Terrell Strayhorn to lead Georgia Southern MLK Celebrations

As part of Georgia Southern University’s annual celebration of Martin Luther King Jr., the Office of Inclusive Excellence will host guest speaker Terrell Strayhorn, Ph.D., the vice provost and interim dean of the School of Arts & Sciences at Virginia Union University.

Strayhorn will make two appearances at Georgia Southern’s Statesboro and Savannah campuses on Jan. 12. He will speak at a celebration breakfast on the Statesboro Campus at 8:30 a.m., followed by a lunch event on the Armstrong Campus in Savannah at noon. Registration is required and available online here: https://georgiasouthern.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_0c5VSMyZbGIYlWm.

Strayhorn is considered a bridge-builder between academic and student affairs by one of the American College Personnel Association’s commissions. He is also an expert in the fields of education, psychology and the academic study of diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging.

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He has authored 12 books, including the award-winning “College Students’ Sense of Belonging” 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 and others.

One of his core passions is translating research-to-practice in ways which improves the material conditions and lived experiences of vulnerable populations. He has given more than 2,000 public talks, distinguished lectures and keynotes across the globe. Strayhorn’s research has been cited in many outlets including The Washington Post, The Chronicle of Higher Education, Huffington Post, Essence, and Diverse: Issues in Higher Education. Additionally, he’s a contributing writer for Entrepreneur, Thrive Global, AllBusiness and Psychology Today where he leads the “Belonging Matters” blog.

He also serves as president and CEO of the educational consulting firm Do Good Work. The minority-owned business partners with hundreds of colleges, universities, corporations and agencies to enhance culture, build inclusive environments and boost belonging in ways that raise morale, increase retention, improve people’s journey and help organizations hit their bottom line.

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. He is Diversity Scholar-in-Residence at Harrisburg Area Community College and fellow of the Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges’ Institute for Leadership & Governance. He is also a board member for several non-profits including Rainbow Labs, Oregon Outreach Inc., Career Analysis Academy, Psychologists of Color Inc. and the Dr. Melvin C. Terrell Educational Foundation. Additionally, he is a proud member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Incorporated.

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