The Benefits of Fostering Black Female College Athlete's Sense of Belonging with Dr. Akilah Carter-Francique

Dr. Akilah R. Carter-Francique (Ph.D., University of Georgia) joins Benedict College in the fall of 2022 as the Dean of the School of Education, Health and Human Services. With 20 years of experience in higher education, an extensive research background, and a strong vision for leadership in the field of education, Carter-Francique has served sporting spaces and centered experiences of equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI). 

Carter-Francique examines issues of race, gender, and social class and their intersections with sport, education, and society. She has presented at regional, national, and international conferences and written several articles and book chapters across academic disciplines including being the co-editor of Athletic Experience at Historically Black Colleges and Universities: Past, Present, and Persistence and Critical Race Theory: Black Athletic Experiences in the United States.

Prior to her appointment to Benedict College, she served as the Executive Director for the Institute for the Study of Sport, Society, and Social Change (ISSSSC) at San Jose State University which birthed her co-organization with the Wall of Song Project. Carter-Francique also serves as a research council member with Laureus “Sport for Good”; an academic advisory council member for Athlete Voices; an editorial board member for the Journal of Issues in Intercollegiate Athletics; and, in 2018-2019 she served as the President of the North American Society for the Sociology of Sport (NASSS). Carter-Francique is the co-founder and CEO of Francique Sport and Education Consulting.  

Twitter: @doctafrancique
Instagram: @doctafrancique