An Experience of a Lifetime: The Academic Journey from "Student" to "Professor" at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) - Revised Edition

Book info: An Experience of a Lifetime: The Academic Journey from "Student" to "Professor" at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) - Revised Edition (Paperback, 291 pages) – Ashburton Press, LLC, 2023. Language: English.

This book highlights and describes the academic journey of Dr. Rodney T. Cunningham from an undergraduate student to a Ph.D. recipient at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). This book also characterizes and describes the influences of significant mentors and the unique cultural and personal experiences encountered by Cunningham during his HBCU student matriculation and rise to a university professor.As well, this book is a revision of the 1st edition. It includes a foreword from the distinguished scholar and HBCU advocate, Dr. Marybeth Gasman. It also includes three new appendices. In appendix A, the book adds three historical recommendations from significant mentors that propelled Cunningham to his first professorial appointment. In appendix B, the book provides Cunningham's depiction of a theoretical model that addresses the domains of HBCU culture enroute to student success and character development. In appendix C, the book offers a "Where Are They Now" section. In this section, Cunningham provides seventy two up-to-date profiles about his significant mentors and student colleagues that he learned from and with during his HBCU experiences.Finally, this book hopes to inspire, attract, and motivate students to want to attend an HBCU. Given the many challenges that African American students are currently facing in higher education, this book aims to illuminate the special and unique educational experiences that HBCUs provide to African American students. It is Cunningham's hope that this book can continue to heighten the trajectories for HBCUs, but also encourage students to attend them on the road to becoming their best selves.