Dr. Richmond is a young professional with a passion to serve adults and he believes in the power of higher education and student support. It was during his teaching and graduate assistantships that he developed a commitment to working with and developing adults in higher education.
Originally from Memphis, TN, he graduated from the University of Central Arkansas with a Bachelor’s degree in Communication Studies-Broadcasting in 2001. Three years later, in 2004, he graduated from the University of Arkansas - Fayetteville, with a Master’s degree in Communication Studies. After graduating, he worked two years in the TRiO program, Student Support Services, as a Student Development Specialist & Communications Coordinator at the University of Arkansas, serving low income and first-generation students. It is in this position where he decided that the field of higher education was his professional path and passion.
His passion for helping students develop their “genius” eventually led him to the University of Tennessee-Knoxville, where he completed his Ph.D. in Higher Education Administration. While pursuing his degree, he complemented his academic endeavors by acquiring professional experiences in the Student Affairs and Academic Affairs realms. He spent 4 years in the Office of Minority Student Affairs/Black Cultural Center at UT focusing on diversity initiatives, cultural awareness, graduate student support, campus programming, and leadership development. He also spent 2.5 years as the Coordinator (III) for Recruitment & Retention/Academic Advising in the College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences at UT-Knoxville. It was in this role where he advised undergraduate and graduate students, coordinated recruitment/retention initiatives for the academic departments in the college, and worked on diversity initiatives. After completing his Ph.D., he served as the inaugural Director of Graduate Student Mentoring & Success at North Carolina State University in the College of Education, where he also had a Teaching Assistant Professor appointment in the Higher Education Administration Program. He also worked as a Faculty Member at Shaw University teaching Public Speaking and Communication courses. Continuing his commitment to student success, he also served as the Assistant Dean of Student Services in the Bouve College of Health Sciences at Northeastern University in Boston, MA. In this role he provided executive level leadership, vision, direction, advocacy, and supervision for a comprehensive Office of Undergraduate Advising and an Office of Graduate Student Services. In his current role at UNC-Charlotte, he serves as Director of Academic Advising in the College of Health & Human Services and is an adjunct Faculty Member in the Africana Studies Department, teaching a variety of courses related to Black History, success, communication, and leadership. He also is a co-founder of a minority leadership development consulting/coaching company called Dream Launch that focuses on empowering and training young minority leaders.
Be sure to check out Dr. Richmond's current course for the Africana Studies department, LBST 2101: African American Leadership, which is offered each Spring semester.