2025 Presenters and Panelists
Professor of Education and Psychology, Director of Research in the Center for the Study of HBCUs and Principal Investigator of The Belonging Lab at Virginia Union University, and Associate Provost for Faculty Development
Dr. Terrell Lamont Strayhorn is one of the most prolific and influential scholars in the fields of education, psychology and academic study of diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging (DEIB). Named one 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, Strayhorn has authored 14 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. He accomplishes this mission largely through the more than 2,000+ public talks, distinguished lectures and keynotes he has delivered across the globe.
A respected thought-leader and highly-sought speaker, Strayhorn's ground-breaking research has been cited in many outlets including The Washington Post, The Chronicle of Higher Education, Huffington Post, Essence and Diverse Issues to name a few. He is President and CEO of Do Good Work Consulting GroupTM , a minority-owned business that partners with hundreds of colleges, universities corporations and agencies each year 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. He's co-host of the "Do Good Work" podcast on Spotify® and contributing writer for Entrepreneur, Thrive Global, AllBusiness and Psychology Today, where he leads the "Belonging Matters" blog.
Strayhorn is professor of education and psychology; director of research in the Center for the Study of HBCUs, and principal investigator of The Belonging Lab at Virginia Union University, where he also serves as associate provost for faculty development. He is a 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, MEN Inc. Houston, Oregon Outreach Inc., Career Analysis Organization of America, vice president for Psychologists of Color Inc., and the MCT Educational Foundation. He is a proud member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Incorporated.
Keynote Speaker
Director and principal investigator of the Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program (McNair Scholars Program), University at Buffalo
Susan Ott presently serves as the director and principal investigator of the McNair Scholars Program at the University at Buffalo (UB) and has held this position since August 2008. She received her Bachelor of Science in business administration (finance) from Valparaiso University; Master of Business Administration (finance) and Master of Science in education from Niagara University; and her PhD in educational culture, policy and society from UB’s Graduate School of Education.
Ott is an assistant professor, adjunct in UB’s Graduate School of Education where she teaches undergraduate and graduate classes including but not limited to: Foundations of Education, Sociology of Education, Sociological Bases in Education, Sociology of School Knowledge, and Education and Socialization. She has also worked with and served on a number of master’s thesis and Institutional Review Board (IRB) committees. Ott enjoys her role as a Priority IV Training Grant faculty member for the Council for Opportunity in Education (COE).
Ott is a financial auditor and a Certified Financial Planner (CFP®) who has been practicing since 1993. She has served several terms on the Council for Opportunity in Education (COE) Board, as well as the Association for Equality and Excellence in Education, Inc. (AEEE) board in a number of capacities including the roles of president, president-elect, past president, member at large, and currently the treasurer and chief financial officer. Her current initiative includes serving the McNair Association of Professionals (MAP) organization as the chair of the inaugural National McNair Scholar Research Journal committee.
Program Staff Meeting
Assistant Professor, Education Leadership and Policy, Graduate School of Education, University at Buffalo
Paris Wicker is an award-winning contemplative social scientist and assistant professor of educational leadership at the University at Buffalo. Her interdisciplinary research, informed by a decade of higher education experience in student affairs and college admissions, contributes to scholarship that explores the conditions and consequences of success and well-being in higher education, especially for Black and Indigenous students, faculty and staff.
Her research has been supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), The Ford Foundation, and the Wisconsin Center for Educational Research (WCER) and is published in the Review of Higher Education, Journal of College Student Development, and Education Sciences.
Wicker is a Chicago native and earned her PhD in Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
UB Welcome Speaker