“Higher education positively affects social mobility, meaning students from all backgrounds – white, Black, Hispanic, from eastern Kentucky, western Kentucky, the suburbs, the inner cities, small towns, rural areas — become empowered to enhance the quality of life for themselves and their families, while increasing the talent dividend for the state of Kentucky,” Gill said.

In the spirit of oneness, Gill has restructured DEI work at the Health Sciences Center and Belknap campuses under one umbrella: UofL’s Division of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. Establishing a new university-wide Inclusion and Equity Council represents another step. Chaired by Gill and the provost, the council includes one representative from every UofL college and vice-presidential unit, along with several community organizations including the NAACP, Americana World Community Center, Asia Institute Crane House, La Casita Center and the Louisville Urban League. The new 30 person-plus council meets quarterly for the purpose of information sharing, resource collaboration and solution development.��

“It is important that we not work in silos. Through collaboration, we will become more efficient and make a greater impact,” he said.

Gill also is working with the Commission on Diversity and Racial Equity (CODRE) to prioritize the numerous recommendations made in the Cardinal Anti-Racism Agenda (CARA) report that will help move the university’s DEI efforts forward. Additionally, the DEI division has created new positions and repurposed several existing roles to help in the effort.

The charge to the team is to launch new diversity training modules for faculty and staff utilizing the (IDI) and . This innovative diversity training strategy will be led by Marian Vasser, assistant vice president for inclusive excellence, and 15 individuals from throughout UofL who will become certified trainers in the IDI model. This fall, the President’s Cabinet and the Council of Academic Officers will participate in diversity training exercises with one of the nation’s leading experts in strategic diversity leadership,

The DEI division also is ramping up efforts to reach both current and future students. Through the new Inclusive Excellence Scholars program, Gill is engaging with UofL alumni from various disciplines who will participate in week-long mentoring with students, offering expertise on the global competencies that are needed for workplace success. Similarly, a newly formed Corporate Chief Diversity Officer Advisory Board includes chief diversity officers from several regional and national companies to connect with students for mentorship, internships and co-ops.

Other efforts to impact future Cardinals involves a partnership with Jefferson County Public Schools (JCPS) to host the Explore Pathways event this fall, providing more than 1,000 JCPS students, many of whom are Pell Grant eligible, an opportunity to explore education and career options. The one-day event at Cardinal Stadium will provide youth a chance to visit with UofL colleges and unit representatives.

Among the most intensive DEI effort will be the new Cardinals Rising initiative, a program open to all, that will reach young men of color in grades 7-12. Organized by Brandyn Bailey and Daquarius Mahone in the DEI office, Cardinals Rising collaborates with local middle and high schools. Counselors from each of the schools will help identify youth who would benefit from this program.

“The earlier we can reach young people, the more impact we can have. These are bright students, but their energies may be misapplied. We want to invest, pour into them and help them understand they can be anything they dream to become,” Gill said.

The program aims to bring youth to campus, introducing them to the college-going culture, along with involvement of their parent or guardian who also will have opportunities to learn about financial literacy and financial wellness, educational advancement and careers. Parents and guardians will sign an agreement, committing to help their child succeed by encouraging their studies and building life skills, along with becoming immersed themselves in the Cardinals Rising program. The DEI division is in process of seeking grant funding to help support this initiative.

“Cardinals Rising will change the lives of the students and create a ripple effect that will impact the entire family toward generational wealth. UofL will be a leader in graduating first–generation, Pell-eligible students,” Gill said.

Lee Gill, chief diversity officer and special assistant to the president for inclusive excellence at Clemson University, will join UofL as vice president for diversity, equity and inclusion on May 15.

With more than 25 years of experience in the diversity field, Gill currently is a member of the president’s leadership team at Clemson, where he is credited with building a sustainable infrastructure to incorporate diversity, equity and inclusion efforts into the campus culture and with creating programs that support and address the challenges facing women, Black and Hispanic students and the LGBTQ community.�� He created the Clemson University Men of Color National Summit, which brings together more than 2,000 students, educators, business professionals, government officials and community leaders from around the country to explore issues and share best practices to increase high school and college graduation rates.

Gill serves on a number of boards of directors, including the National Conference on Race and Ethnicity in Higher ����ֱ��. In 2014, he received the National Diversity Visionary Award from Insight into Diversity magazine for his significant contributions to diversity in higher education.

“Mr. Gill’s extensive experience in building programming and weaving diversity, equity and inclusion efforts into the fabric of the universities he has served stood out among the many qualified candidates we reviewed,” said Lori Stewart Gonzalez, UofL’s interim president. “His enthusiasm is contagious, and we are excited about the advancements our campus community will make under his leadership.”

Prior to joining Clemson, Gill served for eight years as associate vice president for inclusion and equity and chief diversity officer at the University of Akron. He previously had served as chief executive officer of Stratus Group Consultants Inc., a firm providing diversity audits and training, management assessments and other services. Prior to that role, he held the position of dean of the Institute for Diversity and Leadership at Lake Michigan College in Benton Harbor, Michigan.

“I am excited at the opportunity of working with Interim President Gonzalez and the leadership team to help advance the DEI mission of this great university,” Gill said. “So many best practices, and national models are in place here at UofL along with an engaged faculty, staff and student body. I look forward to working with them and others to continue building a dynamic, inclusive campus community.”��

Gill holds a juris doctorate in law from the Chicago-Kent College of Law, Illinois Institute of Technology and bachelor of arts in political science from the University of Michigan.

He succeeds V. Faye Jones, who has served as interim senior associate vice president for diversity and equity since 2019. A tenured professor of pediatrics, Jones will continue her appointments as associate vice president for health affairs – diversity initiatives at the Health Sciences Center and vice chair of inclusive excellence in the Department of Pediatrics.

“Dr. Jones has served the university community well in her many roles, including as interim vice president,” Gonzalez said. “We look forward to her continuing commitment and excellent work on behalf of our students, faculty and staff. I hope the entire campus will join me in thanking her for her efforts and wishing her well.”