Grambling State University held its Keys to Leadership II: Scholarship, Research and Service with guest speaker, Dr. Kassie Freeman, March 10. The program was held in the T.H. Harris Auditorium, and sponsored by Earl Lester Cole Honors College in collaboration with First Year Experience and the Favrot Student Union Board.Dr. Freeman is currently the vice president for Academic and Student Affairs at Southern University A&M College System and professor of education. She served as dean at Bowdoin College and Dillard University where she raised funding and enrollment.
Freeman’s presentation covered how important education is, particularly in the Black community. More importantly the topic of higher education came into play, she discussed how it is a must today.
Freeman also concentrated on scholarship, research, and service and how these can be applied with the higher education received. She is the second African American to be elected a past president of The Comparative and International Education Society.
Her research interests include people of color in the arena of HBCU and teacher education. This is proven fact with the three books of in depth research and analysis written by Freeman. They include: Black Colleges: New Perspectives on Policy and Practice, African Americans and College Choice: The Influence of Family and School, African American Culture and Heritage in Higher Education Research and Practice.
Freeman attended the University of Vienna, Austria and Oslo, Norway and is considered a leader and scholar in the field of education.
With a wide array of accolades, Freeman gave freshmen and honor students tips on how to succeed in college and after. It is evident that Freeman has a deep love for higher education, but more importantly for the wonders that it does for those of African American descent.