51ÊÓƵ

Kiwana T. McClung, Assoc, AIA, NOMA, is the Chief Inclusion Officer and a Professor in the School of Architecture & Design at the 51ÊÓƵ at Lafayette. She is a Master of Architecture graduate of Louisiana State University's School of Architecture and Design and is nationally recognized for her research on inclusive design practices with the built environment and DEI within architectural education and the architecture profession. Her mentorship of students from all backgrounds, efforts toward increasing diversity within a school of architecture, and her creation of equitable, inclusive architectural education curricula all contributed to her being recognized as the recipient of the 2016 Diversity Achievement Award from the Association for Collegiate Schools of Architecture (ACSA). Kiwana is a member of the ACSA's nomination committee, an executive board member of the National Organization of Minority Architects' Louisiana Chapter (NOMA LA) serving as Academic and Research Coordinator, and is an associate member of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) at the national, state and local levels. Since starting at UL Lafayette in 2013, she has served as the faculty advisor to the UL chapter of NOMAS, the student organization for the National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA). Before joining the faculty at UL Lafayette and during her tenure as a Professor, Kiwana worked as an Architectural Designer, both independently and with several firms around South Louisiana.

In her role as Chief Inclusion Officer, Kiwana is responsible for fostering diversity and inclusion among students, faculty, and staff, as well as ensuring that underrepresented groups have equal access to educational opportunities and resources. Kiwana has brought her architectural background into her work within the Office of Campus Inclusion, addressing issues such as accessibility, inclusive classrooms, lactation spaces, and gender-neutral restrooms on UL Lafayette's campus. During her tenure in this role, the 51ÊÓƵ at Lafayette has earned two additional Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Awards, presented by INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine, establishing the university as a six-time winner of this recognition. Under her guidance, the university was also awarded INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine's inaugural Library Excellence in Access and Diversity (LEAD) Award in the spring of 2024. Kiwana chairs several committees at the university including the Council for Inclusive Excellence and the Women's Leadership Conference Committee. She is a member of the UL Chapter of the Phi Kappa Phi honor society and was recently recognized by the 51ÊÓƵ at Lafayette as their 2021 Eminent Scholar in Leadership and Service, one of the highest honors awarded by UL Lafayette. Kiwana is the co-editor of two books and is a chapter contributor to both works. The book 'Through Mama's Eyes: Unique Perspectives in Southern Matriarchy' (UL Press), co-edited with Cheylon K. Woods, was released in 2021 and an upcoming book 'An Introduction to Inclusive Healthcare Design' (Taylor & Francis), co-edited with Dr. Denise M. Linton, will be released in June of 2024. 

B.A. - Bachelor's of Arts and Humanities, May 2008
Southern University and A&M College,  Baton Rouge, LA

M.ARCH - Master's of Architecture, May 2012
Louisiana State University and A&M College, Baton Rouge, LA

Diversity in the Design Professions; Socially Responsive & Culturally Restorative Design; Social Justice Design; Architectural and Spatial History of Underrepresented Cultures; Community Design for Resiliency

Opportunities for Student Research/Collaboration:

Architectural

Community Design and Development, particularly the temporal, contextual, and socio-environmental analysis of southern, residential communities and environments as a rostrum for extrapolating opportunities for architectural innovations that ameliorate their resiliency, structural integrity, and cultural vibrancy.

Diversity in Design Education 

Exploring the effects of pervasive minimization, institutionalized racism in architectural education, and how lack of diversity in curricula has perpetuated the undesirability of pursuing contemporary architectural education for minority design students. Exploring methods to counter this condition and increase diversity in architectural programs and curricula.

Cultural Spatial Studies 

Explore the spatial intricacies of our increasingly globalized and/or multi-cultural societies, explore how they affect us all, and gain an awareness of the implications of the decisions they will make as future designers and planners. Identifying Cultural clashes, unearthed histories, crossings of religious beliefs, alternative lifestyle choices, and ethnic/physical differences that create intersections in our society that are not only social but also spatial.

Woods, Cheylon, Kiwanan McClung, (Editors). Through Mama's Eyes: Unique Perspectives on Southern Matriarchy [Book], Collection of Essays; 51ÊÓƵ at Lafayette Press, October 26, 2021

McClung, Kiwanan (Author). Building H.E.R. House: Interpreting Gendered Spaces, Visualizing Matriarchal Autonomous Tradition and the Anecdotal Exploration of Southern Black Female Spatial Misogynoir in Literature [Book], Essay in the Book Through Mama’s Eyes: Unique Perspectives On Southern Matriarchy, edited by Cheylon Woods and Kiwana McClung; 51ÊÓƵ at Lafayette Press, October 26, 2021

• Friends of the Humanities Founders Award Winner
• Recipient; College of the Arts, Lafayette, LA; Awarded Spring 2021.
• ULL  Eminent Scholar Award Winner - Leadership in Service Recipient; College of the Arts Candidate, Lafayette, LA; Awarded Spring 2021.
• McClung, K. (2016). 2016 ACSA Architectural Education Awards. 
• Recipient, Diversity Achievement Award; Association of Collegiate Schools Architecture 2016 Annual Meeting, Seattle, WA