Program Faculty
Delaware State University is classified as a Historically Black College or University (HBCU) land-grant institution with a Carnegie research classification. This category encourages research and collaboration as a scholarly community between our doctoral students and faculty. Research interests of faculty interests range from issues in student affairs practice, university retention, multicultural issues, educational equity, internationalization, or college access.
Our doctoral students not only engage in their own research through the dissertation capstone process, but co-author journal articles and co-present with our full-time and affiliate faculty. These also include co-presenting research and scholarly practice at national conferences such as the ACPA-College Student Educators International, Association for the Study of Higher Education, American Educational Research Association, NASPA- Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education.
Core Faculty
- Dr. Justin Alexander, Assistant Professor
- Dr. Pietro A. Sasso, Associate Professor
- Dr. Richard Phillips, Professor
- Yvette Pierre, Associate Professor
Affiliate Faculty
Dr. Amber Ward serves as the Associate Director for the Institutional Effectiveness/Center for Teaching & Learning at Delaware State University. In this role, she interconnects teaching, learning assessment, accreditation, and higher education effectiveness through the implementation of faculty development programs for university faculty, adjuncts, and teaching assistants. Additionally, she serves on the advisory boards for the Association of College and University Educators (ACUE) and the Historically Black Colleges and Universities Faculty Development Network (HBCU FDN).
Dr. Adriel Hilton has worked in student affairs and higher education for more than fifteen years in which he is regarded as one seminal scholars in the study of HBCUs. He is a prolific author and researcher in which he has more than fourteen books. His research is published in a host of refereed journals, such as the Teachers College Record, Journal of College Student Development, Community College Review, Community College Journal of Research and Practice, Journal of Applied Research in the Community College, and the Journal of the Professoriate. His numerous service commitments include membership on the editorial boards of the renowned Journal of Negro Education and the highly acclaimed College Student Affairs Journal.
Dr. Angel Jones is an educator, activist, and critical race scholar who uses creative methods such as hip-hop and poetry to center the voices and experiences of the Black community. Her research explores the impact of racism on mental health with a focus on microaggressions and Racial Battle Fatigue. Dr. Jones is also a public scholar who uses social media as an educational tool to increase access to academic scholarship. She is the author of Street Scholar: Using Public Scholarship to Educate, Advocate, and Liberate which is an unapologetic call-to-action that challenges academia to thoughtfully and intentionally engage in public scholarship. Dr. Jones has been interviewed by multiple media outlets including Forbes, USA Today, and Insider for her expertise on racism in the United States.
Dr. Kemal Atkins is an experienced higher education leader and is also a senior consultant at the Association of Governing Boards (AGB) Consulting. He has more than 25 years of institutional leadership experience and is an authority on enrollment management, student success, higher education governance, organizational and leadership development, strategic planning, and crisis management. His consulting work focuses on institutional strategy and transformation practices such as business model innovation, revenue growth, change management, and crisis leadership and recovery. Dr. Atkins has held vice president positions at Keene State College and Delaware State University. He has also held administrative positions at East Carolina University, the University of North Carolina System Office, Appalachian State University.
Dr. Christine McDermott is a seasoned higher education professional with over two decades of experience in academic leadership, assessment, and student success. Currently serving as the Accreditation and Assessment Specialist at Delaware State University. She collaborates with faculty and staff to ensure compliance with the standards set by accrediting bodies, such as the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE). She provides technical expertise to improve institutional performance and student outcomes. Her efforts focus on fostering a data-driven approach to continuous improvement, integrating assessment strategies across academic programs, administrative units, and service areas. Dr. McDermott is a frequent presenter at national conferences, sharing her insights on institutional mergers, assessment strategies, and student retention.
Charlisa Holloway Edelin, JD is an Associate Professor of Law Studies and Associate Dean of Student Life and Academic Success. Her work focuses on the First Amendment, journalism, and public relations, and she has published articles on the speech-centered cases. Professor Edelin has served as a lawyer, department chair, professor, and in her current student affairs capacity.
Affiliate Faculty Caribbean EdD Program
Dr. Jacqueline Huggins has 17 years of experience in student affairs and student success, working in student life and development, academic support, international and regional student support and disability studies. a former President of a regional student services association - the Caribbean Tertiary Level Personnel Association (CTLPA) - regional and Trinidad and Tobago Chapter among other executive positions. She has won several awards within her association and the regional association for excellence in practice, research and as an administrative professional. She also has served on the national board of the American College Personnel Association (ACPA). She has engaged in research about gender issues, disability studies, and social justice. She has published articles related to disability and student services institutions and presented at national, regional and international conferences (ACPA, AHEAD, ACPA) about students with disabilities in higher education.
Dr. Karen Holland is Director of Scholarships & Student Services at Delaware State University in the College of Agriculture, Science, & Technology. Karen Holland, Director of CAST Scholarships & Student Services. Dr. Holland has three decades of extensive experience spanning various domains within Predominantly White Institutions (PWIs) and Historically Black Colleges and universities (HBCUs). She holds expertise in qualitative research methods and research design incorporating cutting-edge approaches such as artificial intelligence (AI) into research design.
Dr. Renee L. Bowling is an international education administrator committed to advancing holistic global learning for the common good. She has over 25 years of experience leading counseling, academics, and student affairs in U.S. and international P-12 and higher education contexts ranging from international schools to liberal arts colleges and research universities. She is interested in developing international education leadership and fostering transformational learning environments where students learn to engage constructively with difference. She serves as Chair of NASPA’s Spirituality and Religion in Higher Education Knowledge Community, on the Editorial Board of the Journal of Student Affairs Research and Practice (JSARP), and as a reviewer for the Journal of Comparative International Higher Education (JCIHE).
Dr. Kadia Hylton-Fraser is a Fulbright and UCEA Jackson scholar with almost 25 years’ experience in education. A former Director of Programmes at the National College for Educational Leadership (NCEL), Dr. Fraser remains passionate about contributing to the continued improvement of the Jamaican education system through the systematic development and support of its school leaders, teachers, and students. Accordingly, her research, conference presentations and publications span educational leadership, principal preparation, and social justice leadership.