Meet a Blue Hen: Fatimah Conley

Title: Interim Chief Diversity Officer

Years at UD: 6 in June

What I do at UD: Partner with the campus community and University leadership to ensure equity across the institution, achieve our diversity goals and foster an inclusive campus climate.

What I love about UD: The faculty, staff, students and alumni’s passion for the University and their Blue Hen Pride.

Accomplishment I’m proud of: Creating the Office of Institutional Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (OIEDI), which brought together the Office of the Vice Provost for Diversity and Inclusion, the Office of Equity and Inclusion, the Center for Black Culture, the Office of Disability Support Services and Student Diversity and Inclusion into a centralized unit where everyone is working together toward the common goal of equality and social justice. I believe the amplified voices, cohesiveness, collaboration and accountability taking place within OIEDI will serve the University community more effectively and support a more coordinated effort across campus to improve the climate and positively transform the culture.

What inspires me: The tenacity and resiliency of people

Guilty Pleasure: Cake from P.S.& Co., which is a vegan bakery in Philly that’s well worth the drive

One thing people don’t know about me: I used to own a juice bar in New Orleans with two of my sorors from Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc.

Favorite UDairy flavor: I’m a vegan so I haven’t had the ice cream, but my neighbor raves about the vanilla and he works at UD too

Favorite place for lunch in Newark: Caffé Gelatto

What makes the University of Delaware a great place to work? Hands down, the people—faculty, students, staff, alumni and Delawareans, generally. I live in Wilmington and really enjoy the city and all that it has to offer.

What's one interesting fact about the University of Delaware that people might not know? That Louis L. Redding, the first Black lawyer in Delaware, represented the plaintiffs in Parker v. University of Delaware in 1950. The case was decided for the plaintiffs, thereby requiring the University to admit black students. Many people think segregation and legal inequality was something that happened so long ago, the effects aren’t relevant now. However, 71 years isn’t that long ago, and most of us have family or colleagues that are over 71, which means they were alive and remember when Black students couldn’t attend the university. I remind people of this to give context to the DEI work that’s needed at UD, including why it’s relevant, urgent and necessary.

What do you think it takes to be successful at University of Delaware? I’m sure it’s different for each person, but I have found that honesty, integrity, humility, emotional intelligence, the ability to work well with others, tenacity and a strong work ethic go far. I follow my mom’s three rules for workplace success: Don’t talk about people, keep your head where your behind is and do your job well. I have added a fourth rule to pass down, which is helping others when you can and looking for opportunities to do so.