Three Wayne State University faculty members are included among 35 recipients of the Crain’s Detroit Business 2019 Notable Women in Education Leadership recognition. Monica Brockmeyer, Jennifer Lewis and Toni Somers were selected based on their career accomplishments, track record of success in the field, contributions to their community and mentorship of others.

Brockmeyer, senior associate provost for student success, was recognized for strategic leadership, graduation rate increases and student retainment improvements. She “helped transform WSU’s educational culture into one that emphasizes students’ strengths, supports their sense of belonging and cultivates their resilience,” according to the award description.

Brockmeyer joined Wayne State in 1999 as a faculty member in the Department of Computer Science, where she currently is an associate professor. Before joining the provost's office, she was interim chair of the computer science department and previously served as co-chair of the university’s General Education Reform Committee.  

Lewis, executive director of educator excellence for Detroit Public Schools Community District (DPS) and associate professor of mathematics education at Wayne State, helped launch the university’s TeachDETROIT residency program. TeachDETROIT provides hands-on training and experience for future teachers preparing to work in Detroit schools. Lewis strengthens what teachers already know and helps them become cutting-edge teachers who are responsive to the needs of their students. As a DPS advocate, Lewis has devoted her research and career to building high-quality schools for Detroit children.

Somers, associate dean of the Mike Ilitch School of Business and professor of information systems management, was the first woman in the business school to achieve the rank of full professor. She is responsible for academic business departments, career planning and placement and student advising. Somers also is co-director of WSU’s Institute for Leadership and Diversity, and a leader and director of other outreach initiatives. She facilitates Commercial Real Estate Women events to expose high school and college women to the field and works with interns of Grow Detroit’s Young Talent to provide a tech camp exposing them to Microsoft tools and certificates.