Patrick has over 25 years of working in higher education, specializing in the areas of academic affairs, student support services, faculty development, curricula analytics student, and persistence. Patrick serves as the Associate Vice President-Student Academic Success in the office of Student Success & Enrollment Management and Director of the Men of Color Initiative. He holds a bachelor in Public Administration, a master’s degree in Human Resource Development, and a doctorate in Educational Leadership-Curriculum and Instruction. The VP collaborates with the Provost, Deans, Department Heads, Student Affairs, diversity programs, two-year colleges, and local high schools to address issues of social justice and educational access. With a research focus on the first-year experience, student retention, persistence, and academic success, his body of work investigates institutional factors that support or act as a barrier to the academic and social integration of students, particularly those from underrepresented, marginalized, and minoritized populations. Three years ago, Dr. Turner established the Men of Color Initiative at New Mexico State University which takes an asset-based approach to developing and engaging the intersecting identities of our male students.
He is an executive leader in higher education whose work focuses on student success, retention, persistence, and graduation, particularly for underrepresented and, marginalized populations of students. My background and experience consist of working at 2- and 4-year colleges and universities in Atlanta, Montana, and New Mexico. As a scholar, his research explores how race, gender, culture, generation, and other intersecting identities impact the social and academic experience of students attending a college or university.
Additionally, Dr. Turner is the Co-Principal Investigator (PI) on several grants through Undergraduate Education Research Universities (UERU) and APLU that analyze the impact of inclusive excellence and curricular analytics on generating equity in academic outcomes and closing the opportunity gap. Leadership roles include membership on the Provost Council of African American Affairs, editorial board member for both the Journal of Postsecondary Student Success (JPSS) at Florida State University and the Journal of First Year Experience and Students in Transition in addition to a professional coach for Complete College American (CCA) leadership academy for Predominantly Black and Historically Black Community Colleges (PBI/HBCU).
Patrick is a native of Birmingham, Alabama where his dance career began at the Alabama Community Theatre. He has trained, performed, and been the recipient of numerous dance scholarships and invitations to attend various prestigious dance programs such as Dance Theater of Harlem, Alvin Ailey II, and Dallas Black Dance Theatre and working with highly acclaimed choreographers such Nicolas Picana, Ronald K. Brown, Jose Limon, and Irene Tassembedo. Patrick joined Ballethnic Dance Company in Atlanta, Ga., performing in pieces like The Urban Nutcracker, Shadows, The Leopard Tales, The Legend OF.., and Psychedelia. In 2000, Patrick continued his dance career by joining the Atlanta Festival Ballet Company under the direction of Gregory Aaron and Nicolas Pacana, performing such ballets as Alice in Wonderland, Swan Lake, The Nutcracker, Peter Pan, Symphony in C, and Beauty and the Beast. In 2002 Patrick was hired as the Artistic Director for the Fayette Ballet School of the Performing Arts. His hip-hop/jazz choreography entitled, ”Crunk” won the MTV award in the overall Star Power jazz and hip-hop dance competition.
Finally, he is a national and international AFAA-certified Personal Fitness Trainer (PFT), Group Fitness (GX) exercise expert, Zumba instructor, and AFAA Certification Specialist-Presenter. With over 20 years of experience in the fitness industry, Patrick has been on staff for LA Fitness, Bally’s Total Fitness, Clayton State University, and Georgia State University. A culmination of my background and experience in classical dance and fitness informs my approach to pedagogy, curricular development, workshop facilitation, faculty development, and student engagement.
