Dr. Jess Nerren Takes on New Role as Faculty Inclusion Fellow
Dr. Jess Nerren serves as the first Faculty Inclusion Fellow for Disability, Difference, and Accommodation. The new role was created at CSUSB and is the first of its kind in the California State University system.
Since 2017, Dr. Nerren has been a full-time lecturer in the Department of Communication Studies. She is also a researcher who has focused her studies on disability inclusion, public relations, and teacher education.
Her unique life experiences as a family advocate have guided her research. She is the parent to a son with autism who is also a pediatric cancer survivor.
“As a researcher, I realized that much of what is known in communities with family advocates and self advocates isn’t yet in the scholarly literature as much as it could be,” said Dr. Nerren.
Her goal is to change that and help amplify the voices of individuals with disabilities.
She took on the role of Faculty Inclusion Fellow for Disability, Difference, and Accommodation in August. The position is a one-year term during the academic year. However, Dr. Nerren hopes the collaborative work established with campus partners will continue beyond her term.
The position will allow her to work collaboratively with both Faculty Affairs and Student Affairs at CSUSB. A role she is already familiar with. This year, Dr. Nerren was recognized by the Vice President’s Office for Student Affairs with the faculty partner award.
“This role is about faculty professional development, support, collaboration, and assistance in the name of disability inclusion and accommodation,” said Dr. Nerren.
She added, “Recently, thanks to [Associate Vice President of Student Success and Educational Equity Dr. Molly Springer] and [Vice President for Student Affairs Dr. Paz Olivérez], I also spent much more quality time in [Services to Students with Disabilities] than the average faculty member, so I have some inside knowledge and resources I can offer. My support to faculty is in support of them including and accommodating our students with disabilities.”
This year, an initiative Dr. Nerren is focusing on is to open a neurodiversity center at CSUSB.
“There is a need and a demand for a neurodiversity center as an affinity space, inclusion research hub, resource network, and beyond,” said Dr. Nerren.
Dr. Nerran has held a variety of roles at CSUSB. She founded the award-winning student run PR agency CoyotePR and was advisor to the nationally chartered Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) club on campus. Most recently, Dr. Nerren was the Interim Faculty Director of Services to Students with Disabilities, working alongside Dr. Springer.
She looks forward to continuing to leave her paw print at CSUSB with her latest role as the Faculty Inclusion Fellow.
“I love everything I do in the role,” said Dr. Nerren. “I believe in the work, and I believe in what will come out of it.”