UW–Madison’s Anjalé (AJ) Welton received the Linda C. Tillman Social and Racial Justice Award from the University Council for Educational Administration (UCEA).
Welton is chair of the School of Education’s highly regarded Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis, and is the Rupple-Bascom Professor of Education.
“It’s an honor to be awarded the Linda C. Tillman Social and Racial Justice Award, as the award namesake is a mentor who has fostered the careers of countless Black scholars in my field,” says Welton, who was recognized Thursday at an awards luncheon during UCEA’s Annual Convention in Los Angeles. Welton was a co-recipient of the honor with Khalid Arar, a professor of education and community leadership at Texas State University.
Adds Welton: “Linda C. Tillman founded the Barbara L. Jackson Scholars Network, for which I am an alumnus. The Jackson Scholars Network is a mentoring and fellowship program sponsored by UCEA for graduate students of color interested in a career as faculty in educational leadership and policy. As a first-generation college graduate when I began graduate school, I didn’t know that being a tenure track faculty member was a career one could pursue. Indeed, I’m a testament that mentoring matters. I will continue to live up to Linda C. Tillman’s legacy as a mentor of scholars underrepresented in my field.”
Welton is an expert in the study of leadership for equity, diversity, and anti-racism — with her work examining how educational leaders address race and racism in their school communities. Her research also considers the role of student and community voice, leadership, and activism in education reform and transformation.
Through her scholarship, leadership, and service, Welton’s commitment to this important realm — from the department to the national level — exemplifies the Wisconsin Idea in action.
“This powerful area of focus has helped her establish a leading voice for social justice leadership among students, communities, and our profession.” Suzanne Eckes, the Susan S. Engeleiter Professor in Education in the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis, writes in her nomination letter. “Importantly, it has allowed Dr. Welton to work to change institutional structures in schools to create more equitable environments.”
Unfortunately, Welton has found that many initiatives designed to create fairer learning opportunities in underserved communities often end up unintentionally reinforcing the very inequalities they aim to address.
Through her work, Welton advocates for marginalized groups and amplifies their voices. For instance, she is a member of the Coalition for Leading Anti-Racist Schools, where she co-leads with Sandra Taylor-Marshall, professional learning manager with PLACE, efforts to identify and challenge racially unjust practices in K-12 education. She also runs workshops, gives lectures, and works with schools and universities to promote leadership that prioritizes equity and drives institutional change.
Welton co-authored with Sarah Diem the 2020 book, “Anti-Racist Educational Leadership and Policy: Addressing Racism in Public Education.” This book, writes Eckes, is “one such example of her work related to promoting anti-racist policies in schools. This book provides an important conceptual framework and practical tools to help leaders tie anti-racist concepts to administrative practices.”
Eckes in her nomination letter also highlights how Welton’s work significantly benefits both education leaders and students in the community and across the nation.
In addition to her research and advocacy, Welton has fostered a culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion within the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis. She makes an effort to engage with students, staff, and faculty by holding gatherings, individual meetings, and fostering a community of care and well-being. Welton has also worked hard to recruit and retain diverse faculty, contributing to making the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis one of the most diverse units at UW–Madison.
The UCEA Linda C. Tillman Social and Racial Justice Award was established in 2021 to recognize an educational leadership faculty member who demonstrates outstanding leadership in furthering the values of UCEA to foster diversity, equity, and social justice in PK-20 educational organizations. This award is named in honor of Linda C. Tillman, whose career spans over four decades in K-12 and higher education. Tillman is professor emerita of educational leadership in the School of Education at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill.