Recent Projects

Picturing Racial Battle Fatigue among Black Postsecondary Students

Using photo-elicitation methodology, we investigate the impact of racial battle fatigue on the academic success of Black undergraduate and graduate students and identify support strategies to reduce racial battle fatigue and support academic success among this population.

Research Team
Photo of Dr. Stephen John Quaye
Dr. Stephen Quaye, Co-PI

Stephen John Quaye is Associate Dean for Excellence in Graduate and Postdoctoral Training at The Ohio State University. Stephen oversees a team of professionals committed to advancing the recruitment, retention, and professional development of graduate students and postdoctoral scholars at OSU; developing innovative funding structures to support talented and diverse graduate students and postdoctoral scholars; and examining Graduate School policies to ensure they are equitable and remove barriers for success. Prior to joining the Graduate School as an Associate Dean, Stephen was a Professor and Program Chair of the Higher Education and Student Affairs Program at The Ohio State University.

Neal J. McKinney, Graduate Research Assistant

Neal McKinney, M.Ed. (he/him/his) completed his Ph.D in Educational Studies at The Ohio State University in Columbus, OH. His research agenda broadly centers critical theories on race (e.g., critical race theory, critical whiteness studies) to identify and study racist policies and practices that view students of color as undeserving of an education.

Photo of Hunter V. J. Jones
Hunter V. J. Jones, Graduate Research Assistant

Hunter Jones completed her master’s of arts in Higher Education and Student Affairs at The Ohio State University. She studied human development and journalism at Washington State University before serving as an AmeriCorps member in Saint Paul and Minneapolis, Minnesota. Hunter’s experiences serving members of her communities with marginalized identities led to her interest in higher education access and equity. Her research interests include the impact of racial battle fatigue on the experiences of Black collegians and perfectionism as a symptom of racial battle fatigue.

Photo of Na'eem Allen-Stills
Na’eem Allen-Stills, Graduate Research Assistant

Na’eem C. Allen-Stills completed his master’s of arts degree in Higher Education and Student Affairs at The Ohio State University and obtained his bachelor’s degree from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. Hi research interests primarily center the collegiate experiences of Black students. He has devoted himself to serving as a mentor and an advocate for academia’s most vulnerable student demographics: first-generation students, low-income students, and students with minoritized racial identities.

Racial Battle Fatigue Among Black College Athletes

Black male college athletes enrolled at historically white institutions (HWIs) may be faced with numerous challenges such as racism, hostile campus environments, and exploitative systemic practices. Our collaborative work acknowledges these challenges as we examine how Black male college athletes experience and respond to racial battle fatigue. By incorporating higher education, social psychology, and sport sociology/management perspectives, we provide critical interdisciplinary theoretical and practical advances that will serve to improve the experiences of Black male college athletes at HWIs.

Photo of Dr. Jonathan Howe
Dr. Jonathan Howe, Co-PI

Dr. Jonathan Howe is an assistant professor at Temple University in the School of Sport, Tourism and Hospitality Management. His research centers broadly on the intersections of race, sport, and education—focusing on Black male college athletes as well as Black coaches and athletic administrators. One of his research goals is to bridge the gap between scholarship and practice within collegiate athletics and higher education institutions.

Scarlet & Gray Advantage: Investigating First Year Students’ Financial and Academic Stress and Wellness

The Scarlet & Gray Advantage aims to: improve students’ access to scholarships, on-campus employment, and other forms of financial support; improve students’ financial wellness, including their financial knowledge, behaviors, awareness, and stress; and improve students’ academic success and overall well-being. In this study we investigate how participation in the Scarlet & Gray Advantage pilot program influence students’ financial and academic stress and wellness.

Research Team
Dr. Stephen Quaye, Co-PI
Hunter V.J. Jones, Graduate Research Assistant