Chief Diversity Officer
University of Michigan-Flint
As a national voice on diversity, equity, and inclusion, Dr. David J. Luke proudly represents the University of Michigan-Flint wherever he goes.
Luke joined UM-Flint in May 2018 as director of the Intercultural Center (ICC). Today, he is the inaugural chief diversity officer at the university where, in addition to his ICC duties, Luke oversees the implementation of the university-wide Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Strategic Action Plan and oversees the Center for Gender & Sexuality and Office of Educational Opportunity Initiatives.
Earlier in his career, Luke worked for the Office for Institutional Diversity at the University of Kentucky. He also worked in Lansing as a certified public accountant primarily conducting financial audits of governmental agencies and nonprofits. His recent book, “Affirmative Action and Black Student Success: The Pursuit of ‘Critical Mass’ at Historically White Universities,” explores the effectiveness of diversity initiatives in various political contexts.
He speaks at numerous national and international conferences including the National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education, where he completed the prestigious Chief Diversity Officer Fellows Program. Luke has also served as a speaker at the National Conference on Race and Ethnicity in American Higher Education, where he serves on the National Advisory Council, as well as the annual meetings of the American Sociological Association and the Society for the Study of Social Problems, where he is vice president. He serves on the board for the Community Resolution Center in Flint and for the Flint & Genesee Education & Talent Advisory Committee.
Luke earned his bachelor’s degrees in accounting and sociology from Grand Valley State University and a master’s and doctorate in sociology from the University of Kentucky. Originally from Grand Rapids, he now lives in Genesee County with his wife and three children.