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The Samuel D. Proctor Institute for Leadership, Equity, and Justice
Rutgers logo
The Samuel D. Proctor Institute for Leadership, Equity, and Justice
Rutgers logo
The Samuel D. Proctor Institute for Leadership, Equity, and Justice
Rutgers logo
The Samuel D. Proctor Institute for Leadership, Equity, and Justice
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The Samuel D. Proctor Institute for Leadership, Equity, and Justice

Mission

The Samuel DeWitt Proctor Institute for Leadership, Equity, and Justice (Proctor Institute) is a national center that focuses on issues of leadership, equity, and justice within the context of higher education. It brings together researchers, practitioners and community members to work toward the common goals of diversifying leadership, enhancing equity, and fostering justice for all. The Proctor Institute is located at Rutgers University—New Brunswick, in the Graduate School of Education and houses the Rutgers Center for Minority Serving Institutions (CMSI). Learn more at https://proctor.gse.rutgers.edu. 

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Explore what we offer!

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Press Release

New Report: Cultivating Affirming Community: Black Men During Their First Year of College

New Brunswick, N.J., April 15, 2026 – A new report by Travis Dumas, Senior Research Associate at the Proctor Institute, explores the impact of a first-year seminar designed to support Black male students at a large Predominantly White Institution (PWI).

News & Updates

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Press Release

50 Years Later: The Early Wave of Cuban Exiles Narrate their Displacement, Entering a New World

NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J., December 17, 2025 - A new report by Rebecca Perdomo, Senior Research Associate at the Proctor Institute, examines how 19 Cuban-born exiles make meaning of their displacement five decades after migration. 

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Press Release

New Report Reimagines Leadership through Self-Advocacy, Networks, & Feedback

NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J., October 28, 2025 –The Samuel Dewitt Proctor Institute for Leadership, Equity, and Justice (Proctor Institute) has released a new report, titled “Reimagining Leadership through Self-Advocacy, Networks, & Feedback.” The publication explores the unique experiences of women of color in the workplace, the systemic barriers beneath the surface, and pathways for change.  

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Press Release

New Report Integrates Police Perceptions into a Theoretical Framework

New Brunswick, N.J., January 14, 2026 – The Samuel DeWitt Proctor Institute of Leadership, Equity, and Justice (Proctor Institute) is proud to announce the release of its latest report, “Police/Civilian Encounters: Integrating Police Perceptions into a Theoretical Framework.” The report is the third in a series of reports that examine police officers’ perspectives on their encounters with civilians during traffic stops, and it explores how those perspectives align with a theoretical framework developed by the author earlier in the series. 

Programs

The Samuel DeWitt Proctor Institute for Leadership, Equity, and Justice (Proctor Institute) creates and co-hosts programs such as conferences, internships and webinars all relating to issues of leadership, equity, and justice within the context of higher education.