Originally from the state of South Carolina, Dr. Jesse R. Ford grew up in a farming family that taught him the importance of hard work, education, community, and honest conversation. Those formative experiences continue to shape his approach to scholarship, teaching, mentorship, and institutional change.

Dr. Ford is an associate professor of higher education in the Department of Educational Leadership at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. His scholarship examines the historical and sociocultural experiences of Black students and faculty, with particular attention to Black men in higher and graduate education. His broader research program explores graduate student socialization, academic advising, racialized institutional environments, leadership education, belonging, and racial battle fatigue.

Before joining UNC Charlotte, Dr. Ford was a tenured faculty member at UNC Greensboro, where he earned early promotion and tenure and founded the Collaborative for Black Men’s Success. Across his teaching, research, and service, he remains committed to producing scholarship that improves educational conditions while helping students and institutions translate knowledge into meaningful action.