Community College Professor Finds Success by Digging a Little Deeper

With a five-course teaching load every semester, one can’t help but wonder how Dr. David Lucander manages to find the time to research and write.

But for Lucander, 34, a rising star at Rockland Community College (RCC), which is part of the State University of New York system, the process of putting pen to paper simply requires discipline.

“It’s a real challenge,” says Lucander, who is a tenured assistant professor of pluralism and diversity at the community college located in upstate New York. “You sit down and you got to make time for it. It’s part of doing this work.”

His latest book, Winning the War For Democracy: The March on Washington Movement, 1941-1946 (University of Illinois Press), has been praised by scholars for its ability to focus on the lives of ordinary, everyday individuals who helped to propel the historic March on Washington Movement.

“This is a work of historical recovery that aimed at unearthing the lives of long-forgotten historical actors,” says Lucander, who earned a Ph.D. in 2010 from the W.E.B. DuBois Department of Afro-American Studies at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.

“A. Philip Randolph is something of a household name, while folks like Anna Arnold Hedgeman and Pauli Murray are well-known among historical specialists. People like T.D. McNeal and David Grant, however, are long forgotten, and I’m aiming to bring them into the discussion,” continues Lucander.

“I think it would be fantastic if, with a bit more research, a corpus of knowledge about the 1930s and 1940s could be developed that is on par with what we know about the civil rights movement of later decades.”

Dr. Eric Arnesen, a professor of history at The George Washington University, praises Lucander for writing a “deeply researched and nuanced account of the movement, its members, their aspirations and (their) accomplishments.”

He adds that the book, which grew out of Lucander’s doctoral dissertation, “is a sophisticated contribution to the history of Black protest and politics in the 20th century.”

Lucander’s productivity could have easily landed him at a research-centered four-year institution a long time ago. But as a product of TRIO Programs during his undergraduate years at Westfield State University, he’s come to appreciate how support programs and community colleges can help to refocus a student’s educational trajectory.

“I want to challenge the taboo that community colleges are not rewarding places to work,” says Lucander, who will appear on a panel in April at the annual conference of the Organization of American Historians. “If you put in the time, you can continue to do important research.”

The former high school teacher, who has also worked as a park ranger, is one of two full-time instructors charged with teaching courses in multiculturalism at RCC. Several years ago, he developed a popular course on the civil rights movement.

“I am the guy who does Black studies,” he says about his role at RCC, which boasts a remarkably diverse student population, including a burgeoning Haitian population.

And though he’s White, he’s never received pushback from students—many of whom are much older than him—about his ability to teach the subject matter.

“People recognize good work when they see it,” he says matter-of-factly. “If they can see a Black family in the White House, they can see a White person in Black studies.”

Still, it’s a challenge to help his students understand the long struggle for equal rights.

“There is often very little consciousness of the civil rights movement,” Lucander says of his students. “When they enter my class, they know Martin Luther King and Malcolm X, but, by the end of the class, they know a whole different cast of characters.”

In January, Lucander will publish a co-edited book of about 80 of Randolph’s speeches with historian Dr. Andrew Kersten. He has a plate full of ideas about other scholarly endeavors.

“David was one of my brightest lights, and it’s almost inevitable that he’s doing what he’s doing,” says Dr. Kamal Ali, an associate professor of ethnic and gender studies at Westfield State University who has mentored Lucander through the years. “He is an exceptionally gifted writer whose goal was to inspire and teach students and he’s doing exactly that.”

Originally posted December 18, 2014 in Diverse Issues in Higher Education.

Criteria for Nomination:
1. The TRIO Achiever candidate must be a former TRIO project participant who was enrolled in and successfully completed a TRIO program.

2. The TRIO Achiever candidate must have enrolled in and successfully completed a postsecondary program of study resulting in a baccalaureate or terminal degree from an accredited institution of higher education. Preference is given to nominees who have been out of school for five years or more.

3. The TRIO Achiever candidate must be a person of high stature within his/her profession or has received recognition for outstanding achievement.

4. The TRIO Achiever candidate must currently be employed above the entry level designation for his/her profession or enrolled in a program for a degree above the baccalaureate degree.

5. The TRIO Achiever candidate must have made significant civic, community, or professional contributions.

6. Participation in the TRIO project must have had significant impact upon the candidate in obtaining his/her educational and/or professional objectives (as acknowledged by the participant).

Required Supporting Documentation:
1. TRIO Achievers Nomination Form–attached
2. Photo of Nominee
3. Testimonial letter from nominator
4. One professional letter of reference
5. Personal Statement from nominee
6. Nominee’s Resume or CV

Nominators are strongly encouraged to submit all nomination materials electronically to Jodi Koehn-Pike at: jodi.koehnpike@coenet.us

The deadline for 2010 Achiever nominations is June 4. Please contact Jodi Koehn-Pike by phone at (202) 347-7430 or e-mail (jodi.koehnpike@coenet.us) if you have any questions or concerns.

The Rev. Rozenia A.H. Fuller has received a 2009 TRiO Achievers Award from the Mid-America Association of Educational Opportunity ProgramPersonnel (MAEOPP). The prestigious award recognizes outstanding former participants in the federal TRiO programs who have made significant civic, community or professional contributions.

Jennifer Brookins-King from Minnesota Community and Technical College (MCTC) nominated the Rev. Fuller for the award because of her personal, educational and professional accomplishments. When Rev. Fuller enrolled at MCTC in 1995, she was a single mother of two who had just moved out of a shelter for battered women and children. She joined MCTC’s Starting Point/Student Support Services TRiO program and excelled in and out of the classroom. While at MCTC, the Rev. Fuller was a mentor, president of student government, a Kopp Presidential Scholar, and a member of Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society and the All-USA Community College Academic Team.

After receiving a Liberal Arts degree from MCTC in 1998, she transferred to Augsburg College where she was a Ronald E. McNair Scholar and received the Marina Christensen Justice Award and the Linda Schrempp Alberg Leadership Award. She graduated from Augsburg in 2001 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Youth and Family Ministry. In 2005, she received a Master’s of Divinity degree from Princeton Theological Seminary in New Jersey, where she was an Acorn Foundation scholar. During her professional career, the Rev. Fuller has served as an associate pastor of pastoral care at Rossmoor Community Church in Monroe Township, N.J., as chaplain for Presbyterian Homes and Services, PHS Senior Living, in Princeton, N.J., as an academic advisor for student support services at Augsburg College, and as a social worker for Another Chance Agency in Minneapolis. She was recently inducted into the 2009 Minneapolis Community and Technical College Hall of Fame and was named the 2009 Augsburg College Pan-Afrikan Student Union’s Alum of the Year.

“At MCTC, I discovered an invaluable TRiO support system,” says the Rev. Fuller. “Whether helping me overcome my math anxiety or budget for bus fare, my TRiO advisors were always accessible and gave me the academic language, courage, confidence and love that I needed to succeed not only as a student but as a single parent. The TRiO program was there for me every step of the way.”

The TRiO programs are federally funded, educational outreach programs designed to support students from disadvantaged backgrounds, including low-income, first-generation college students. There are 68 TRiO programs in Minnesota’s public and private institutions. MCTC has six TRiO programs, more than any other higher education institution in Minnesota.

– Article orginally posted at http://www.minneapolis.edu/documents/pressroom/qtvtyoybit0zterwL1i7Lvrut6.pdf

Ramon Gabriel Figueroa, senior film studies and psychology major at Sacramento State, was selected as the 2009 recipient the William R. Hearst/CSU Board of Trustees’ Award for Outstanding Achievement. This award is granted once a year to one student from each of the 23 CSU campuses.

Figueroa, originally from Mexico City, left his family and moved to Southern California about 10 years ago. After getting his associate’s degree in business administration from Santa Ana College and studying for some time at CSU Fullerton, Figueroa moved to Sacramento and enrolled at Sac State.

Figueroa was awarded for overcoming adversity while maintaining outstanding academic achievement. Throughout his many transitions, battling language barriers and working two jobs, Figueroa managed to maintain a 3.91 overall grade point average.

Although film directing is his primary focus, Figueroa also hopes to write his own screenplays. He believes that his knowledge of psychology will come in handy in creating better characters for his films.

“Film is just my passion,” Figueroa said. “I want to be able to tell a story in such a beautiful way that people feel compelled to watch the film again.”

Even when talking about his journey in overcoming adversity and achievement in receiving the Hearst Award, Figueroa said he’d rather focus on where he is now than on what it took to get him here.

“Personally, I’m not too much into talking about myself in that sense because I know everybody overcomes adversity to a certain degree,” Figueroa said. “I think everyone is intelligent. I don’t see myself as being more intelligent than anyone else or being better in any sense.”

Besides being the recipient of the Hearst Award, Figueroa also participated in the McNair Scholars Program this past summer. This program is designed to prepare students from underrepresented groups for admission and studies at the doctoral level.

“(Figueroa) was committed and diligent with his approach to his McNair opportunity. He did an excellent job with his research on Latino stereotypes in the media and produced a fine paper on that research,” said Figueroa’s mentor and psychology professor Gregory M. Kim-Ju.

Figueroa’s research was presented to different universities across the United States including California, Pennsylvania and Georgia.

“He possesses the attributes that will help students shape the future,” said Lova Jane Benson, administrative coordinator for the McNair Scholars Program.

“I’d love to give back to the community and teach other students the things that I learn as a filmmaker. Hopefully, it will help them on their road to be great storytellers,” Figueroa said.

Michele S. Foss-Snowden, communications studies assistant professor who also worked with Figueroa on his McNair research, is proud of his most recent achievements.

“I’m thrilled to see that others are recognizing his potential and the quality of his work. He really is a rising star, and I think it’s only appropriate that an amazing scholar and person should win this amazing award,” Foss-Snowden said.

As for his source of motivation, Figueroa attributes his success to his respect for knowledge and learning.

“I respect education with all my heart and all my soul. I think education is the key to change the world,” Figueroa said.

Another great motivation, Figueroa said, is his daughter Jazmin.

“I want her to go to college and also get a degree and help people,” Figueroa said. “That’s the main thing. Once I, or if I, become a well-known director, then I’m in a position to help people through my films or if I have enough money, to put it in charities and help other people. I know one person can’t change the world, but you can do a lot.”

– Article originally posted at http://media.www.statehornet.com/media/storage/paper1146/news/2009/10/07/News/Figueroa.Wins.Award.For.Academic.Success-3795044.shtml

Edwin Fonseca, 2008 Eastern graduate and McNair Scholar, was nominated to receive the Northwest Association of Special Programs TRiO Achievers’ award. The award is given to graduates who have benefited significantly from TRiO services and have made an outstanding contribution to their communities. Fonseca, who currently holds Bachelors of Arts in sociology and Spanish, certainly meets this criteria. He started out at Yakima Valley Community College, where he overcame adversity and discrimination with the help of TRiO’s Student Support Services. He went on to EWU, completing groundbreaking research with Dr. Sue Wright on community building and playing an integral part in building Living Learning communities on campus. Fonseca is applying to PhD programs for fall 2009, hoping to help ESL students like himself in the future. We’re certain he’ll succeed and we wish him the best of luck!