Dr. Tryan L. McMickens (he/him) serves as an Associate Professor of Higher Education and Director of the M.S.Ed. in Higher Education Administration Program at North Carolina Central University (NCCU). NCCU is an exceptional Historically Black College and University (HBCU) with an innovative higher education graduate program.

Dr. McMickens’s research examines historically marginalized and underserved populations that suffer from inequities, particularly in higher education, and how these populations can live full and prosperous lives in and beyond higher education. Equity and liberation are central to much of his scholarship. His funded research portfolio exceeds $65,000 and he was awarded over $200,000 in fellowship awards from the Bill and Melinda Gates Millennium Scholars Program. His research has led to several publications, including 4 books, and over 70 presentations, keynote addresses, invited talks, and speaker series discussions.

Dr. McMickens sailed around the world and developed cross-cultural and global exposure in 14 countries with the Semester at Sea program. He holds an educational doctorate in higher education from the University of Pennsylvania. He earned a master’s degree in administration of higher education from Suffolk University and bachelor’s degrees in sales & marketing and business administration from Tuskegee University.