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Frederick Douglass Institute
The Frederick Douglass Institute celebrates our eleventh annual summer Douglass Scholars teaching program. We are honored to announce a record breaking number of participants in the summer Douglass program. As we proceed into the future, the Institute will continue to walk in the footstep of Douglass to promote educational excellence, social equality and equity. As Douglass once said, "without struggle, there is no progress".
2008 Summer Douglass Teaching Scholars
Dr.
Yolanda Abel is Instructor in the
Department of Teacher Preparation at Johns Hopkins University. She coordinates
Human Development, Learning, and Diversity I and II (HDLD). She provides
advising to students in early childhood and elementary education. Yolanda also
coordinates the annual digital portfolio process, one of the final graduation
requirements of the program. Dr. Abel serves on the Committee on Diversity and
Civility and the Faculty Development Committee for Johns Hopkins University.
After completing her doctorate in education from Johns Hopkins in Teacher Development and Leadership. Dr. Adel’s dissertation, “African-American Father Involvement in Their Children’s School-Based Lives,” earned the 2008 Judith Ruchkin Research Award from the Maryland Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (MDASCD). Her research interests include the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) as a tool for establishing community and diversity. Currently, she is designing a hybrid version of HDLD I, a parent-involvement curriculum elective, and creation of an Early Childhood Professional Development School (PDS). In addition, Dr. Abel is an occasional reviewer for Corwin Press, Allyn & Bacon, the Journal of Children and Poverty, and the U.S. Department of Education.
Originally from New York City, Dr. Adel attended The Modern School, a Black-private school, established by Mildred Johnson, the daughter of J. Rosamond Johnson and the niece of James Weldon Johnson, the authors of the Black National Anthem, “Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing.” Strong familial bonds and living examples of dedication, hard work, and excellence laid the foundation for Dr. Abel’s commitment to education in general and its usage as a tool of self-empowerment.
Mr.
Neilesh Bose is a
Dissertation Fellow at the College of St. Rose in Albany, NY. In 2008-09, he
will be a Riley Fellow at Colorado College in Colorado Springs, CO. He expects
to defend and finish his dissertation in fall of 2008. Originally, from
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Bose received a Bachelor of the Arts from the
University of Pittsburgh in Anthropology and an interdisciplinary
artium magister
(A.M.) in Social
Sciences from the University of Chicago. In addition to his work in modern South
Asian history, nationalism, and colonial/postcolonial studies, he is also
interested in modern Africa, South Asian diasporas, theatre and performance
studies. In addition to his academic pursuits, Bose is also a theatre
practitioner. His future plans involve professorial employment as a tenure-track
faculty position in history in 2008-09.
Ms.
Charnetta Gadling-Cole is
a West Chester University (WCU) Frederick Douglass Institute
Scholar-in-Residence in the Undergraduate Department of Social Work. A cum
laude graduate of Johnson C. Smith University’s Bachelor of Arts in
psychology, she earned her Masters of Social Work from the University of South
Carolina. Also, she has certification in the First Placement, Best Placement,
and Wrap-Around Service Provider (FPBP) from the Georgia Department of Family
and Children Services.
A former summer fellow of the National Institute of Health, Ms. Gadling-Cole has conducted international qualitative research for people living with HIV/AIDS in Haiti, Kenya, and South Africa. She has successfully written grants for faith-based initiatives programs, non-profits organizations, and the City of Jacksonville, Florida. Ms. Gadling-Cole developed and implemented programs for youth residential treatment facilities, homeless shelters, developmental disabilities populations, and transitional housing for non-profit organizations. She has presented papers at the National Gerontological Social Work Conference, Association for Gerontology in Higher Education, and the National Association of Black Social Workers. She has several publications including a book chapter in the upcoming book, African-American Families across Generations (Hawthorne Press, 2008). As the founder of J& J Consultants, Ms. Charnetta Gadling-Cole helps non-profit organizations secure funding, develop programming, and train staff.
Having served as an adjunct at Kennesaw State University and Howard University, Ms. Charnetta Gadling-Cole mentors students. Her teaching has demonstrated that a good teacher is enthusiastic, has the ability to stimulate student interest and thought, is well prepared, and has the knowledge and passion of the content.
Ms.
Kari Miller,
Ph.D. candidate at Howard University in the Department of African Studies, completed her undergraduate
work in English at Spelman College and her Master’s in Higher Education at
Florida State University. Ms. Miller’s areas of interest include literature,
African arts, women’s studies, and South African history. Her dissertation
research focuses on the representations of black women in the South African
plays of Athol Fugard and Zakes Mda.
Ms. Miller first became interested in the literature and history of South Africa when she studied abroad during her junior year at Spelman. During her spring semester she studied at Rhodes University in Grahamstown in the Eastern Cape region of South Africa. She was heavily influenced by the work of women writers Bessie Head and Lauretta Ngcobo because they underscored the importance of an interdisciplinary approach to merging literature, history, and politics. Her study abroad experience was so influential that she decided to pursue a career in International Higher Education Administration.
Having visited fifteen countries as a part of her work, Ms. Miller has worked with study abroad programs and offices. The daughter of career armed forces father, she has lived with her family in Florida, California, Mississippi, Japan, and Maryland. Currently teaching Introduction to African Literature, Literature, and Film and Society in Africa at Howard, Ph.D. Candidate Ms. Kari Miller intends to continue to work towards a university career in international education, while also teaching the literature of Africa and the African Diaspora.
Dr.
Kesha Morant earned a Ph.D. in Communication and Culture from Howard
University in May 2008.
After completing an
undergraduate degree at West Chester in Communication Studies at West Chester
University (1999), she received a Master of the Arts in Humanities from
Pennsylvania State University (2005).
A recipient of awards and acknowledgements from the Lancaster Chamber of Commerce and Industry Leadership and Women’s Expressions, Dr. Morant has an upcoming article, “Black Youth’s Personal Involvement in the HIV/AIDS Issue: Does the Public Service Announcement Still Work?” in the Journal of Health Communication. And, she has presented at conferences held by the National Communication Association, International Communications Association, Eastern Communications Association, Pennsylvania State University-Harrisburg, and Howard University. Frequently consulted as a lecturer and workshop facilitator, she belongs to the major professional organizations of her field such as the Eastern Communication Association, National Communication Association and the International Communication Association.
Dr. Morant research interests include intercultural and rhetorical communication. Her dissertation covered the continuity and extension of the elements of talk through commercial Black radio. Currently, she has two articles under review: “Language in Action: Funk Music as the Critical Voice of a post-Civil Rights Movement Counterculture” and “Black Female Youth Perspective on Interpersonal Relationships and Preventative Health Messages in Popular Communication.”
Dr. Kesha Morant argues that there is an undeniable power attached to our words. As a scholar, she desires to explore this power and the impact of words on the communicative experiences.
Ms.
Bahiyyah MiAllah Muhammad,
Ph.D. candidate in Rutgers
University, School of Criminal Justice and a New Jersey Minority in Academic
Careers (MAC) Doctoral Fellow, received her Bachelor of Science in
Administration of Justice from Rutgers University-New Brunswick Campus with a
minor in psychology and a criminology certificate. Before earning her Masters
in Science in Criminal Justice from John Jay College of Criminal Justice—New
York City, she spent a semester in South Africa at The University of Natal-
Pietermaritzberg where she studied international criminal justice issues.
Active member of Sisters of the Academy, Ms. Muhammad’s dissertation delves into children of prisoners and African Americans in the Criminal Justice System.It weaves a narrative that explores why socio-economics and culture impact the shaping of public policies that underpin the American judicial system.
Ms. Bahiyyah MiAllah Muhammad is a native of East Orange, New Jersey. Ms. Muhammad is one of nine children, all by the same parents. Her eight siblings include five sisters and three brothers. Growing up in this urban city sparked her interest in crime and its effects on the black community. She has spent the last three years ethnographically studying children throughout New Jersey dealing with parental incarceration, separation, and reintegration.
Dr. Wanda Swiggett earned her doctorate in Educational Psychology from Rutgers University. She is a recipient of various fellowships including the Southern Regional Educational Board (SREB) Doctoral Fellowship, the New Jersey Minorities in Academic Careers (MAC) Doctoral Fellowship, and the Samuel D. Proctor Fellowship. She earned her Masters of Science in Teaching from The New School in New York City and her undergraduate degree in Psychology from Rutgers University.
As a first-generation college student, Dr. Swiggett recognizes the importance of mentorship. She continuously strives to become a valuable resource to others. She is committed to empowering all students with information that will help them further their dreams. Before entering her graduate program, she has had a variety of teaching experiences with students ranging from kindergarten through adulthood. During her graduate years, she has taught an assortment of courses at Rutgers’ Graduate School of Education and at Lock Haven University.
Dr. Swiggett’s research area involves academic motivation, learning environments, and educational assessment. Currently, she is exploring changes in academic motivation while students are building scientific models and learning through argumentation. She is an active member of the American Psychological Association and the American Educational Research Association.
Born in Philadelphia, PA, raised primarily in Willingboro, NJ, Dr. Swiggett currently resides in New Brunswick, NJ. She has been committed to all forms of education since her undergraduate years. She has worked in social service agencies in Philadelphia providing case management, advocacy, as well as employment skills. Her clients have been homeless mothers, and their toddlers, newly employed mothers receiving welfare, and ex-offenders entering the job market. At every stage in her professional life, Dr. Swiggett continues to be committed to helping others succeed.
Check out pictures from the FDI's eleventh annual Summer Douglass Scholars Reception below:
