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president. According to a study by the American Council on Education, racial/ ethnic minorities held only 17% of presidencies in 2017, while people of color comprised approximately 42% of college students in 2015. “As the country continues to evolve culturally, the need for diverse leadership in higher education is essential,” said Brown. “As a result, our program has experienced consistent enrollments and above average graduation rates for doctoral programs. Many of our graduates have filled critical senior-level positions in higher education institutions.” The list of prominent alumni currently serving in higher education leadership includes George T. French, Ph.D., president of Clark Atlanta University; Larissa Littleton-Steib, Ph.D., Delgado Community College chancellor; Braque Talley, Ph.D., Alabama A&M University vice president for student affairs; Allen P. Vital, Ph.D., chief of staff of the Southern University System; and Melva K. Williams, Ph.D., president and CEO of Huston-Tillotson University.
of 16 professionals, including seven members of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., two members of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc., and one member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. Among the 20 students in Cohort 18, there are six members of Kappa Alpha Psi, four members of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., one member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., and one member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. Tish Bullard, a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., is from Pine Bluff, Arkansas. Currently, she works in Institutional Advancement at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (UAPB), where she oversees donor engagement, community partner relationships, and special events and projects. Bullard said, “My ultimate goal is to achieve a position as a chief of staff or a university vice president.” She learned of the EPHD route after consulting with colleagues who went through the program. “When I realized that I wanted to advance and get a terminal degree, I started to talk to those individuals, and
they encouraged me to look at the program,” said Bullard.
She said becoming one of seven sorority sisters in Cohort 19 was a
“happy coincidence.” She added, “being active in our organization, we thrive on education and economic growth. The program will advance our careers, aid us in our endeavors and help us encourage young women to strive higher.” Corey S. Edmonds is the assistant director of Undergraduate Admissions at North Carolina Central University. The Kappa Alpha Psi member is passionate about the history and legacy of historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs). His immediate goal is to obtain a senior-level leadership role. “Every article that speaks about HBCUs always talks about the relevance and what the implications are if we don’t support them,” said Edmonds. “Part of me thinks that that’s not by mistake. We’re under-supported for a reason. The EPHD program combats that. It identifies that there’s a gap and a need for individuals like us and practitioners who want to move things forward.”
Cohort 19 of the JSU EPHD program began in fall 2022. The group consists
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