The University of Olivet will host special guest Shaun Harper, Ph.D., professor and director of the Center for the Study of Race and Equity in Education at University of Pennsylvania, Wednesday Oct. 16 on campus. Harper will present a series of lectures and events throughout the day, which are free and open to the public.
During his visit, Harper will engage with students, faculty and staff on the topics of Advancing Black Male Student Success and issues associated with Masculinity and College Success.
“This will be a great day of cross-campus engagement on the important issue of student success,” said The University of Olivet President Steven M. Corey, Ph.D. “I look forward to Dr. Harper’s presentations, as well as seeing him interact with our students during his visit.”
Harper will meet with a variety of campus groups, with sessions including:
African American Male Luncheon — 12:15 to 1:15 p.m., Kirk Center
President’s Special Symposium, “College Men and Masculinity” — 1:30 to 3 p.m., Mott Auditorium
Meeting with The University of Olivet faculty — 3:15 to 4:30 p.m., Mott room #110
Harper is a tenured faculty member in the Graduate School of Education, Africana Studies, and Gender Studies at the University of Pennsylvania, where he also serves as director of the Center for the Study of Race and Equity in Education. He is co-founder of the Penn GSE Black Male Grad Prep Academy and a faculty fellow at the Penn Institute for Urban Research.
Harper maintains an active research agenda that examines race and gender in education and social contexts, college access and achievement among undergraduate men of color, and college student engagement. His 10 books include “Advancing Black Male Student Success from Preschool through Ph.D.,” “College Men and Masculinities,” “Student Engagement in Higher Education,” and the 5th edition of “Student Services: A Handbook for the Profession.”
He is also author of more than 80 peer-reviewed journal articles and other academic publications, as well as editor-in-chief of the Routledge Book Series on Race and Racism in U.S. Higher Education and associate editor of Educational Researcher, a journal of the American Educational Research Association (AERA). Additionally, he has presented more than 130 research papers, workshops and symposia at national education conferences, and has delivered 100 keynote addresses at events for professional educators.
Several associations have praised Harper’s scholarly work, including the Association for the Study of Higher Education (2008 Early Career Award), AERA (2010 Early Career Award, Division G), and the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (2012 Robert H. Shaffer Award for Faculty Excellence).
For more information or media inquiries, contact Molly Goaley, director of media relations and senior writer, at mgoaley@uolivet.edu or 269.749.7141.