As a collaborative scholar, Dr. Ford values building relationships with the next generations of scholars who will inform policies, practices, corporations, and nonprofit organizations. As such, he works with a team of doctoral and master’s who are passionate about making change in our ever-changing global society.
Ashley Anderson
Ashley (she/her) currently serves as the Program Manager for Wake Forest University’s College LAUNCH for Leadership Program. She graduated from Elon University in 2021 with a degree in English, and recently received her Masters in Higher Education- Student Affairs Administration from UNC Greensboro. Her experiences as a Black, queer, first-generation college student have had a profound impact on her future career goals in higher education, as well as her research interests. In her free time, Ashley enjoys painting and spending time with her wife and 2 pets. Fun fact: Ashley went skydiving in 2019!
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Francine Coker
Francine started working in higher education in 2012. She is currently the University of Miami’s Associate Director of Student Activities and Student Organizations. Her enthusiasm for the industry was evident when she mentored a group of Afro-Latino students at her former college who felt they couldn’t overcome the system’s limitations to people of color. Francine is presently enrolled in the Higher Education Leadership program at Florida Atlantic University.
Featured Author:
Humanizing Academic Advising: Using Culturally Responsive Approaches to Advise Students of Color
Jordan D. Farmer
Jordan is a student affairs professional at UNC School of The Arts in Winston Salem, NC. With a diverse background in Athletics, Residence Life, Academic Affairs, Graduate Admissions, Leadership Education, and Student Support, he empowers and supports diverse student populations. In his role as Assistant Director for Student Assistance and Support, Jordan offers invaluable guidance, resources, and empowerment. He strives to fuel passion and foster holistic growth of students.
Featured Author:
Dwayne Hamilton, Jr.
Dwayne Hamilton, Jr. currently serves as the Assistant Director for Basic Needs at George Mason University where he spearheads food and housing insecurity initiatives in addition to providing case management to students. Prior to this role, he received his master’s degree in Student Affairs Administration in Higher Education from UNC-Greensboro. As an emerging scholar-practitioner, Dwayne strives to utilize research to illuminate crises Black students experience during college in order to promote hope and best practices in the field. Outside of the higher ed space, Dwayne has seen Beyoncé in concert three times!
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Megan Karbley
Megan Karbley (she/her/hers) is a scholar-practitioner focused on equity in education. Her scholarly interests include the experiences of HESA faculty and staff supporting students impacted by bias, White DEIA educators, and how Respondents experience campus adjudication processes. In her practitioner role, Megan has more than 10 years of experience in Title IX adjudication and works with faculty, staff, and students. Megan’s a first-generation college student and soon-to-be Doctor of Philosophy in Education.
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Coming Soon
Cassandra R. Kepple
Dr. Cassandra R. Kepple (she/her) is a first-generation student from West Virginia. She earned her B.S. in Psychology and a Bachelor’s of Multidisciplinary Studies (Biology, Child Development and Family Studies, and History) from West Virginia University in 2017, her M.A. in Higher Education Administration from West Virginia University in 2019, and her Ph.D. in Higher Education from Florida State University in 2023. Cassandra’s research focuses broadly on student success using quantitative methodologies. She currently works as a Metrics Business Analyst for the Office of Institutional Research at FSU. In her free time, she loves to bake, read, and play tennis.
Featured Author:
Building First-Generation Student Satisfaction for Students of Color: The Role of Academic Advising
Alexis J. Moore
Alexis Moore is from Goldsboro, North Carolina. She is a 2023 graduate of the Student Affairs Administration in Higher Education program at UNC Greensboro. As a new professional, one of Alexis’ primary goals in the field of higher education is to provide support and resources as students balance life as a college student and campus involvement or leadership. She currently works at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill as the Student Organizations Program Coordinator in the office of Student Life and Leadership (SLL).!
Featured Author:
Derrick M. Woodard
Derrick is a first year master’s student at Florida State University (FSU). His goal is to obtain his M.S. Higher Education Administration degree while working full-time as a Community Outreach Admission Counselor. This role focuses on assisting disadvantaged students applying to our university. Previously, he received my bachelor’s degree in Biology from FSU and it took a whirlwind of experiences before realizing that he truly had a passion for higher education. This experience extends into my own goal of to assist in the development of minority and first-generation college students’ sense of belonging at predominantly white institutions (PWIs).
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