About the Director of the Coretta Scott King Center

Curriculum Vitae

Dana Murray Patterson, Ph.D.

Visionary, challenge-driven, dynamic leader in higher education and student services with 10 years of professional experience; Excellent communicator; recognized among colleagues for keen ability to motivate and inspire professional development, strategic planning and achievement of collective goals; demonstrated multimedia presentation skills and expertise with residential life, community building, conflict resolution, assessment and judicial processes; Certified diversity trainer for The National Coalition Building Institute.

EDUCATION

2006 Washington State University Pullman, WA
Ph.D. Higher Education
Area of emphasis: Cultural Studies and Social Thought in Education

1998 Eastern Kentucky University Richmond, KY
M.A. Student Personnel Services in Higher Education
Area of emphasis: Community and Career Counseling

1992 Berea College Berea, KY
B.A. Social Science
Area of emphasis: Organizational Behavior

RELEVANT PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

2003-2006 Washington State University Pullman, WA
Director of Talmadge Anderson Heritage House for Equity and Diversity

Coordinated the creation and development of new Cultural and Educational Centers for Chicano/Latino and African/African American cultural enhancement; Represented Washington State University as a Board Member for the National Association of Black Cultural Centers; Contributed to the evolution of campus climate as a key member of the Executive Leadership Team for the Vice President for Equity and Diversity; Provided guidance and development for Women’s Resource Center and the student organizations served including Black Women’s Caucus, YWCA, and Coalition for Women Students; Participated in the faculty based research and assessment team in the collection of data for the Equity Scorecard; Served as Principle Investigator for grants to fund campus wide initiatives for social justice such as the annual MLK Community Celebration; Participated as a veteran member of the student conduct board and provided insight about the development of policies and procedures within the office of student conduct; Directed a budget of $15,000 and a staff of 6 part time employees.

2002-2003 Washington State University Pullman, WA
Assistant Director of Residence Life

Served as a member of the senior administrative team responsible for the supervision and development of 15 professional and several paraprofessional staff members and an annual budget of $600,000; Facilitated educational training sessions on ethics, judicial processes, sexual assault, diversity and community building; Provided comprehensive residential campus emergency and on-call coverage; Facilitated collaborative relationships with campus departments, faculty, staff, students and community members; Served as the central liaison for Social Justice Committees and the Office of Judicial Affairs.

2000-2002 Emporia State University Emporia, KS
Director of Multicultural Resource Center

Developed comprehensive diversity education strategy and supportive programs for minority student population; Supervised a staff of 8 and a budget of $20,000; Advised student organizations including Black Student Union, Black Women’s Network, Hispanic American Leadership Organization, and Sigma Sigma Sigma Sorority; Served on campus committees such as the Satisfactory Academic Progress Committee and the Minority Recruitment and Retention Committee; Provided individual and group counseling and consultation; Conducted campus wide assessments on policies and procedures related to minority recruitment and retention.

1999-2000 University of Cincinnati Cincinnati, OH
Residence Director

Chaired Leadership development, staff selection and judicial affairs committees; Coordinated campus wide programs and developed a desk staff of 50, student hall staff of 12 paraprofessionals and 2 professional full time Public Inquiries Assistants; Coordinated safety, maintenance and housekeeping needs for 750 co-educational residents; Provided emergency on-call availably and served as an appointed Judicial Hearing Officer for the Office of Student Conduct; Administered a programming budget of $30,000.

1996-1999 Eastern Kentucky University Richmond, KY
Area Coordinator of Residential Area

Taught transferable skills for residential life staff at all levels; Supervised and developed full time professional and student staff; Facilitated judicial affairs for living/learning environment; Provided on-call and emergency crisis intervention, assessment and referral; Advised Residence Hall Council and Residence Hall Association (RHA).

1993-1996 Chrysalis House Inc. Lexington, KY
Parenting Specialist

Provided educational support for women in recovery and taught specific parenting and sobriety techniques; Served as an advocate for residents with service providers and participated in on-call emergency response rotations with clinical staff.

Summer 1999, 1997, 1996 Berea College Berea, KY
Upward Bound Residence Hall Supervisor / Center Director

Provided interdisciplinary educational opportunities for residential college preparation program; Maintained a living/learning environment conducive to social and academic growth and development; Conducted career building, conflict management and crisis intervention sessions.

TEACHING AND TRAINING EXPEREINCE

2005-2006 Washington State University Pullman, WA
Teaching Assistant for Seminar in Student Affairs: Issues in Higher Education and Critical Race Theory

Co-facilitated graduate student seminar and participated in the development of learning environments to meet course objectives.

WORKSHOPS AND TRAININGS FACILITATED

Women in Leadership
Diversity Education
Ethics in Higher Education
Dealing with Difficult Situations (NCBI)
Community Building (NCBI)
Academic Spoken Word
Black Women in Higher Education: Strategies that work
Intercultural Leadership Initiatives
Building a Cultural Center
Qualitative Research Methods
Finding the Center: Social Justice Workshop
Freedom School: Social Justice for K-20 and beyond

RECENT AWARDS AND HONORS

2006 President’s Award for Leadership and Service, Washington State University
2006 WSU Woman of Distinction, Washington State University
2006 Wiley Research Award, Washington State University
2006 National Chancellor’s List for Doctoral Students
2006 Presidential Commencement Highlighted Student Award, Washington State University
2006 Nominated for Harriet B. Riga Award for Outstanding Doctoral Students
2005 President’s Award for Leadership and Service, Washington State University
2005 Nominated and selected to attend David L. Clark National Graduate Student Research Seminar in Educational Administration and Policy (AERA), 2005, Montreal, Canada
2005 Nominated for the Dr. MLK Distinguished Service Award
2004 Nominated and selected to attend Graduate Public Policy Seminar, Association for the Study of Higher Education (ASHE), Kansas City, MO

INVITED PRESENTATIONS

2006 Black Men Making a Difference 1000’s More Movement 2006, Washington State University

2006 Vibes minority recruitment conference 2006, Washington State University

2006 Keynote speaker for Zeta Phi Beta Finer womanhood Tea, Washington State University

2006 International Globalization and Diversity Conference, Title: For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Spoken Word When a PHD Isn’t Enough: Using Autoethnographic Performance to Examine the Intersections of Race and Gender

2005 Presenter for National Education for Women’s Leadership summer Institute, Title: Women and Leadership

2005 Presenter for National Association of Black Cultural Centers Annual Conference-Academic Spoken Word

2005 International Globalization and Diversity Conference, Washington State University

2004 National Presenter for ABCC (Association for Black Cultural Centers) annual conference, Bloomington, IN, Program Title: Divorcing the Doctor: a pilot study.

2004 Regional Presenter for first annual GLBT student conference “Out in the Middle of the Wheatfield”, Washington State University, Pullman Washington Title: Creative Strategies for Recruiting Allies of Color

2003 Keynote speaker for Department of Residence Life Awards Banquet, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, May 2003

2003 Actress/Activist for WSU production of Vagina Monologues

2002 Keynote speaker for Upward Bound Award Banquet, Emporia State University, Emporia, KS

2000 Regional Presenter for GLACUHO Minority Drive in Conference 2000, University of Cincinnati

1997 National presenter for (American College Personnel Association) ACPA Program Title: The Black Spot: Minority Recruitment and Retention

1997 Regional Presenter for KAHO (Kentucky Association of Housing Officers) and CPAK (College Personnel Association of Kentucky)

PUBLICATIONS

Patterson, D. M. (2005). [Review of the book Reading Families: The Literate Lives of Urban Children]. Urban Review (online edition).
Patterson, D. M. (2006). Divorcing the doctor: Black women doctoral students and their
intimate relationships during the doctoral process. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, Washington State University, Pullman.

PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS

American Council on Education (ACE)
Chi Sigma Iota (Counseling Honor Society)
American College Personnel Association standing committee for multicultural issues
ASHE (Association for the Study of Higher Education)

PROFESSIONAL SERVICE

2003-2006 Member, Board of Directors, YWCA of Washington State University
2003-2006 Member, Board of Directors, National Association for Black Cultural Centers
1997-2000 Member, Standing Committee on Multicultural Issues, American College Personnel Association

INTERESTS

Performing Arts and Spoken Word
Modern and African Dance

Dr. Patterson's Recent Accomplishments