Shaun Harper

About Shaun

• I grew up poor in the rural South in Georgia where the major financial and political players were white—this really shaped my views on justice, fairness, and equity.
• Encouraged by my seventh grade teacher and mentor, I ran for student council president and won, launching me into a pathway of student leadership.
• My true educational potential was unlocked at Albany State University, an HBCU, where I was surrounded and inspired by Black brilliance and culturally responsive education.
• I earned my bachelor's degree from Albany State University, followed by a master’s degree and Ph.D. from Indiana University Bloomington.
• I then built my career in higher education, gaining experience at Indiana University, USC, Pennsylvania State University, and the University of Pennsylvania.
• While at the University of Pennsylvania, I founded the Center for the Study of Race and Equity in Education.
• I moved back to USC and became the founding executive director of the USC Race and Equity Center.
• In addition to my work with the Race and Equity Center, I’m also a USC professor for the education, business, and public policy schools.