drs. Olufowote are parents to Abigail Grace Olufowote, age 5 months, lover of cuddles, food, being awake, and babbling.

Interests

Dr. Olufowote’s academic interests are primarily based on the ways power and influence are experienced in relatively unconventional political contexts. As such the domains of sport, music, and the church, are oft-investigated areas of research and scholarly pursuit for Olufowote. In tangential relation to Dr. Olufowote’s administrative duties, insight into how societal and institutional culture shape perspectives of justice is a burgeoning area of inquiry.

Degrees

• Ph.D.
  2013, Southern Illinois University- Carbondale
• MA
  2008, Southern Illinois University- Carbondale
• BS
  2005, The University of Indianapolis