Search for people, departments, or email addresses.
He/Him/His
Baskin School of Engineering
Baskin School of Engineering
Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Staff
Administrator
No Mailstop
I am extremely passionate about diversity and inclusion on college and university campuses. I believe that that there is great power in having multiple people from different backgrounds and cultures in one place to develop a strong sense of understanding.
Born and raised from Montgomery, AL, I graduated from Auburn University with a Master of Education in Higher Education Administration (2016) and I also earned a Bachelors of Arts in Communication with a Concentration in Marketing (2014) from there as well. Furthering my education, I finished a Graduate Certificate in Program Evaluation from Georgia State University (2018), a Graduate Certificate in Nonprofit Management and Leadership from the University of Georgia (2019), a Graduate Certificate in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion from the University of Georgia (2020) and recently finished my terminal degree at University of Georgia’s Doctor of Education in Learning, Leadership, and Organization Development program. I am an avid learner in helping student's develop leadership, cultural competencies, and form their identity along the way. Social Media and the way we communicate with them is a major learning topic for me.
Prior to my appointment here at UCSC, I served as the Director of Student Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at Emory University - Oxford College, the Director of Multicultural Student Affairs at the University of North Georgia, an Educational Program Specificalist at Georgia State University, and the Leadership Graduate Assistant within the Career Center at Auburn University.
▪ Student Leadership/Development, Diversity/Social Justice Education, Diversity Programming, Diversity Training, Mentoring, Academic Preparedness/Success Workshops & Programs for At-Risk, Underrepresented Minorities, 1st Generation, Low-Income & Undecided Students (Diversity Retention Programs & TRiO Programs), Leadership Development Seminars, Academic Advising/Career Development, and Creating Programming Opportunities to enhance the lives of students and the community. Business Specialties: Customer Service, Marketing, Management
▪ My research interests span diversity, equity, and inclusion support programming; underrepresented academic support programs, Black student success programs, first-generation retention programs, summer bridge support programs, STEM Education, student identity development, and educational leadership.
▪ Cultural Competency Building
▪ Student Success Strategies
▪ Multicultural Communication
▪ Critical Conversations - Diversity Dialogues
GRANTS
▪ African American Male Initiative Grant 2020-2022
PROFESSIONAL AWARDS
▪ NASPA African American Knowledge Community 2023 Stellar 50 Awardee 03/23
▪ University of North Georgia Division of Student Affairs and Enrollment Management Staff Excellence Award 07/21
▪ University of North Georgia Staff Member of the Month Award 03/21
▪ University of Georgia Irene and Curtis Ulmer Award for Adult Education 02/21
▪ University of North Georgia Division of Student Affairs and Enrollment Management Innovation Champion Award 08/20
▪ NASPA NOW Professional Recognition Award (Inclusion Pillar) 03/20
▪ Dr. Imogene Mathison Mixson Graduate Award 06/15
▪ Patrick Elms Award for Project Uplift Volunteer Dedication 07/12
ADVISING AWARDS
▪ University of North Georgia (Dahlonega Campus) Event of the Year 04/21
▪ University of North Georgia (Dahlonega Campus) Best Collaborative Event 04/21
▪ University of North Georgia (Dahlonega Campus) Commitment to Diversity & Equity 04/21
▪ University of North Georgia (Dahlonega Campus) Event of the Year 04/20
▪ University of North Georgia (Dahlonega Campus) Most Improved Organization 04/20
▪ University of North Georgia (Dahlonega Campus) Best Collaborative Event 04/20
▪ Present “What’s the Connection: Exploring First-generation Student Retention Through Action Research” at the American Association of Blacks in Higher Education 2023 National Conference, San Diego, California, March 26-28, 2023
▪ Present “Tips and Thriving: Three African American Males Sharing Doctoral Journeys” at the American Association of Blacks in Higher Education 2023 National Conference, San Diego, California, March 26-28, 2023
▪ Presented “C4 Certificate Pilot Program: Addressing Student Cultural Competency to Improve Campus Climate” at the 2021 NASPA Multicultural Institute: Advancing Equity and Inclusive Practice, New Orleans, LA, December 9-11, 2021
▪ Presented “A Virtual Reckoning: Building and Maintaining Virtual Communities for Students of Color” at the 2021 National Conference on Race & Ethnicity in American Higher Education (NCORE), Norman, OK, June 7-11, 2021
▪ Presented “A Virtual Reckoning: Building and Maintaining Virtual Communities for Students of Color” at the 2021 Mary Frances Early College of Education Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Conference, Athens, GA, March 22-24, 2021
▪ Presented “Finding a Community: Exploring the Impact of a Cultural Campus Community's Role on Male Students of Color” at the Inaugural University of Georgia Men of Color Leadership Summit 2020, Athens, GA, March 21, 2020 (Conference canceled – Covid19)
▪ Presented “Other-Parenting: Fictive Kin and Its Impact on Administrators Experiencing Today’s Society Issues in America” at the American Association of Blacks in Higher Education 2020 NationaL Conference, Charleston, North Carolina, March 18-21, 2020 (Conference canceled – Covid19)
▪ Presented “An Uneven and Unequitable Field: Being a Better Professional for Underrepresented Students” at the University of North Georgia Student Affairs and Enrollment Management Professional Development Day, Gainesville, Georgia, January 31, 2020
▪ Presented “Cultural Leadership: No One Left Behind” at the Conference of Student Leadership 2019, Gainesville, GA, September 28, 2019
▪ Presented “Before, During, and After College: The Positive Effects of Mentorship on African American Males” at the Annual Boys & Men of Color 2019 Conference, Durham, NC, April 13, 2019
▪ Presented “Examining Mentorship Learning Communities and Their Impact on Underrepresented Student Populations” at the American Association of Blacks in Higher Education 2019 National Conference, Indianapolis, IN, March 24-27, 2019
▪ Presented “Examining Mentorship Learning Communities and Their Impact on Underrepresented Student Populations” at the National Association of Students Affairs Professionals 65th Annual Conference, Atlanta, GA, February 21-23, 2019
▪ Presented “Be a Mirror: An Introspective Look at Oneself through Advising” at American Association of Blacks in Higher Education 2018 National Conference, New Orleans, LA, March 25-28, 2018
▪ Presented “Technology Integration: A Collaboration Between GSU-PC Program” at TRiO Leadership Technology Training 2017, Atlanta, GA, May 31, 2017
▪ Presented “Student Involvement Communication Effectiveness” at Auburn University Assessment and Strategic Planning Workshop Presentation Series, Auburn, AL, April 25, 2016
▪ Presented “Assistantship Maze: Getting the Best Experience Out of Your Graduate Assistantship & Internship” at National Association of Student Personnel Administrators Alabama Drive-In 2016, Montgomery, AL, January 21-22, 2016
Dissertation
▪ What's the Connection: Exploring First-Generation Student Retention through Action Research
▪ https://esploro.libs.uga.edu/esploro/outputs/9949515425202959
This campus directory is the property of the University of California at Santa Cruz. To protect the privacy of individuals listed herein, in accordance with the State of California Information Practices Act, this directory may not be used, rented, distributed, or sold for commercial purposes. For more details, please see the university guidelines for assuring privacy of personal information in mailing lists and telephone directories. If you have any questions please contact the ITS Support Center.
