Past Programs

The LEADD program, Latinas Excelling at Doctoral Degrees, is an inclusive initiative designed to equip and empower undergraduate students with the confidence, research skills, community, and resources needed to navigate the path to graduate school successfully. The program is open to all students interested in fostering diversity in academia and addressing barriers that can contribute to academic and professional isolation.

LEADD Scholars will participate in a virtual peer support community with monthly sessions that provide strategies and tools to navigate academia. The program highlights challenges disproportionately impacting underrepresented students, including cultural and academic isolation, balancing cultural values with academic expectations, and building strong mentoring networks. These discussions aim to strengthen pathways to the professoriate and promote greater diversity in higher education.

LEADD is hosted virtually by the Samuel DeWitt Proctor Institute for Leadership, Equity, and Justice (Proctor Institute). To encourage participation and reduce financial barriers, the program is free, and scholars will receive a $500 stipend upon completion.

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Program has concluded. 

Revolution U: Dismantling Systemic Racism in Faculty Hiring is a convening that welcomes participants to discuss, engage, and change faculty hiring practices. Over the course of two days, invited guests will engage with notable experts to make systemic change for their own institutions and for the nation. Guests will also participate in hands-on, and interactive activities that will lead to new and innovative practices for diversifying faculty. Of note, this convening is highly participatory in nature.

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The event took place on  April 30, 2025 at 1:00 PM ET - 2:00 PM ET

This interactive webinar delves into the insights, perspectives, and experiences revealed in the latest Year of Equity Report, "Wounded Healers: The Pandemic, Racial Battle Fatigue, and Higher Education in California." In this session, we hear from author Khalid White, Professor of Ethnic Studies/African American Studies at San Jose City College. He discusses the realities of Black educators, students, and staff in California’s systems of higher education. Underscoring the necessities of equity, inclusion, and belonging. And addressing systemic racism in higher education.

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About KHALID WHITE

Khalid White (He/Him/His) is an award-winner in the fields of Education, Film and Literature. A career educator, Khalid began educating California’s youth and young adults in 2004. Presently, he is an African American Studies Professor at San Jose City College, located in the heart of California’s Silicon Valley. As an entrepreneur, Khalid owns the multi-media company Blkmpwr (Black Empower), LLC. www.blkmpwr.com The company focuses on education, empowerment, and equity.

A proud HBCU alum and CA Community College advocate, Khalid is a co-founder of the Pipelines to Possibilities (P2P) program, connecting the two systems of higher education to increase faculty diversity. https://pipelines2possibilities.org Khalid continues to serve in the intersections of education, public health, and community, advancing equity, inclusion, and social justice.

The event took place on May 7, 2025 at 1:00 - 2:00 PM

Student success is in every college or university’s mission. Yet barriers to retention, graduation, and employment persist. Only 65% of students feel a sense of belonging while 39% feel frequently overwhelmed and only 24% of students take a career exploration class. How can leaders in higher education work together to help students feel a connection to their communities, connect students with support services, and connect coursework to rewarding careers? Elliot Felix will share insights on these questions from his new book The Connected College: Leadership Strategies for Student Success and his work with 100+ colleges and universities helping more than 1,000,000 students.

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About Elliot Felix:

Elliot Felix is a student success author, speaker, and consultant to more than a hundred colleges and universities. He uses his background in design to create better connected colleges and universities by improving the spaces students learn and live in, the support services they rely on, and the technology they use.

Over the last 20 years, he has spoken at SxSW Edu, taught courses on innovation, and worked with more than 100 universities including Carnegie Mellon, MIT, NYU, NC State, and the University of Virginia. brightspot, the higher education strategy consulting company he founded in 2011 was acquired by Buro Happold in 2020 where he now leads the higher education advisory practice. Elliot has improved the experience of more than 1,000,000 students.

You can find Elliot’s work in Fast Company, Forbes, and The Chronicle of Higher Education. His book How to Get the Most Out of College was published in January 2022 and received a blue star from Kirkus Reviews, calling it “A knowledgeable, enthusiastic guide packed with strategies and encouragement.” His upcoming book The Connected College: Leadership Strategies for Student Success is arriving early 2025. He lives in Minneapolis with his son Theo, daughter Nora, and wife Liz.

The event took place on Tuesday, February 18, 2025 at 1:00 - 2:30 PM

The "Mindful Campus" webinar offers an introduction into the unique opportunity to explore the benefits of mindfulness and mindlessness-awareness within an academic setting.

Maria Baez, the Proctor Institute's Visiting Scholar, will show participants the transformative means of mindful breathing, recognition, and management of automatic behaviors, and actionable strategies to foster self-awareness in daily life.

Join us to learn how to create a more supportive and inclusive campus environment!

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About Maria Baez:

Maria Baez was born and raised in the Dominican Republic. She has a Bachelor of Industrial Engineering, a Master of Operations Administration, and an MBA in Human Resources. Through her own trials and falls, she gained logical thinking and a keen sense of what it takes to empower people within any organization. After facing discrimination based on her language, gender, and race, Maria overcame these challenges to become an expert in corporate human resources, immigration policy/practices/procedures, and organizational leadership psychology. 

Her first book, written in English and Spanish, What's Happening to Me? What should I do? has changed the lives of many girls worldwide. Currently, she holds a Ph.D. in Organizational Leadership Psychology from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology. Her dissertation explored Mindful Leadership's influence on employees' occupational stress and organizational culture. Some of her work and certifications include the Mindful Leader Talk Podcast, Certified Workplace Mindfulness Facilitator, Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction, New York City and New York State M/WBE Certification, Certified Success Principles Trainer, and Strategic Intervention Coach.

Maria firmly believes that if she could overcome life challenges, other people also have the intellectual capacity to do so and can achieve a meaningful living.

The event took place on March 26, 2025 at 1:00 - 2:00 PM

In his latest book, Confessions of a Black Academic: A Memoir, retired university president Alvin J. Schexnider shares his deeply personal experiences as an African American academician and the blatant racial challenges he navigated and the signal achievements that defined a forty-year career. A political scientist and expert on urban policy, Schexnider applies his unique lens to take the reader on a journey from the early days of affirmative action and equal employment opportunity to the current era of diversity, equity, and inclusion that is currently being dismantled.

The webinar will feature highlights of the book and its implications for the recruitment and retention of Black faculty.

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About Alvin,

Alvin J. Schexnider, is managing principal at Schexnider & Associates, LLC where he consults on board governance, strategy and provides executive coaching. Before retiring in 2007 he was executive vice president and interim president at Norfolk State University. A former chancellor of Winston-Salem State University, he has held faculty and administrative positions at public and private institutions including Syracuse University, Virginia Commonwealth University the University of North Carolina Greensboro and Wake Forest University.

A native of Lake Charles, Louisiana, Schexnider earned a B.A. degree in political science at Grambling State University. He received the M.A. and Ph.D. in political science from Northwestern University where he held Norman Wait Harris, Ford Foundation and Woodrow Wilson fellowships.

Schexnider is a Fellow of the National Academy of Public Administration and a Senior Fellow at the Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges (AGB). He is the recipient of numerous honors and awards including the J. Sergeant Reynolds Award for Outstanding Service in Public Administration, The Grambling State University Distinguished Alumni Award, and the Alpha Phi Alpha Distinguished Educator of the Year Award, and the Urban League Silver Star Award for Education. He is also a member of the Grambling State University Hall of Fame.

Schexnider is the author of Saving Black Colleges (Palgrave Macmillan 2013) and the co-author of Blacks and the Military (Brookings Institution 1982). During the pandemic he completed two books: Mayfield and Schexnider: Portrait of a Family (Shortwood Press 2022) that won an international book award and Confessions of a Black Academic: A Memoir (McFarland Publishing 2024). His articles have appeared in the Chronicle of higher Education, Diverse, Inside Higher Ed and Trusteeship. Previously, he served on the editorial boards of Public Administration Review and the Journal of Power and Ethics. Schexnider was featured in two documentaries regarding construction of the Alaska Canada Highway, one produced for American Legacy in 2003 and another produced for the Public Broadcasting System (PBS) American Experience Series in 2005.

Schexnider serves on several boards including the Center for Minority-serving Institutions at Rutgers University and the Hampton Roads Prostate Health Forum. He is a former member of Board of Visitors of Virginia State University, the Board of Trustees of Excelsior College and the Board of Trustees of Virginia Wesleyan University.

Schexnider enjoys a long record of public service to the Commonwealth of Virginia as reflected in seven gubernatorial appointments He is a former Chairman of the Executive Committee of Richmond Renaissance, Inc. and former Chairman of the Southern Regional Council of the College Board. He is married and the father of a son and a daughter, and he has two grandchildren.

The event took place on September 30th at 1:00 - 2:00 PM

Latina students continue to be underrepresented and face marginalization in engineering and computing fields. Join us for a compelling book talk with award-winning author and scholar, Sarah L. Rodriguez, as she discusses her new book, Supporting Latina Students in Engineering and Computing. Rodriguez will present the book’s findings and explore how equity-minded educators can champion anti racist, restorative practices that honor and support Latinas in engineering and computing. We'll explore evidence-based strategies that can foster a sense of belonging and inclusion among Latina students in these fields.

Speaker: Sarah L. Rodriguez, Associate Professor, Engineering Education, College of Engineering, Virginia Tech

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The event took place on April 2, 2024 at 1:00 PM ET

During a movement when music conservatories ramp up their efforts to recruit more students of color, we ask ourselves how to properly integrate students of color rather than focus on assimilation. Join Christopher Jenkins of the Oberlin Conservatory of Music for a session on the importance of diversifying classical music and how to build an environment that is more welcoming to students of color. 

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About Christopher Jenkins 

At Oberlin Conservatory, Christopher Jenkins is the Associate Dean for Academic Support; the Conservatory Liaison to the Office of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion; and a Visiting Assistant Professor of Musicology, as he teaches courses on hip-hop analysis and the racial politics of classical music. He is completing a DMA in viola performance from the Cleveland Institute of Music, and a Ph.D. in Musicology from Case Western Reserve University (CWRU). His alma maters include Harvard College and Columbia University, where he earned a master’s degree in international affairs. His book, Assimilation vs. Integration in Music Education, was published by Routledge Press in the summer of 2023. Before arriving at Oberlin, he was Deputy Director and instructor of viola and violin at the Barenboim-Said Foundation in Ramallah, West Bank.

Alongside music theorist Philip Ewell, Chris is a co-founder of the Theorizing African American Music Conference. Chris is the winner of several awards for service, scholarship, and music performance, including the Cleveland Orchestra’s Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Service in the Arts Award; the Cleveland Music Settlement’s Ida Mercer Community Service Award; Karamu House’s “Room in the House” Fellowship; CWRU’s Adel Heinrich Award for Excellence in Musicological Research; the American Society for Aesthetics’ Irene Chayes “New Voices” award; the American Viola Society’s David Dalton Research Competition; and as third-place laureate in the Sphinx Competition. In 2024, his first solo recording, of Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson’s Blue/s Forms, will be released by the American Viola Society, and his chamber group Linking Legacies will release its debut recording on Innova Records. His alma maters include Harvard University, Columbia University, New England Conservatory, and the Manhattan School of Music

The event took place on March 14, 2024 at 1:00 PM ET

In anticipation of their latest book release, Mending Education, authors Karen Gross and Edward K.S Wang dive into the positives that occurred in education as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.  They discovered how the global pandemic crisis allowed educators to improve learning across the pre–K-adult pipeline. While acknowledging the scale of loss and difficulty the Pandemic engendered within the field of education, they focus on how sudden and forced changes to teaching and learning created “Pandemic Positives,” and allowed space for hope and creativity, which can be captured and brought to scale. Join us and share your thoughts.

Speakers include:

• Karen Gross, Author, Trauma Educator, Advisor, and Consultant
• Edward K.S. Wang, Harvard Medical School, Professor

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About Karen Gross 

Karen Gross is an educator who specializes in trauma and its impact on student learning and psychosocial success. Gross works with students from pre-K — adult as well as faculty, staff and leaders. Co-written with Ed K. S. Wang, they have a forthcoming book titled: Mending Education: Finding Hope, Creativity and Mental Wellness in Times of Trauma (9/24 from TC Press); this book joins two adult books, Breakaway Learners and Trauma Doesn’t Stop at the School Door. (Karen Gross also writes the children’s book series, Lady Lucy’s Quest.) Karen Gross is a continuing education instructor at Rutgers School of Social Work. Karen blogs regularly on issues in education, including leadership and crisis management. She is an an active artist showing both online and in brick and mortal galleries, often doing art as a trauma amelioration strategy. She was a former president of a small college in NE serving many Pell eligible first gen students where we met with unexpected success, including in terms of fundraising, data collection, institutional culture and growth in all senses. She was a senior policy advisor to US Department of Education during the Obama Administration. Karen was a tenured professor for two decades in NYC where she focused on insolvency and asset building in low income communities. Karen speaks several languages, having grown up speaking French in her home.

About Edward K.S. Wang

Born in Hong Kong and immigrated to the United States. As a clinical psychologist, Ed K.S. Wang explores the importance of individual ethnographic narratives and family and community oral history on healing and well-being. He is currently the Director of Policy and Planning, Division of Global Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, and Assistant Professor of Psychology in the Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School. His domestic and international work focuses on improving the social and emotional well-being of youth, adolescents, and young adults, strengthening families and community wellness through the investment of social justice, evidence-based and community-driven evidence, informatics, networks, and sustainability. For the past ten years, his private consultancy has extended from mental health centers and community-based organizations to schools, all in racially, ethically, and linguistically diverse communities. They include but are not limited to public schools, child protective care, homeless shelters, early childhood and care, court-appointed service advocacy, youth development, education and employment training, and health and behavioral care.

The unprecedented convergence of momentous events of the pandemic, racial and ethnic tensions, inflation and economic uncertainty, and gun violence in schools resulted from his deep concern about the wellness of teachers and students. His work illustrates the importance of individual and community actions of kindness and resilience to promote growth and healing in education during these tumultuous times.
 

The CMSI and Proctor Institute are proud to announce their inaugural President in Residence, Walter Kimbrough. Having been the 7th president of Dillard University and 12th president of Philander Smith College, he brings ample experience and expertise. With his appointment beginning in January 2024, Kimbrough will offer valuable resources and contribute to research, programming, and outreach to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). Students, faculty, and affiliates will have a unique opportunity to benefit from his extensive knowledge on HBCUs, and hazing.

Things Fall Apart: Solving the HBCU Leadership Volatility Crisis

The event took place on April 24, 2024 at 2:30 PM ET

Using his extensive leadership experience as the president of Dillard University and Philander Smith College, CMSI and Proctor Institute President in Residence Walter Kimbrough will delve into the critical issue of leadership volatility at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). This talk will look at the data related to the high rate of resignation among HBCU presidents, raising relevant issues and suggestions that prospective presidents and governing boards should think through before accepting or extending offers. Additionally, it will outline methods for improving relationships between boards and prospective presidents, stressing the need for stable leadership in light of the significant influence HBCUs have on higher education.

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Current Trends in Hazing

The event took place on January 31, 2024 at 2:30 PM ET

Using his experience as an expert witness, CMSI and Proctor Institute President in Residence, Walter Kimbrough covered recent trends in hazing, including the differences between culturally based groups. This webinar provided an overview of the history of hazing at higher education institutions, discussed how hazing manifests today, and described the legal challenges facing individuals and organizations due to hazing.    

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About Walter Kimbrough

A native of Atlanta, Dr. Walter M. Kimbrough was his high school salutatorian and student body president in 1985 and went on to earn degrees from the University of Georgia, Miami University in Ohio, and a doctorate in higher education from Georgia State University. He has enjoyed a fulfilling career in student affairs, serving at Emory University, Georgia State University, Old Dominion University, and Albany State University. In October of 2004, at the age of 37, he was named the 12th president of Philander Smith College. In 2012 he became the 7th president of Dillard University in New Orleans, Louisiana, and served for ten years.

Kimbrough served as the interim executive director of the Black Men’s Research Institute at Morehouse College during the 2022-23 academic year. He was also named executive in residence for the University of Southern California Race and Equity Center. In early 2022 he was appointed by President Joseph Biden to the President’s Board of Advisors on HBCUs. 

Kimbrough has been recognized for his research and writings on HBCUs and African American men in college. Recently he has emerged as one of the leaders discussing free speech on college campuses. Kimbrough also has been noted for his active use of social media. He was cited by Education Dive as one of 10 college presidents on Twitter who are doing it right (@HipHopPrez), and in 2015 he was named by The Best Schools.org as one of the 20 most interesting college presidents. In 2023 College Cliffs named him as one of the 55 Top U.S. College And University Presidents, and in 2021 he was named a Georgia State University Alumni of the Year award winner.

Dr. Kimbrough has forged a national reputation as an expert on fraternities and sororities, with specific expertise regarding historically Black, Latin and Asian groups. He is the author of the book, Black Greek 101: The Culture, Customs and Challenges of Black Fraternities and Sororities, and has served as an expert witness in a number if hazing cases.

The event took place on May 10th, 2023 at 1 PM ET

The U.S. student population continues to grow increasingly racially, culturally, and linguistically diverse, yet the teaching profession remains unchanged, with over 80% white women. Alice Ginsberg's Transgressing Teacher Education presents strategies, critical questions, and voices of actual teacher candidates that prompt educators to think more critically about their work. This conversation will present the book’s findings and explore strategies for educators wanting to prepare the next generation of teachers to champion social justice and educational equity while actively confronting racist practices in urban education. Participants of this webinar will get a 30% discount code for the book. Click here to purchase the book.

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Book review in Teachers College Record!

About Alice Ginsberg

Alice Ginsberg has over thirty years of experience in educational programming, teaching, and research, specializing in issues of teacher education, higher education, urban education,  minority serving institutions, social justice pedagogies, and educational philanthropy.  In addition to teaching at The University of Pennsylvania and Rutgers University,  Alice is the author or editor of eight books including, Gender in Urban Education (Heinemann, 2004), Gender and Educational Philanthropy (Palgrave, 2007, with Marybeth Gasman) The Evolution of American Women's Studies (Palgrave, 2008), Embracing Risk in Urban Education (Rowman and Littlefield, 2012), Transgressing Teacher Education (Rowman and Littlefield, 2022), and For the Love of Teaching: How Minority Serving Institutions are Diversifying and Transforming the Profession (forthcoming Teachers College Press, with Marybeth Gasman and Andres Castro Samayoa).

About Lynnette Mawhinney

Lynnette Mawhinney is Chair of the Department of Urban Education and Professor of Urban Education at Rutgers University-Newark. She is also affiliated faculty in the Africana Studies Department. Her love for teaching has always been a deep passion. She started her teacher training at Penn State University, earning a bachelor’s degree in Secondary Education/English and Communications, with a minor in Movement Science to use for athletic training with youth and adults. Later, she earned her Masters and Ph.D. in Urban Education at Temple University. 

The event took place on September 26, 2023 at 1:00 - 2:30 PM ET

Latinx students in higher education are often made to feel less than and as though they are imposters. This troubling dynamic can make it difficult to ask questions, to seek clarification, or to find mentorship in graduate school. In this interactive session, Genevieve Negrón-Gonzales and Magdalena L. Barrera, co-authors of The Latinx Guide to Graduate School, will participate in a candid conversation about the hidden curriculum of graduate education that has an impact on Latinx and first-generation students’ access to, persistence in, and graduation from advanced degree programs. This session will provide audiences with an understanding of how to leverage their existing cultural wealth and academic strengths to not only survive, but also thrive in graduate school.

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About Magdalena L. Barrera

Magdalena L. Barrera is an author, educator, and university leader with 18 years of experience in higher education. A former first-generation college student, she currently serves as Vice Provost for Faculty Success at San José State University (SJSU), providing thought leadership on all aspects of faculty recruitment and professional advancement within a Hispanic Serving Institution context. Prior to joining the Office of the Provost in 2020, she was professor and department chairperson of Chicana and Chicano Studies. Dr. Barrera’s research focuses on the experiences of historically underserved students and faculty in higher education; her work has appeared in a wide range of journals, edited collections, and higher education news outlets. She is the co-author of The Latinx Guide to Graduate School (Duke University Press, 2023), which offers graduate students in humanities and social sciences fields a roadmap for surviving and thriving in advanced degree programs.

About Genevieve Negrón-Gonzales

Genevieve Negrón-Gonzales is Professor in the School of Education at the University of San Francisco. She is an interdisciplinary scholar of education and immigration. Her research focuses on the educational and political lives of undocumented young people; deportation, immigrant families and violence at the border; and the educational navigations of Latinx communities. Her books include Encountering Poverty: Living and Acting in an Unequal World (co-authored with Ananya Roy, Claire Talwalker and Kweku Opoku-Agyemang, 2016, UC Press), We Are Not Dreamers: Undocumented Scholars Theorize Undocumented Life in the United States (co-edited with Leisy Abrego, Duke University Press, 2020), and The Latinx Guide to Graduate School (co-authored with Magdalena Barrera, Duke University Press, 2023).

The event took place on February 21, 2023 at 2PM ET
 

In honor of Black History Month, the Proctor Institute hosted a fireside chat between Louis W. Sullivan and Marybeth Gasman where they discussed his latest book, We’ll Fight It Out Here. Prior to his becoming Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Louis W. Sullivan (along with Walter Bowie and Anthony Rachal) founded the Association of Minority Health Professions Schools (AMHPS). This webinar shared the need that bound together this small group of Black institutions and the hard-won influence AMHPS built in American politics and health care. This webinar also featured a panel discussion about the book and the events it chronicles.

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About Louis W. Sullivan:

Louis W. Sullivan, M.D., is chairman of the Washington, D.C.-based Sullivan Alliance to Transform the Health Professions. In January 2020, in order to further increase diversity and transform health professions’ education and health delivery systems, the Board of the Sullivan Alliance voted to become a central program of the Association of Academic Health Centers (AAHC). In 2022, the AAHC merged into the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC).  

He served as chair of the President’s Board of Advisors on Historically Black Colleges and Universities from 2002-2009 and was co-chair of the President’s Commission on HIV and AIDS from 2001-2006. With the exception of his tenure as secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) from 1989 to 1993, Dr. Sullivan was president of Morehouse School of Medicine (MSM) -- the only predominantly Black medical school in the U.S. established in the 20th Century -- for more than two decades.  On July 1, 2002, he retired and was appointed president emeritus.  

About Ronny B. Lancaster:
 

In 2019, after 13 years, Ronny B. Lancaster retired as Senior Vice President for Government Relations at Assurant, Inc., a Fortune 300 provider of specialty insurance. Prior to that, for 13 years, Mr. Lancaster served as Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at Morehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta. During his career, he has also served as Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; General Counsel of Hamilton Enterprises, Inc.; Senior Washington Representative for Blue Cross/Blue Shield Association; and, Chief of Fee-For-Service Plans at the U.S. Office of Personnel Management.

About Wayne Riley:

Wayne J. Riley, MD, MPH, MBA, MACP, is the 17th president of the State University of New York, Downstate Health Sciences University. A distinguished physician, academician, clinician-educator, and administrator, Wayne was unanimously elected by the Trustees of the SUNY System on January 24, 2017 and began his tenure on April 3, 2017. He also holds tenured faculty appointments as Professor of Medicine and of Health Policy & Management.  

The institution that Wayne leads is the only academic medical center serving Brooklyn, one of the most diverse communities in the nation. Since his appointment, Wayne has worked to achieve high levels of excellence across Downstate’s multiple enterprises. He earned his Doctor of Medicine degree from the Morehouse School of Medicine. He also holds a Bachelor of Arts in anthropology with a concentration in Medical Anthropology from Yale University, a Master of Public Health degree in health systems management from the Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, and a Master’s in Business Administration from Rice University’s Jesse H. Jones Graduate School of Business. 

About Jeanne C. Sinkford:

Jeanne Sinkford is a nationally and internationally renowned dental educator, administrator, researcher, and clinician. She finished first in the dental class of 1958 at Howard University before pursuing graduate study at Northwestern University, where she received her MS (1962) and PhD (1963). She completed a pedodontics residency at Children’s Hospital National Medical Center in 1975. Jeanne became the first woman dean of a dental school in the U.S. in 1975. She served in that capacity from 1975 to 1991.

She has served on numerous committees and advisory councils of national significance, including the council of the Institute of Medicine, the National Academy of Sciences NRC Governing Board, the National Advisory Dental Research Council; Directors’ Advisory Council, National Institutes of Health; the governing board of the American Society for Geriatric Dentistry; advisory board, Robert Wood Johnson Health Policy Program; Committee A, Council on Dental Education and chair, Appeal Board Council of Dental Education, American Dental Association; chair, Council of Deans American Association of Dental Schools; Council on Dental Research, American Dental Association; Tuskegee Study Advisory Panel; Special Medical Advisory Group (SMAG), Veterans Administration; National Academy of Sciences; chair, Anatomical Review Board of the District of Columbia and National Board of Directors of the Girl Scouts USA; and The Sullivan Alliance Advisory Board.

The event took place on October 19, 2022 at 1 PM ET

Join Cassidy Puckett and Freeden Blume Oeur for a discussion about her new book Redefining Geek: Bias and the Five Hidden Habits of Tech-Savvy Teens. Cassidy shared her findings on the habits that define technological competence and how these habits vary by race, class, and gender, as well as share stories of tech-savvy teens who defy common stereotypes. Additionally, Cassidy will provide concrete recommendations to ensure young people are supported, recognized, and rewarded for their technological talents. Registrants received a discount code for 30% off the book!

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About Cassidy Puckett

Cassidy Puckett is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Sociology at Emory University. Using a mixed-methods approach, she examines the relationship between technological change and inequality in education, occupations, and healthcare. Her research has been funded by the U.S. Department of Education, the National Science Foundation, the MacArthur Foundation, the American Council of Learned Societies, and the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. Her work has appeared in academic journals including Harvard Educational Review, Social Science Computer Review, Social Science and Medicine, Teachers College Record, and Qualitative Sociology. Cassidy received her PhD in Sociology from Northwestern University and her master’s in Learning, Design and Technology from the Stanford Graduate School of Education.

About Freeden Blume Oeur

Freeden Blume Oeur is an Associate Professor of Sociology and Education at Tufts University. His scholarship uses Black feminism to engage issues of childhood and masculinity, and African American intellectual history and politics.

The event took place on June 15, 2022 at 1 PM ET

In her latest book, Doing the Right Thing: How Colleges and Universities Can Undo Systemic Racism in Faculty Hiring (Princeton University Press, 2022), Marybeth Gasman takes a hard look at the systemic racism and biases in faculty hiring. Marybeth Gasman and Christopher Span discussed the true state of faculty hiring, institutional impediments to change, and the concrete actions needed to fix the system.

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The event took place on March 31, 2022 at 1 PM E.T. 

Social, educational, cultural, gender, and racial diversity of South African society finds expression within South African institutions of higher education. Consequently, “diversity issues” and “diversification” have become part of the education debate and policy, and pose new challenges to South African higher education institutions. Join Naziema Jappie as she discusses how South African higher education institutions have met these challenges, highlighting how the ideas, initiatives or practices around diversity have been appropriated and integrated into mainstream intellectual and academic discourses.

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About Naziema:

Naziema Jappie is a Visiting Scholar with the Samuel DeWitt Proctor Institute for Leadership, Equity & Justice at Rutgers University. She worked as a school teacher; a National Education Officer for the Clothing & Textile Workers Union; a lecturer at the ML Sultan Technikon and Institute of Women’s Study Lahore (IWSL), Pakistan. She served as Dean of Students at the Durban University of Technology and the University of the Witwatersrand between 1998 and 2011. With over 30 years of experience as an activist and an academic, she offers a unique blend in fields of educational leadership and management, student affairs; conflict resolution and mediation. Her research interests include educational policy, management and governance in education focusing on social justice issues. She has received many awards during her career including a Fellowship at the University of Iowa, USA and an Emerging Scholar Award from the Common Ground Research Network at Queens University in Belfast, Northern Ireland.

The event took place on March 16, 2022, at 12:30 PM ET.

Join author Elliot Felix and Marybeth Gasman for a discussion about the new book, “How to Get the Most Out of College.” This event discussed practical suggestions on how students can create their best college experience so they can find their place, people, purpose, and path on campus.

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About Elliot Felix:

Elliot Felix is an author, speaker, teacher, father, and consultant to more than a hundred colleges and universities. He uses his background in design to make college work for all students by improving the spaces they’re in, the support services they rely on, and the technology they use.

Over the last 20 years, Elliot has spoken at SxSW Edu, taught courses on innovation, and worked with top universities like Carnegie Mellon, MIT, NYU, NC State, and the University of Virginia. Through his company, brightspot, he and his team have improved the experience of more than 1,000,000 students.

You can find his work in Fast Company, Forbes, and The Chronicle of Higher Education. His book How to Get the Most Out of College was published in January 2022 by Alinea Learning. He lives in Minneapolis with his son Theo, daughter Nora, and wife Liz.

The event took place on January 26, 2021 from 1 PM - 2:30 PM

We live in a world filled with trauma caused by a myriad of events ranging from the Pandemic to racial and ethnic discrimination to natural disasters to shootings in schools and streets to economic and political upheavals to family dysfunction.  This presentation will focus on understanding the role and impact of trauma and its symptoms on our educational system.  We know that trauma impacts learning and the psychosocial development of students of all ages and stages.  We know too that educators are impacted by primary, secondary, and vicarious trauma.  We strongly suspect there is an intergenerational transmission of trauma.  Despite its omnipresence, we often do not recognize trauma and even when we do see it, we are unaware of the many strategies that can be employed to ameliorate its acute and deferred impacts.  This presentation will provide insights into how we can address trauma (not eliminate it as it never goes away), including readily accessible concrete strategies that will help students, educators, and communities. We can and should have hope because we know that if we can name trauma, then we can then tame it and frame it.  There will be opportunities for questions and answers. Attendees will also receive a discount code for Karen's new award-winning book, Trauma Doesn't Stop at the School Door. 

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Check out the corresponding essay here

The event took place on Monday, March 22, 2021, at 12 PM EST.

The purpose of this event is to discuss the therapeutic benefits of African Diaspora dance participation. The event will include a panel of notable academics, artists, and community practitioners who will highlight the work of community dance organizations such as Urban Movement Arts and Great on Skates that provide alternative modes of therapeutic relief for college students. Panelists will also discuss the barriers to further integration into collegiate curricula, advocacy for dance practice, and how this dance can support more college students at an unprecedented time affected by a global pandemic and as institutions experience finite resources and dwindling college budgets. 

Moderated by Kemuel Benyehudah, Visiting Scholar, Samuel DeWitt Proctor Institute for Leadership, Equity, and Justice, Rutgers University. 

Panelists include: 

• India "Ingine" Bernandino, Founder and Owner, Great on Skates
• Thomas F. Defrantz, Professor, Duke University
• Crystal Frazier, Professor, Point Park University
• Vince Johnson, Founder, Urban Movement Arts
• Beverly Pittman, President and CEO, We Shall Be Moved

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Read the accompanying essay here.

You can find the event recording here.

India “Ingine” Bernardino, Founder and Owner, Great on Skates:

India “Ingine” Bernardino is New Jersey Native. She comes from a strong background of Hip-Hop dance and theatre. India’s dream is to incorporate her love for skating and dance on wheels for the world to see. This passion for both dance and skating can be found in her smile.  This bubbly lady operates both “Really Philly” and “Great on Skates” as her Creative Passion and outlet for artists to become performers. Ingine gives many thanks to her dad Master Jay for showing her the art of skating and performance.

 Born and raised in New Jersey, currently residing in Philadelphia.  India has been a dancer from the heart all her life. She's trained with acclaimed all-around dancers such as Marcus Tucker and Andrew Ramsey Founder of Face Da Phlave Dance Education and Theatre, and Clyde Evans Jr. founder of Chosen Dance Company. As a seasoned performer, choreographer, and instructor India has extensive knowledge in the foundation of all five styles of Hip Hop as well as its dance terminology. India's high-intensity energy level and down-to-earth personality inspire her many students to learn more. Her variety of love for dance allows her to respect not only Hip Hop but all styles of dance culture and its art. India currently owns Really Philly Collective, a community-based organization focusing on many aspects of art. India would like to thank Marcus, Andrew, and Clyde for sharing their experience that inspires her to go after her dreams.

Thomas F. Defrantz, Professor, Duke University:

Thomas F. Defrantz is Chair of African and African American Studies and Professor of Dance, and Theater Studies at Duke University. He is past-president of the Society of Dance History Scholars, an international organization that advances the field of dance studies through research, publication, performance, and outreach to audiences across the arts, humanities, and social sciences. He is also the director of SLIPPAGE: Performance, Culture, Technology, a research group that explores emerging technology in live performance applications. He convenes the working group Black Performance Theory and the Collegium for African Diaspora Dance. His books include the edited volume Dancing Many Drums: Excavations in African American Dance (2002) and Dancing Revelations: Alvin Ailey’s Embodiment of African American Culture (2004) and Black Performance Theory co-edited with Anita Gonzalez. A director and writer, his creative works include CANE: A Responsive Environment Dancework that premiered at Duke in April, 2013.

Crystal Frazier, Professor, Point Park University:

Crystal Frazier is a native of New Jersey and holds an Associate Degree in Dance from The University of the Arts and a Master of Fine Arts degree in Choreography from Jacksonville University. She is a freelance choreographer and currently an Assistant Professor of Dance at Point Park University.

Crystal is a former senior member of the world-renowned, Rennie Harris Puremovement.  She has performed and taught nationally and internationally, including in the Middle East and Central Asia as a U.S. Cultural Ambassador with RHPM. She is also the former Co-Founder of “Montazh,” an all-female Hip Hop dance company based in Philadelphia. 

Crystal’s industry performance credits are VH-1 Fashion Awards, BET Comicview, BET Awards, Italy Tour with Kathy Sledge, and many more. She was the featured dancer and choreographer for Grammy Award-winning artist, Jill Scott’s “Big Beautiful Tour.” In film, she made an appearance in the movie Beloved and the TV show, Monk. She was a part of Dance International Workshop Program teaching fundamentals of Hip Hop dance in Nagoya, Osaka, Fukuoka and, Tokyo.  Crystal’s choreography has been featured nationally and internationally for Rennie Harris RHAW, Cruzan Dance, St. Croix, University of the Arts in Taiwan, Encore Danses En Tourneau in Canada, Hip Hop Extravaganza in Bermuda, Philadelphia 76ers Dance Team, Borealis Dance, and many more. 

Vince Johnson, Founder, Urban Movement Arts:

Vince Johnson is a Philadelphia-based artist and educator. Since his formative years, hip hop dance and martial arts have been his primary disciplines of practice. In adulthood, he has studied physical theater, clown, guitar, and percussion. Collaboration with visual artists and musicians is a staple in his work and thereby a continuing source of education. He is an alumnus of Rennie Harris Puremovement and has worked in various artist sectors, ranging from popular entertainment to experimental theater. Johnson’s artistic work represents a similar range. For over a decade, he has made performances and events for families and young audiences, while also producing work designed for specific sub-cultures/communities, academia, and various contemporary art platforms. He is the founder and director of Movemakers Philly and Urban Movement Arts, teaching kids and adults, respectively, hip hop dance styles, North American and Hispanic dance folklore, movement culture, tai chi, and yoga. Both organizations function as community resource centers for performing artists and dance practitioners from a variety of communities. Johnson’s performance group, Philly Kerplop, is a professional dance and music ensemble that performs original material with the philosophy that the performing arts best serve audiences when content maintains a precise confluence between entertainment and intellectual stimulation, fantasy and reality.

Beverly D. Pittman, President and CEO, We Shall Be Moved:

Beverly D. Pittman, a former college professor, walked away from academia in 2018 to continue her journey toward creating movement-based health and wellness programming for Black women in a more conducive environment. The COVID19 pandemic added urgency to her quest and, at the end of 2020, she founded “We Shall Be Moved." The name is a take on the old Resistance Movement anthem “We shall not be moved”, and the program is based on Beverly’s doctoral research. She received her Ph.D. in Kinesiology from Temple University and titled her dissertation “Afrocentric Kinesiology” to express the relationship of culture to movement and health. 

Prior to her doctoral experiences, Beverly received an MBA with a double major in Management and Marketing from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, and an MSS in Social Policy and Program Development from the Bryn Mawr College Graduate School of Social Work and Social Research. She is a proud HBCU alum and graduated valedictorian and summa cum laude with a B.A. in Sociology from Lincoln University (PA). 

Throughout her life, Beverly has enjoyed a variety of non-competitive movement activities including fitness training, cheerleading, tap dancing, and, more recently, hip hop dancing. When she is not moving, she is an avid reader with varied interests including biographies, 19th Century American History, and the study of astrophysics – which explains her love for television shows such as Star Trek, Quantum Leap, and The Big Bang Theory.

After a careful peer-review and selection process, the first “Reparative Justice, Racial Restoration, and Education” cohort was assembled. Selected authors and artists will form a network and organize around actualizing the collective and creating a community centered on true social change.

2021 Cohort Includes: 

• Allison Pease, Associate Provost for Institutional Effectiveness at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, CUNY
• Dara Byrne, Associate Provost for Undergraduate Retention and Dean of Undergraduate Studies at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, CUNY
• Carlos Beato, Co-Director at Next Generation Learning (NGL)
• Daniel Sass, Assistant Principal at School in the Square, NYC
• Cecelia Joyce Price, Faculty in the School of Education, Dallas College
• Cristal Almonte, Ph.D Candidate, Claremont Graduate University
• Elizabeth Farfán-Santos, Medical Anthropologist and Associate Professor, University of Houston
• Javania Webb, Ph.D Candidate, University of Missouri - St. Louis
• Jeffrey Acevedo, Graduate student, Teachers College, Columbia University
• Marisa Macy, Faculty in the School of Teacher Education, University of Central Florida
• Sherron Roberts, Professor of Language Arts and Literacy, University of Central Florida
• Judith Levin, Associate Lecturer and Academic Program Coordinator, University of Central Florida
• Tiffany Tan, Ph.D student, University of Florida
• Michael Henry, Undergraduate student, Morehouse College
• Narketta Sparkman-Key, Associate Professor of Counseling and Human Services and Director of Faculty Diversity and Retention, Old Dominion University
• Thierry Elin-Saintine, Assistant Professor of Mathematics and First-Year Studies, Stockton University
• Joe Cirio, Assistant Professor of Writing and First-Year Studies, Stockton University

In addition to publishing these stories, the Proctor Institute will be running a social media campaign to highlight each piece and the authors that created them. Follow along on all social media platforms with the hashtag #RJRRE. 

All publications can be found here.

Call for Submissions: Reparative Justice, Racial Restoration, and Education

The Samuel DeWitt Proctor Institute for Leadership, Equity, & Justice is seeking submissions for a new editorial series focused on contemporary race-related issues and racial restoration. We invite submissions that address, discuss, or examine the emotional turmoil, trauma, and burden many Black and Brown people carry related to the socio-political events and racial injustices taking place in the U.S. We seek to provide an outlet for expression, a refuge for support, and a network for authors and artists of all ages, backgrounds, and identities who are looking for an opportunity to connect with similar people. Submissions can include videos, artwork, poetry, podcasts, research papers, opinion editorials, essays, etc.

Submission Criteria: 

• All content must be original content and must be owned by those who are submitting.
• All images included in your submission (not including artwork) must either have express permission from the owner of the image or must be royalty-free stock images.
• All videos must be shorter than 15 minutes.
• All podcasts must be no longer than 45 minutes and must have express permission from the guest.

Submissions are now closed. All submissions will be peer-reviewed prior to publication. All approved submissions will be a part of a series to be published in Summer 2021. Authors will form a cohort and will be asked to join a network of community authors and artists, who will connect and organize around actualizing the collective and creating a community centered on true social change. The Proctor Institute will provide editing, design, dissemination, and promotion for submissions that are selected to be a part of the series.

2021 Publications can be found here

The event took place on May 25, 2021 from 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM 

This event celebrated the launch of the new book, Human Resource Perspectives on Workplace Bullying in Higher Education Understanding Vulnerable Employees’ Experiences. Leah Hollis, Ed.D., is a noted national expert on workplace bullying and associate professor at Morgan State University and the founder of Patricia Berkly LLC. Join author, Leah Hollis, as she provides an in-depth overview of the book, shares what inspired her to develop the project, and reviews the structural failings in higher education that enable bullying.

View the event in its entirety here. 

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This event took place on May 13th, 2021, at 2 PM EDT.

Since the onset of the coronavirus, there has been an increase in anti-Asian violence and hate. This panel discussion will delve into the anti-Asian sentiment and racism in higher education and discuss the social inequalities that Asian Americans have experienced amidst the global pandemic. The event will also share tools for best navigating racialized violence and how to advocate for yourself within academia.

Event Recap

Missed the event? Not to worry! You can now view the event in its entirety here.

Moderated by Thai-Huy Nguyen, Policy Researcher at RAND Corporation. 

Panelists include: 

• Arlene Daus-Magbual, Director of Asian American & Pacific Islander Student Services, San Francisco University
• Marcia Liu, Licensed Counseling Psychologist and Mental Health Coordinator for the Hunter College AANAPISI Project
• Timothy Fong, Professor, Department of Ethnic Studies, California State University, Sacramento

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Confronting and Combating Anti-Asian Sentiment in K-12 Education

Asian Americans have been victims of increased violence and harassment since the coronavirus pandemic began. With the prevalence of recent attacks, Asian Americans have experienced severe hate and have had to maneuver overt forms of racism. While K-12 educators have been committed to the provision of a multi-cultural climate with equity and respect to every student, Asian children have also been victims of the anti-Asian sentiment. This event will discuss the factors that contribute to the Anti-Asian sentiment, how these issues have impacted educators, parents, and students alike, and talk through some potential interventions for improving experiences of Asian Americans both in and out of the classroom.

The event took place on April 7th, 2021, at 1 PM EDT.

Event Recap

Missed the event? Not to worry! You can now view the event in its entirety here.

Our event panelists and organizers also curated helpful resources, you can find the resources here.

Moderated by Dake Zhang, Associate Professor, Department of Educational Psychology, Rutgers University. 

Panelists include: 

• Cecilia Birge, Assistant Principal at Princeton High School and Former Mayor of Montgomery Township, NJ
• Jerry Shi, School Board President, Edison Township
• Angela Prince, Assistant Professor of Special Education, Iowa State University
• Ferdinand Rivera, Professor of Mathematics and Mathematics Education, San Jose State University 

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The event took place on August 18, 2021, at 1 PM - 2:30 PM ET. 

Join Marybeth Gasman and Levon Esters for a conversation on the new book, “Candid Advice for New Faculty Members: A Guide to Getting Tenure and Advancing Your Academic Career.” This event will discuss the newest and most comprehensive “how to” guide for graduate students, post-docs, and junior faculty across a variety of academic disciplines. Gasman and Esters will offer practical advice for achieving tenure and navigating your academic career.

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About Marybeth Gasman:

Marybeth Gasman is the Samuel DeWitt Proctor Endowed Chair in Education and a Distinguished Professor. She serves as the Executive Director of both the Samuel DeWitt Proctor Institute for Leadership, Equity, and Justice and the Rutgers Center for Minority Serving Institutions.

Prior to joining the faculty at Rutgers, Marybeth was the Judy & Howard Berkowitz Endowed Professor in the Graduate School of Education at the University of Pennsylvania (Penn). While at Penn, Marybeth served as the founding director of the Penn Center for Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs). Her areas of expertise include the history of American higher education, Minority Serving Institutions (with an emphasis on Historically Black Colleges and Universities), racism and diversity, fundraising and philanthropy, and higher education leadership. She is the author or editor of 25 books, including Educating a Diverse Nation (Harvard University Press, 2015 with Clif Conrad), Envisioning Black Colleges (Johns Hopkins University Press, 2007), and her newest book Making Black Scientists (Harvard University Press, 2019 with Thai-Huy Nguyen). Marybeth has written over 250 peer-reviewed articles, scholarly essays, and book chapters. She has penned over 450 opinion articles for the nation’s newspapers and magazines and is ranked by Education Week as one of the 10 most influential education scholars in the nation. Marybeth has raised over $22.5 million in grant funding to support her research and that of her students, mentees, and MSI partners. Marybeth serves on the board of trustees of The College Board as well as on the board of Paul Quinn College, a small, urban, historically Black College in Dallas, Texas. She considers her proudest accomplishment to be receiving the University of Pennsylvania’s Provost Award for Distinguished Ph.D. Teaching and Mentoring, serving as the dissertation chair for over 80 doctoral students since 2003. 

About Levon T. Esters: 

Levon T. Esters is a Professor in the Department Agricultural Sciences Education and Communication at Purdue University. Levon also serves as Director of the Mentoring@Purdue (M@P) program, which is designed to increase the representation of students from marginalized and minoritized backgrounds receiving advanced post-secondary STEM-based agricultural and life sciences degrees in Purdue’s College of Agriculture. Levon is a nationally recognized scholar on mentoring, equity, and diversity in the STEM-based agricultural and life sciences disciplines. Levon’s research focuses on issues of educational equity and access of marginalized and minoritized students with a concentration on the mentoring needs of Black graduate students; STEM career development of students attending Historically Black Land-grant Colleges and Universities; and educational and professional mobility and development of Black graduate students and faculty. Levon is among a few Black scholars in the United States conducting research in these areas, and has been able to serve as a role model for Black graduate students who are committed to broadening participation of marginalized and minoritized students in the Ag+STEM disciplines.

This webinar series focused on Ph.D. students and practitioners and their experiences during the pandemic. Tips and tricks were shared and offered.

Career Planning and Pivoting During the Pandemic 

This event took place on August 5, 2021 at 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM ET 

Event Description: Join panelists as they share best practices and strategies for effectively navigating the job market during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. The discussion will also provide helpful tools and resources for persevering and for managing expectations amidst the job search process.

Moderated by Anna-Kaye Rowe, Ph.D Candidate, Ohio University; Visiting Scholar, The Samuel DeWitt Proctor Institute for Leadership, Equity, and Justice. 

Panelists include: 

• Lance Bennett, Assistant Director of Assessment, The Office of the Provost at The University of Texas at Dallas
• Mauriell Amechi, Senior Research Associate and Professor, Illinois Workforce and Education Research Collaborative
• Clarissa J. Sparks, Visiting Scholar, The Samuel DeWitt Proctor Institute for Leadership, Equity, and Justice
• Gabriel Bermea, Visiting Scholar, The Rutgers Center for Minority Serving Institutions

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VIEW THE EVENT IN ITS ENTIRETY HERE.

Part I: Dissertating and Defending During the Pandemic 

This event took place on September 21, 2021 at 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM ET

Join this discussion as panelists will offer current doctoral students and candidates tangible approaches to persisting through the COVID-19 pandemic. Panelists will share personal stories and tips for defending the dissertation in the virtual space and share how to remain motivated amidst the doctoral journey.  

Moderated by Tanishia Williams, Ph.D. Candidate, The New School; Visiting Scholar, The Samuel DeWitt Proctor Institute for Leadership, Equity, and Justice. 

Panelists include: 

• Sergio Gonzalez, Ph.D. Candidate, Claremont Graduate University
• Augusta Irele, President's Postdoctoral Scholar, The Ohio State University
• Bianca Neal, Co-founder, SaulPaul Productions
• Thapelo Ncube Whitfield, Ph.D. Candidate, The University of Iowa
• Tracey Freiberg, Visiting Professor, St. John's University

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Part II: Dissertating and Defending During the Pandemic 

This event took place on September 30, 2021 at 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM ET

 Join this discussion as panelists will offer current doctoral students and candidates tangible approaches to persisting through the COVID-19 pandemic. Panelists will share personal stories and tips for defending the dissertation in the virtual space and share how to remain motivated amidst the doctoral journey.

Moderated by Tanishia Williams, Ph.D. Candidate, The New School; Visiting Scholar, The Samuel DeWitt Proctor Institute for Leadership, Equity, and Justice. 

Panelists include: 

• Ofronama Biu, Research Manager, The City University of New York
• Nadia Ncube, Ph.D. Candidate, The University of Cape Town
• Raymond Ankrum, Superintendent, Riverhead Charter School
• Thapelo Ncube Whitfield, Co-founder, The Creative Discourse Group  

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The event took place on June 24, 2020 and June 25, 2020

In an effort to create meaningful discussions on issues related to the injustices that Black communities face, the Samuel DeWitt Proctor Institute for Leadership, Justice, and Equity sponsored two panel discussions that addressed and delved into racism, Whiteness, and privilege in the current socio-political climate. With over 250 participants and eight fantastic panelists, the two discussions created space for candid conversations on a range of social justice topics including allyship vs. accompliceship, the inherent issues with White privilege, and what all supporters of the Black Lives Matter could do now to help in the eradication of systemic oppression towards Black people.

Missed the Discussion? We've Got You Covered
We've recorded the panel discussions and they can now be found on our YouTube and website. 

Download Panel 1 flyer here. 

Download Panel 2 flyer here.

Check out the corresponding report here.

The event took place on October 15, 2020

“Re-framing Black Art: A Matter of Social Justice” features visual artists and arts educators/administrators whose diverse perspectives significantly contribute to the contemporary discursive landscape. The panel discussion refocuses Americans’ larger conversation about the value of Black lives onto the role public education must play in facilitating children’s processing and responding to narrowly defined representations of Black Americans within the public pedagogy.

Event organizer, Assistant Professor of African American Literature, and Visiting Scholar, Michon Benson, has written an accompanying essay for this event. You can find it here. 

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WATCH THE RECORDING

Additionally, Michon Benson interviewed each of the panelists one-on-one about their art and positionality prior to the discussion. Check them out below!

Ann "Sole Sister" Johnson: Associate Professor of Art History at Prairie View A&M University and Artist

Earlie Hudnall Jr.: World-Renowned Photographer

Lance Flowers: Multimedia Artist

Michelle Barnes: Co-founder of the Community Artists’ Collective

Sarah Trotty: Co-founder of the Community Artists’ Collective

Ricardo Francis: Visual Artist and Curator

Nathaniel Donnett: Visual Artist and Yale MFA Candidate

Post Election and the Future of Higher Education Panels

Panel 1:

The event took place on December 3, 2020, at 6 PM EST

Post-Election and the Future of Higher Education: Supporting Vulnerable Populations will discuss the impact of the historical election on vulnerable populations in higher education with a particular focus on racial and ethnic minorities, LGBTQIA, DACA recipients, and international students.

Moderated by Tammy Smithers, Visiting Scholar, Samuel DeWitt Proctor Institute for Leadership, Equity, and Justice, Rutgers University 

Panelists include: 

• Sergio Gonzalez, Ph.D. student, Claremont Graduate University
• Leah Hollis, Associate Professor, Morgan State University
• Anna-Kaye Rowe, Ph.D. student, Ohio University
• Tanishia Williams,  Ph.D. candidate, The New School for Public Engagement 

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WATCH THE RECORDING

Panel 2:

The event took place on Thursday, February 25, 2021, from 6 PM - 7:30 PM EST. 

The Future of Higher Education: Sustaining Change, Post-Election will discuss the existing and new policies of the current presidential administration and how these policies will affect the landscape of higher education. Moderated by Marybeth Gasman, Samuel DeWitt Proctor Endowed Chair in Education and a Distinguished Professor at Rutgers University, panelists will be asked to analyze the policies, delve into the policy implications, and speak directly to their impact on educational equity, with a particular focus on how policymakers can create sustainable change. The session will end with suggestions about how policymakers and legislators can ensure that the lessons learned from the previous administration and the key takeaways from COVID-19 are used to create a better future (contrary to “a new normal”) for vulnerable populations. 

Panelists include: 

• Donald Heller,  Vice President of Operations; Professor of Education, University of San Francisco
• Martha Kanter, CEO, College Promise; Senior Fellow, New York University; U.S. Under Secretary of Education (2009-2013)
• Michael Nettles, Senior Vice President and the Edmund W. Gordon Chair for Policy Evaluation & Research, ETS
• Rowena Tomaneng, President of San Jose City College
• David Wilson, President of Morgan State University

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