KCP Visiting Professor Program

The Martin Luther King, Jr.; César Chávez; Rosa Parks (KCP) Visiting Professors Program was created by the Michigan State Legislature in 1986 as part of the King, Chávez, Parks Initiative. The intent is to prevent the decrease of college graduation rates for academically or economically disadvantaged students in postsecondary education.  The State of Michigan’s KCP Visiting Professors Program is intended to augment the number of instructors in higher education institutions in the State representing diverse groups. Preference may not be given to a visiting faculty on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, gender, or national origin.  Institutions should encourage applications from applicants who would otherwise not be adequately represented in the faculty.

In support of this mission, the legislature created the Visiting Professors Program to increase the number of instructors who can serve as role models to students from academically or economically disadvantaged groups.  The Visiting Professors Program provides a vital demonstration that a diverse pool of talented academics does exist. The Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity, Workforce Development provides oversight and technical assistance to the KCP Visiting Professors Program.

Departments or programs wishing to bring a speaker to campus to present on research or topics not currently provided by a member of our faculty please consider applying for funding through the KCP Visiting Professor program in the Office of Diversity and Inclusion.  This program can match 50% of the funding for travel, lodging, meals, and stipend up to $4,000. The department or program must provide the other 50% of the funding. 

Please contact Jamie White for the guidelines, application instructions, and application.