Alumnus, Diversity Expert Presents Professional Development Series on Campus

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Fred Bonner, II

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Fred A. Bonner, II, an expert in the field of diversity in education and University of Arkansas alumnus, will serve as a visiting scholar for Professional Development: Visiting Scholars Program. This series of presentations, sponsored by the J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences and the Sam M. Walton College of Business, is designed for audiences to enhance their professional development in an academic setting.

Bonner will give three daytime lectures, running from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. April 17, 18 and 19, and one evening session April 18. There is no cost to register, but seating is limited. Those wishing to attend must register by Friday, April 12, and must register separately for each session. Registration for the daytime sessions includes lunch. For vegetarian requests, please contact Barbara Lofton at blofton@uark.edu.

The lunchtime sessions are Advising the Millennial Generation on Wednesday, April 17; Faculty of Color, Women, and Doctoral Students: On Track but Out of the Loop on Thursday, April 18; and Framing and Maintaining a Research Agenda on Friday, April 19. The evening session, Honing Your Research Skills, will be held Thursday at 6 p.m.

Advising the Millennial Generation, a presentation designed for professional and faculty advising undergraduate and graduate students, will provide a holistic perspective on the “Millennials.” This group represents a major percentage of the undergraduate and graduate student populations in our nation’s higher education institutions. Bonner will provide critical insight on how to effectively contribute to these collegians’ learning, growth and development. The event will be held in Willard J. Walker Hall, room 203. Go to http://advisingthemillennialgeneration.eventbrite.com to register.

Faculty of Color, Women, and Doctoral Students: On Track but Out of the Loop will focus on five key themes highlighted in an article published in the Chronicle of Higher Education that underscored the experiences of faculty of color, women and doctoral students – particularly African American tenure-track faculty in predominantly white institutions. It will be held in Walker Hall, room 203. Go to http://ontrackbutoutoftheloop.eventbrite.com to register.

Framing and Maintaining a Research Agenda is intended for assistant and associate professors. It will examine the steps to frame and maintain an active research agenda. The session will be held in the Donald W. Reynolds Center for Enterprise Development, seminar room A, and participants will be involved in both theoretical and practical applications in an effort to promote their success. Email Lori at tfsc@uark.edu to register.

Honing Your Research Skills is designed for teaching assistants and graduate students. Bonner will explore key factors that are essential in developing research skills and a scholarly agenda that will serve as the foundation for a career in academe as a scholar or scholar/practitioner. Go to http://grad.uark.edu/dynamic/rsvp/ to register.

Bonner’s many awards include the American Association for Higher Education Black Caucus Dissertation Award and the Educational Leadership, Counseling and Foundation's Dissertation of the Year Award from the University of Arkansas College of Education.  He also received a grant from the National Science Foundation to further his research on factors influencing the success of high-achieving African American students in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields at historically black colleges and universities.

Much of Bonner’s work has centered on microcultural populations developing attitudes, motivations and strategies to survive in macrocultural settings. He currently serves as the Samuel DeWitt Proctor Endowed Chair in Education at the Graduate School of Education at Rutgers University.

Prior to joining Rutgers, he was professor of higher education administration and dean of faculties at Texas A&M University-College Station. He earned a bachelor of arts in chemistry from the University of North Texas, a master of science in education in curriculum and instruction from Baylor University, and a doctorate of education in higher education administration and college teaching from the University of Arkansas. 

Partners for Professional Development: Visiting Scholars Program include the Graduate School and International Education, the Diane D. Blair Center of Southern Politics and Society, the Office of the Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, the Wally Cordes Teaching and Faculty Support Center, the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences, the College of Education and Health Professions and the Office of Diversity Affairs. For more information on the individual programs, go to http://fulbright.uark.edu/hr.php or contact Elecia Smith at (479) 575-3312 or ecs002@uark.edu.