Meet Your Executive Board...

President: George Williams, Jr
Vice-President: Marla Wyche-Hall
Treasurer: Jay Tillman
Secretary: Sonja Robinson

George Williams, Jr. -- BGPSA President

Being the only male in my family to graduate from college was an exciting accomplishment. I made a decision to receive
George Williams, Jr.my Bachelors and Masters degree in special education for a variety of reasons. I developed a passion to educate children and parents of children with disabilities through the inspiration from my mother and younger brother with a disability. I was ignited with a passion to search more about what I can do to ensure that my brother can participate fully in a setting that most parents and educators take for granted.  I felt that very few people had a deep understanding and desire to teach and advocate for educational equality and/or teach students with disabilities.

Like many educators, I vowed to make a difference in the lives of youngsters by becoming a special education teacher. My primary goal has been to work in the field of special education and enjoy a challenging and rewarding career by providing services to individuals with disabilities and the community. From the start of my career in educating and providing support and services to help students with disabilities learn to their full potential and children that demonstrated school dependence, my personal motto has been for them to “Own the Knowledge.”

As one of few Black doctoral students in the Educational Specialties department, I know what it is like to search for opportunities for professional development, networking, fellowship, and involvement inside and outside UNM’s campus. As the president of the Black Graduate Professional Student Association (BGPSA), my goal is to provide each member with those opportunities and more by sponsoring social mixers, information sessions, developmental workshops and conferences, community service activities and cultural celebrations. Moreover, being committed to the identification, development, recruitment, retention, and academic/professional achievement of Black graduate students is critical. This organization serves an active role in initiating peer support, professional development, networking, and advocacy on behalf of the membership. I am confident that these initiatives will assist in making many Black graduate students’ time here both enjoyable and rewarding.

Finally, my vision is to see this organization promote the academic achievement and professional development of its members. It is essential for our Black community to remain engaged in scholarly endeavors that contribute to the body of research.

Marla Wyche-Hall -- BGPSA Vice President

Mrs. Marla Wyche-Hall hails from the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan area. Currently, Mrs. Wyche-Hall has been a full-
Marla Wyche-Halltime staff member here at UNM since 2006. A mother of two children (Lincoln - age 5; and Tatum - age 2) and the wife of nine years to Jeffery Hall, Marla knows what it means to be task oriented, as well as, holds true to her core principle of being a team player.

Currently, Marla is the Program Director for Undergraduate Research Initiatives, housed within University College, Academic Affairs.  Mrs. Wyche-Hall is also a doctoral student in the Ph.D. Family Studies program with a minor in Counseling within the College of Education, Individual, Family and Community Education Department and is preparing to propose her dissertation topic in the summer of 2009. Her research interests focus on family involvement, academic achievement, ethnic identity, family involvement and self-identity of undergraduate students of color. Specifically, Mrs. Wyche-Hall is interested in students who self identify as African-American, who attend predominantly White institutions of higher education and examining if the above factors are in the equation of academic success in higher education, as it relates to degree completion of students of color.

Mrs. Wyche-Hall has been a continuous player within the Albuquerque metropolitan areas by giving of her time through various community service projects sponsored by her sorority of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Through her sorority (currently the 2nd Vice President of her chapter and Chair of the Scholarships committee), and by being a supporter to events and programs to promote academic excellence of our African American students here on campus and within the community, Marla has the know how to being a leader and a loyal supporter to programs, organizations and events that are about uplifting the people, regardless of hues.

Overall, Marla hopes to support the Black Graduate Professional Student Association by evoking thought, sharing scholarly ideas and promoting all to get to their "specified" next level of success. In the words of Rudyard Kipling, "if you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue, or walk with kings-nor lose the common touch", this is a main stanza that Marla lives by. She understands that each one, teaches one, never forgetting one's humble beginnings; realizing that we ALL are standing on the shoulders of someone else.

James Tillman -- BGPSA Treasurer

Greetings!

I am a second year masters student in the College of Education, Educational Specialties. I received my Bachelors of Arts in African American Studies from the University of New Mexico in 2007.
James "Jay" Tillman

I am currently employed with Albuquerque Public System, Department of School and Community Partnerships. I coordinate the Before and After School Program within the Kirtland Community and Lowell Elementary School. Working with children where opportunities are few and positive role models are rare I have come to appreciate and respect these children. I consider these children America’s best and brightest, although they have been counted out by society, I want nothing more than to give them hope for tomorrow and for them to believe that through hard work they can have all the desires of their heart.

 As a member of the UNM community over the past 7 years I have experienced many triumphs and a few failures as both a student and a leader. However, all of those have prepared for the challenges of graduate school and now as your future Treasurer of the Black Graduate Student Association (BGPSA). Restructuring and rebuilding programs is no new practice for me. I understand the need for change within BGPSA and necessity to create platforms where black professionals can discuss issues, present research, and also seek the assistance of fellow colleagues.

It is my vision that BGPSA becomes the organization that highlights the works and accomplishments of the UNM’s elite (the 100 Black Graduate Students) and supports it members with network opportunities and access to Black faculty on UNM campus. More importantly, as we stand on the shoulders of those who can before us, it is my hope that BGPSA embodies the mission of our ancestors and reach back and mentor those undergraduates who follow our in footsteps.

Sonja Robinson -- BGPSA Secretary/Information Media Officer

I am currently a second year doctorate student in the Sports Administration program under COE and HESS. Prior to coming to UNM, I received a BA in Architecture and Engineering Studies from the University of Minnesota, and an MBA with an emphasis in Organizational Behavior and
Sonja RobinsonEntrepreneurship from the University of Missouri. Mixed in with the years I’ve spent in school, I have held positions in graphic design, sales, e-learning, and small business management, and am currently running an Internet company that I founded in 2003.

My interests have always been diverse and my decision to pursue a PhD stemmed from the desire to take the leadership and organizational behavior theories that I studied and apply them to the sport realm. Having experience as a former college basketball player and coach, it is important to me that we use sports as a way to develop leaders in our community and not just entertainers.

As I have gone through the different levels of education, I have rarely seen a Black professor. In fact, a few of my Africana Studies courses were taught by White professors. Their knowledge was sound, but it disheartened me to see how few examples we have available for our youth to understand exactly how far they can go. At the same time, every campus that I have studied on has had an underrepresentation of Black students at every level.

For those reasons, I believe that we need to establish a strong sense of community of Black graduate and professional students on this campus. As we unite and help each other get through the various aspects of this higher education hustle, we can build a presence for our undergraduates and create connections and support networks with our faculty and campus allies.