Understanding Education as a Career Choice for NC Research Triangle Men
Project Overview
North Carolina Central University (NCCU) has been awarded a $500,000 grant from the Walton Family Foundation to fund a research initiative aimed at addressing the factors influencing the choices North Carolina Research Triangle men make on pursuing education degrees and careers.
Led by Dr. Tryan L. McMickens, professor of higher education and coordinator of NCCU’s higher education administration program, and Dr. Jim C. Harper II, professor of history and interim associate provost and dean of the School of Graduate Studies, the two-year study will also examine the challenges faced by "opportunity youth," referring to young men, ages 18 to 24, who are disconnected from education or employment.
Despite national progress in access to education, many young men furthest from opportunity continue to face systemic obstacles, contributing to high dropout rates and limited postsecondary success. The research aims to identify solutions through research-based interventions, community engagement, and policy recommendations.
Faculty collaborators include Dr. Regina Gavin Williams, assistant professor of counselor education, and Dr. Jayla Moody Marshall, assistant professor of higher education.
Other contributors include NCCU graduate students from the higher education administration and history graduate programs: Zaida Walker, Michael Terrell, Jamie Barnett, Kaitlyn Turner, Titilayo Somorin, Summer Brown, Jardearia McLean, and Kamaiya Scott.
Titled “Understanding Education as a Career Choice for NC Research Triangle Men,” the project will support a research team composed of faculty, seven graduate students from the higher education administration and history programs, and a project manager. The project will culminate with a two-day national conference planned for Fall 2026.
McMickens’ work centers on higher education access, the experiences of Black male students, college mental health and historically Black colleges and universities. He is the author of “Black Male College Students' Mental Health: Providing Holistic Support in Higher Education.” Harper explores African and African American education and the use of technology to deepen public engagement with history. He is the co-author of “With Faith in God and Heart in Mind: A History of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.”
The Walton Family Foundation, led by the descendants of founders Sam and Helen Walton, focuses on creating opportunities in three key areas: improving K-12 education, protecting rivers and oceans along with their communities and investing in Northwest Arkansas and the Arkansas-Mississippi Delta. The foundation also supports projects that reflect the personal interests of individual family members.
The American College Personnel Association (ACPA) Foundation exists to provide philanthropic support for the initiatives of ACPA College Student Educators International that generate and disseminate research and scholarship about college students and further the professional development of student affairs and student service professionals.
Program Contacts:
Dr. Tryan L. McMickens
Professor of Higher Education and Coordinator of the Higher Education Administration Program
[email protected]
Dr. Jim C. Harper, II
Professor of History and Interim Associate Provost and Dean of the School of Graduate Studies
[email protected]