Sept. 28, 2004 issue

Working at Eastern Michigan University has been a blessing. When I started here seven years ago, my career was winding down. I left one institution, retired with emeritus status and could have remained retired. But, when this opportunity came, I took it.

One of the things I like most about coming to EMU is the opportunity to expand African American Studies into an applied discipline. I teach, but I also run EMU's African American Center for Applied Research and Services. The reason the center exists is because we received a Research Excellence Fund (REF) grant that was supportive of a program that reaches out to the African American community. There is no other center in this University that directly works with the African American community of southeastern Michigan.

I enjoy working and, as long as my health is good, I will continue to enjoy teaching. Students seem to enjoy me, based on their evaluations. I use the Socratic method when teaching. That means students and teachers learn together and talk about issues. Students have a lot to teach because they come from a lot of different cultures and experiences.

The next challenge is to get the center moving effectively and to develop a master's in applied research in African American Studies. We've put together projects that will change the lives of African American people. One works on bridging the digital divide with high school students and their parents. Another project, in Detroit, seeks to get young people involved in developing their own businesses, an activity that serves as a deterrent to delinquent behavior. Our project in Ann Arbor, with the Center for Independent Living, develops a business incubator for minority handicapped people. It is our hope to have a permanent center that will work in the interests of African Americans.

 

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