Shai James-Boyd earns her doctorate in community college leadership
HFC Assistant Director of Advancement Shai James-Boyd recently completed her doctorate in community college leadership from the Ferris State University Doctor of Community College Leadership program.
James-Boyd, of Brownstown Township, was part of the FSU DCCL Cohort 10. Joining the cohort were three of her colleagues, including:
- HFC Director of Student Activities Cassandra Fluker
- HFC Lead Faculty, Learning Lab and Tutoring Services Chardin Claybourne
- Former HFC Associate Dean of Business, Entrepreneurship & Professional Development Keambra Pierson
“Having them in my cohort really made the experience richer. I can’t wait for all of us to be able to call each other ‘doctor,’” said James-Boyd. “I love the fact that so many people who work at HFC have been through this program. It validates what we do as a community college and bodes well for HFC as a whole. This is a milestone that allows our students to see firsthand what educational goals they can achieve. There are individuals here on campus who have invested their time and resources to complete a terminal degree – not just faculty, but also administrators. In the end, that benefits our students and HFC.”
Better colleague, employee, and student advocate
James-Boyd spoke about her desire to pursue a doctorate.
“Advancement professionals do much more than just fundraising,” she said. “I wanted to better understand the community college from the operational side to help the Foundation align its efforts to support the HFC strategic plan and help drive student success. As a result of the coursework, I have been able to immediately apply the information to advance our fundraising and community relations goals. Since receiving my doctorate, I have been invited to participate on local and national boards, speak at area events, and establish relationships with potential funders and donors. These are spaces where transformative change is happening in community college education, and the Foundation is a vital part of these critical conversations.”
She continued: “I desire to be the best advancement professional I can be. Understanding the inner workings of higher education – especially community college higher education – I’m better able to serve in any relevant role. This will make me a better colleague, employee, and advocate for our students.”
James-Boyd earned her bachelor’s degree in public relations from Wayne State University and her master’s degree in non-profit leadership from the University of Michigan-Dearborn. She has been at HFC since 2014 and reports to HFC Vice President of Advancement A. Reginald Best.
“I absolutely enjoy working at the College under Reginald Best,” said James-Boyd. “I hope to have the opportunity to use what I learned in this doctoral program in a broader capacity at HFC. I want to stay at the College and make a difference here and push the agenda for our Strategic Plan for student success.”
Union support
James-Boyd is also one of three recipients of the King-Chavez-Parks Initiative’s Future Faculty Fellow program. Michigan’s KCP institutions can select Future Faculty Fellows from their institution to increase the pool of minority candidates to pursue faculty teaching careers in postsecondary education. The FSU KCP Fellowship Award offers master’s level fellows up to $20,000 and doctoral fellows up to $35,000.
James-Boyd also wanted to acknowledge her union, Local 71, which paid for a portion of her doctoral program through its tuition reimbursement program.
“Shai James-Boyd has been a leader at HFC for many years," said Best. "This milestone represents her commitment to education and its value in life. I am especially proud of her accomplishment as a woman of color in higher education and her example of determination through education as a gateway to success.”
Bittersweet accomplishment
Admittedly, earning her doctorate was bittersweet for James-Boyd. Her mother, Marion James, passed away just as she was preparing to defend her dissertation in late 2022.
“It wasn’t easy. I remember working on my dissertation the morning of her funeral in order to keep the momentum going,” she recalled. “My mother’s passing hit me like a ton of bricks. I wanted to shut down, but the dissertation kept me grounded and helped me stay focused. I wanted to make both my parents proud. My mom always stressed the importance of education and completing what you start. I’m just sad she didn’t get to witness me being called ‘doctor.’ She would’ve been the first person I called afterward, ‘Mom, I’m done!’ I’m sure she and my father are watching over me, beaming with pride.”