Dr. Brandon Joseph joined WWU Athletics as the Athletics Diversity and Inclusion Designee in fall 2021.
Joseph, originally from Fairbanks, Alaska, will work closely with WWU coaches and student-athletes on diversity and inclusion education. A respected member of the WWU campus community as a Director in the Office of Student Resilience, Joseph brings a wealth of knowledge and experience in the areas of diversity and inclusion on a college campus.
Entering his fourth year at WWU, Joseph founded the Black & Brown Male Success Collective in fall 2019, a research-based affinity program that fosters a sense of belonging and promotes academic success for men of color on campus. He currently serves on the Tribal Advisory Committee, the Social Justice and Equity Committee, and is an associate of the Center for Cross-Cultural Research. He was also appointed to the President’s initial Structural Equity and Bias Response Team. Joseph works in close support to the Native American Student Union, the Black Student Coalition and other ethnic student clubs in the Multicultural Center.
Prior to WWU, Joseph spent six years at the University of Louisville in various student affairs roles, while working with the Athletics Department in student-support and media relations. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Metro State University-Denver and his master’s degree from the University of Louisville, both in sport administration. He completed his Ph.D. in Counseling and Personnel Services with a concentration in College Student Personnel from the University of Louisville in December 2021.
As a proud Athabascan and Muscogee Creek, his broad research interests explore the intersections of athletics, academics, and holistic wellness in Native communities. More specifically, his dissertation uses Critical Indigenous Research Methods to examine contemporary collegiate lacrosse as a symptom of settler colonialism and the experiences of current Native athletes playing NCAA Division I lacrosse.
Brandon resides in Bellingham with his wife, Dr. Shaun Sowell, and two children, Trajan and Joella.
