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FACULTY KUDOS: Dean Young appointed to Education Trust policy council

By Diana Fedinec

Dr. LaDonna YoungCongratulations to Dr. LaDonna Young, Dean of Humanities, Social Sciences & Mathematics, on her appointment to The Education Trust’s Higher Education Policy Council.  Young began serving a one-year term February 1.

The Education Trust is a national nonprofit that works to expand excellence and equity in education from preschool through college, particularly for historically underserved students.  “Dr. Young helps people and institutions see the humanity behind the policy, pedagogy, and systemic practices and procedures that perpetuate inequities and opportunity gaps for minoritized, historically marginalized students of color,” Education Trust stated in a press release.

The policy council advises The Education Trust on a robust policy agenda that intentionally addresses achievement gaps in education and the actions needed to close those gaps. Council members are thought-leaders, advocates and ambassadors for the organization charged with helping to shape state policy on a wide rage of issues impacting the public education system in Tennessee.

“I am honored to serve on the Education Trust in Tennessee's Higher Education Policy Council in such an important role that advocates for equitable education for historically-underserved students across the state” said Dr. Young. “As educators grapple with the double pandemic that the nation is facing, COVID-19 and racial injustice, community colleges are uniquely situated to serve as beacons of hope and the ticket to achieving social and economic mobility for so many students. I look forward to representing the community college perspective and our phenomenal equity-centered work in the pursuit of education and racial justice.”

Dr. Young has more than 20 years of teaching and administration experience in higher education. Her work has focused on developing successful programs for marginalized and underserved students and empowering the faculty who educate them. She created the College’s Office of High Impact Practices and Innovation (HIPI) and the Gatekeeper Faculty Fellowship, a multi-year, faculty-driven initiative targeted at closing the achievement gaps in the College’s Top 20 Gatekeeper (Gateway) courses. 

Congratulations, Dr. Young!