About the Author

Derek C. Henson, Ph.D. is a native of Philadelphia, MS where he was reared in a close-knit community by a socially and politically active family. Upon graduation from Philadelphia High School, Dr. Henson enrolled at Jackson State University and graduated. In 1991, he earned a BA in Political Science. Dr. Henson, motivated by his desire to be a catalyst for positive change in the lives of those he served, graduated from the University of Memphis in 2002 with an MS in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies. The following year, he earned a certification in Urban Youth Ministries from Crichton College through the Memphis Leadership Foundation Youth Initiative. In 2009, Dr. Henson was awarded a doctorate from his alma mater Jackson State University in Urban Higher Education. Dr. Henson has been a member of Parents for Public Schools, Arrow for Academy of Excellence, Tennessee Conference on Social Welfare (TCSW), Association for the Study of Higher Education (ASHE) and the International Review Board at the University of Memphis. He has been an vocal member of the Jackson State University Alumni Association, Inc. for nearly 30 years having served as National Second Vice President and as the current Southeast Regional Vice President. Dr. Henson is a licensed and ordained minister at New Olivet Baptist Church in Memphis, Tennessee, where he is also a member. Dr. Henson's research, 'Institutional Relations and Their Perceived Impact on Alumni Giving at Historically Black Colleges and Universities' has been accepted for presentation by American Association of Blacks in Higher Education (AABHE) and the National Association for African American Studies (NAAAS) and Affiliates. His forthcoming project with SaFiya D. Hoskins, Ph.D., 'The Re-education of the Negro: A historical review of Carter G. Woodson's epic work' will be published spring 2015.