Dr. Dennis Shields

Dennis J. Shields has spent the majority of his career advocating for better access to higher education. Higher education, according to Shields, has long served as a bridge to the middle class for many Americans. Ensuring that this educational model is available to those who have been historically underrepresented is one way that equitable access can be achieved.

Issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion in higher education have served as a focal point at the University of Wisconsin - Platteville, where Shields has served as chancellor since 2010. The high-performing administrative networks that Shields helped foster at this institution have successfully doubled the number of students from racially and ethnically diverse backgrounds over the course of the past ten years.