CAU–Boston | Pioneering Black Graduate Education

Pioneering Black Advanced Scholarship: The Enduring Legacy and Future of America’s First Graduate Degree-Granting HBCU

Presenters: Reginald K. Ellis, J. Fidel Turner,  Mary Hooper, Clark Atlanta University
Room: NYE A,B,C

Atlanta University, now Clark Atlanta University established a transformative legacy as the nation’s first institution dedicated to continuous graduate education for African Americans. This panel explores the institution’s historic role in advancing Black scholarship, intellectual leadership, civil rights, and institutional self-determination, while examining its continued evolution as a Carnegie R2 research university. Presenters will connect this history to the future of graduate education, including doctoral pathways, STEM and social sciences, interdisciplinary scholarship, and the preparation of scholars and leaders equipped to address complex global challenges.

Beyond Retention — Building Communities Where Students & Adults Thrive

Facilitators:
Austin McDonald, Assistant Dean of Undergraduate Studies & Director, Center for Academic Retention and Enhancement (CARE), Florida State University
Cedric Walker, Dean of Students, Tuskegee University
George Greenidge, Educator, Nonprofit Leader, Sociologist & Impact Strategist
Dawn Nail, Executive Director, Center for Academic Excellence, North Carolina A&T State University
Room: Alison Dinning Room

This facilitated conversation moves beyond traditional measures of retention to explore what it takes to build communities where students and adults feel seen, valued, supported, and empowered to thrive. Through dialogue, reflection, and the sharing of promising practices, participants will examine strategies for strengthening belonging, relationships, and student success and leave with actionable ideas they can bring back to their institutions and communities.