OU hosted a Monday webinar for the last director candidate for the new Gateway to Belonging class, set to launch in fall 2021.
The chair of the search committee and event host, Joshua Nelson, introduced Akilah Carter-Francique, the current executive director of the Institute for the Study of Sports, Society and Social Change at San Jose University. Nelson also said she has held positions at Prairie View A&M University and Texas A&M University.
Nelson said Carter-Francique has received degrees from the University of Houston and the University of Georgia, and was awarded the 2016 Black Student-athlete Leadership Award from the Division of Diversity and Community Engagement at the University of Texas. Carter-Francique discussed her plans for the new gateway course and ways to get rid of the âcasual racismâ on OUâs campus by providing students a sense of belonging.Â