Faran Saeed

Faran Saeed (He/Him/His) holds a PhD in Language, Equity, and Educational Policy from Oregon State University, and holds a Master of Arts in Higher Education Administration from Louisiana State University College of Education. He currently serves as the Director of the Mercile J. Lee Scholars Program and previously served as the Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) at the University of Wisconsin-Madison where he oversaw all aspects of global DEI within the International Division. Prior to working at the University of Wisconsin, he oversaw the Ettihad Cultural Center, a center that supports students, faculty, and staff from the North African, Middle Eastern, and South Asian communities at Oregon State University. Furthermore, he served as the chair of the IMPACT Conference Board of Directors. In the past he has sat on the NASPA leadership team of the Spirituality and Religion Knowledge Community and was part of the Board of Directors of Convergence, A national organization focused on enhancing institutional climates for religious, secular, and spiritual identities through policy and practice. Prior to returning to graduate school to pursue his doctorate, he worked for several years at Madison House, the student volunteer and community engagement center at the University of Virginia as the Director of Community Engagement. Additionally, Faran has experience in doing strategic planning, higher education assessment, and developing social justice curriculums.