Belonging in Higher Education: Perspectives and Lessons from Diverse Faculty

Nicholas D. Hartlep

Nicholas D. Hartlep holds the Robert Charles Billings Chair in Education at Berea College where he Chairs the Department of Education Studies. Prior to Berea College, Dr. Hartlep Chaired the Department of Early Childhood and Elementary Education at Metropolitan State University, an Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institution (AANAPISI) in St. Paul, Minnesota. While there he also served as the Graduate Program Coordinator.

Dr. Hartlep has published 25 books, mostly recently What Makes a Star Teacher? Seven Dispositions that Encourage Student Learning (Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, 2019). His book The Neoliberal Agenda and the Student Debt Crisis in U.S. Higher Education, with Lucille L. T. Eckrich and Brandon O. Hensley (2017) was named an Outstanding Book by the Society of Professors of Education.

Dr. Hartlep is the recipient of multiple awards including: John Saltmarsh Award for Emerging Leaders in Civic Engagement Award fromthe Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU, 2018); the Community Engaged Scholarship Award and the President’s Circle of Engagement Award (Metropolitan State University, 2017); Graduate of the Last Decade Award (University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, 2016) for his prolific writing; University Research Initiative Award (Illinois State University, 2015); and Distinguished Young Alumni Award (Winona State University, 2015).

Dr. Hartlep is currently writing What Can Be Learned from Work Colleges? An Education That Works (SUNY Press). www.nicholashartlep.com

Terrell Lamont Strayhorn

Terrell Lamont Strayhorn is one of the most prolific and influential scholars in the fields of education, psychology, and the academic study of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB). Dr. Strayhorn is Professor of Education and Psychology; Director of the Center for the Study of HBCUs; and Principal Investigator of The Belonging Lab at Virginia Union University, where he also serves as Vice Provost and Interim Dean of the School of Arts & Sciences. He is the President and CEO of Do Good Work Consulting Group. He is also Diversity Scholar-in-Residence at Harrisburg Area Community College, Fellow of AGB’s Institute for Leadership & Governance, and board member for several non-profits including Rainbow Labs, Psychologists of Color Inc., and the MCT Educational Foundation.

Dr. Strayhorn has authored 12 books, including the award-winning College Students’ Sense of Belonging (2nd ed, 2019), and over 200+ peer-reviewed journal articles and academic publications. His research has been cited, endorsed, or financially supported by over $10 million from the most premiere agencies in the world including Lumina Foundation, Annie E. Casey Foundation, National Science Foundation, to name a few. One of his core passions is translating research-to-practice in ways that improve the material conditions and lived experiences of our most vulnerable populations.

Dr. Strayhorn was named of the country’s “Top Diversity Scholars” by Diverse Issues in Higher Education and a remarkable “Bridge-Builder” between academic- and student affairs by one of ACPA’s commissions. https://terrellstrayhorn.com/

Fred A. Bonner II

Fred Bonner II is Professor and Endowed Chair in Educational Leadership and Counseling, and Executive Director and Chief Scientist of the MACH-III Center at Prairie View A&M University. Dr. Bonner is formerly the Samuel DeWitt Proctor Endowed Chair in Education in the Graduate School of Education at Rutgers University and an esteemed expert in the field of diversity in education. Prior to joining Rutgers, he was Professor of Higher Education Administration and Associate Dean of Faculties at Texas A&M University-College Station. He earned a B.A. in chemistry from the University of North Texas, M.S. Ed. in curriculum and instruction from Baylor University, and Ed.D. in higher education administration & college teaching from the University of Arkansas.

Dr. Bonner has been the recipient of numerous awards, including the American Association for Higher Education Black Caucus Dissertation Award and the Educational Leadership, Counseling and Foundation's Dissertation of the Year Award from the University Of Arkansas College of Education. His work has been featured nationally and internationally. He is the author of several books, including Building on Resilience: Models and Frameworks of Black Male Success Across the P-20 Pipeline (Routledge, 2014), as well as the recently released Square Pegs and Round Holes: Alternative Approaches to Diverse College Student Development Theory (Stylus Publishing, 2021). In 2000, Dr. Bonner was named Texas A&M University System (TAMUS) Regents Professor.