MSFAA Webinar Series: These sessions are designed to support financial aid professionals in navigating complex social and personal landscapes while continuing to advance equity in access to higher education.
Session Title: Navigating the Uncertainty but Wanting to Do More: Refining Our Critical Lens in Our Access and Opportunity Journeys
Dr. Thomn Bell, Director, Office of Community, Culture, and Belonging
University of Michigan Ross School of Business
March 26, 2026, 1:00 - 2:30
Biography: Dr. Thomn Bell
Dr. Thomn Bell is an educator, researcher, critical practitioner, and self-described systemic agitator who has dedicated his career to disrupting oppressive practices and enhancing the broader educational project. With over 20 years of professional experience, Thomn’s expertise is rooted in both administrative leadership and the classroom. He currently serves as both the Director of Community, Culture, and Belonging and as a lecturer at the Michigan Ross School of Business.
Thomn’s research focuses on the "miseducation" of white pre-service teachers, utilizing Critical Race Theory and portraiture to challenge the color-evasive frameworks that often dominate teacher preparation and education systems at large. He earned his Ph.D. in Education and Human Resources from Colorado State University, where he specialized in the interrogation of whiteness within educational structures. A sought-after consultant and keynote speaker, Dr. Bell has partnered with numerous organizations to foster equity-driven practices.
Most importantly, Thomn has shared his life with his partner for over 20 years and is the proud father of three amazing children. He often shares that his kids are the heartbeat of his work; he does what he does because their futures, and the futures of all children depend on our ability to build a more equitable and just world.
