Opportunity to Give to the ANDREA A. LUNSFORD DIVERSITY FUND

I am pleased to announce the creation of the Andrea A. Lunsford Diversity Fund in honor of Dr. Lunsford’s service to the discipline of English, the field of rhetoric, and her commitment to inclusion and equity. The purpose of the Lunsford endowment is to provide grants to graduate students of color to participate in the biennial conference.

Dr. Andrea Lunsford is Louise Hewlett Nixon Professor, Emerita, Claude and Louise Rosenberg Jr. Fellow, and former Director of the Program in Writing and Rhetoric at Stanford University. In her published work, her years of instruction, and her contribution to programs such as the Bread Loaf Graduate School of English, Andrea has endeavored to bring more voices to the field, especially in the area of feminist rhetorics. Those who know Andrea recognize in her a rare generosity that energizes both her personal and professional relationships. She has enacted the values and principles that RSA hopes to weave throughout our Society's practice and culture. I have asked Andrea to share a few words with the Society about this endowment.

One of the greatest privileges of my long career has been to act as an advocate, a mentor, and an enthusiastic cheerleader for the magnificent graduate students in our field, and particularly students of color, from whom I continue to learn so very much.  I hope that this new endowment will allow even more of these students to share their wisdom with RSA, and I know that all members will join me in supporting their work.

For the inaugural implementation of this award, President Elect Michelle Ballif will forward a call for nominations and self-nominations in December 2019. The call will specify required nominating materials and the criteria by which the Lunsford Selection Committee will choose recipients. Applicants must be currently enrolled graduate students of color, members of RSA, and accepted to present at the upcoming biennial conference. RSA policies governing disbursement from the fund's interest and a matching expenditure from the conference budget will determine the monies available for distribution. We plan to provide several grants that will reduce the cost of conference participation. 

To get this new endowment off to the best possible start and to ensure that the fund can support attendees to the 2020 conference, Andrea will match every donation up to a total of $5,000 made before September 1, 2019.  You can contribute to this fund by visiting the following link: RSA Endowment Contributions.

Note that besides the Lunsford fund, you can contribute to the Edward P. J. Corbett, Janice Lauer, and the Michael Leff funds from our donations webpage. Descriptions of each fund are located on the RSA Endowments page. I want to thank everyone who has or will donate to the Society, and, especially, the Lunsford fund. Your contribution plays a crucial role in supporting members and our strategic goals.

Please remember that the deadline for submitting a paper, panel, and discussion proposals for the 2020 RSA Conference in Portland, OR is July 15, 2019.

Sincerely,

Kirt H. Wilson
RSA President