In celebration of Black History Month, The Nubian Message spoke with three faculty members about being black leaders at NC State.

Ernest Hendley

Ernest Hendley is the Director of Student Success in NC State’s College of Humanities and Social Sciences.

Originally from Midwest City, OK, Hendley relocated to NC to continue working in higher education. His role includes helping students to succeed and helping them overcome challenges.

Hendley acknowledges his own challenges in the field as “Creating a sense of belonging for students, adapting to new technological changes, adapting to policy changes, etc.” He names his “adaptability to change” as the quality that helps him overcome challenges.

“We have a chance to do something great with all of these things changing, whether it be AI or different policy changes or things going on locally, etc. And we can really make some good headway and push our institution forward, and our students are a big part of that, and I’m just trying to help them be a part of the conversation.”

Hendley says, “For me, personally, Black History Month represents everything that the people before me have done and the sacrifices they’ve made so that I could be here. My father is from Chattanooga, TN, and at one point in his life, he went to segregated schools, and at one point in his life, he went to integrated schools.”

Historic Black leaders and events continue to be inspiring for Hendley. He says, “It gives me the energy to continue the good works and know that I can do my part.”

Hendley’s advice to Black students pursuing higher education is that “The confidence that you displayed to present the work to get into the institution is the confidence that you have to continue to display when taking on academic endeavors and other professional endeavors on campus.”

He adds, “You shouldn’t feel a sense of angst if you’re the only Black person in a space because you were accepted by the institution, you were accepted by your college, your major, etc. And that means you’re worthy of being in those spaces.”

Dr. Ariel Seay-Howard

Dr. Ariel Seay-Howard is an assistant professor in NC State’s Department of Communications.

Dr. Seay-Howard is from Detroit, MI, and came to NC State through her research on the history and remembrance of racial violence through films, museums and plantations.

Dr. Seay-Howard’s racial identity not only drives her passion for research and teaching, but also directly influences her students.

“I think that’s huge for my students because, for a lot of my students, they haven’t ever had an African American teacher, especially an African American woman, as a professor before. So I think that it brings a different perspective…”

When asked about a Black historical figure who inspires her, she cited Ida B. Wells and her “Lynch Law in All Its Phases” speech as the inspiration for her work today.

“She really works hard to pass anti-lynching legislations as well, and seeing someone during that time, a Black woman, fighting and using her voice like that during a time where she could have easily been killed is just so powerful and so inspiring to me.”

Dr. Seay-Howard sees Black History Month as an opportunity to restore the truth of Black history and how we tell it.

“It shows that since we have to have Black History Month, that we’ve been excluded from the overall narrative and the overall history that’s being told in K-12 schooling and just in general in our society. So having it is powerful, it is community building, it is just a form of celebration and it’s a form of Black joy.”

Dr. Seay-Howard wants Black students to know that “You belong here, and the system has not been set up for us to be able to succeed, but once you find your community and you find the resources to help you succeed, then you will go as far as you want to go.”

She also shares how the research field has helped her, “I didn’t know that research was something that could help me travel the world. It could fund my passions, and it would amplify me, and it would give me a platform to be able to tell these important stories that I tell.”

Dr. Jameco McKenzie

Dr. Jameco McKenzie works as NC State’s Director of Multicultural Student Affairs (MSA).

As the director of MSA, Dr. McKenzie works to support different groups of students and assist with their success.

Dr. McKenzie comes from Nassau, Bahamas, and says that his identity influences his perspective, which helps him in his role as director. “It allows me to think about not only my Black male identity, but also my Caribbean identity, and layering all of that together has really helped me understand other people who have different identities…”

Sir Lynden Oscar Pindling, the first prime minister of the Bahamas, is a leader in Black history who inspires him.

“Being able to, even when people are saying ‘you probably shouldn’t do this’ or ‘you’re not prepared,’ being able to persist through that is something that I find inspiring about him.” For Dr. McKenzie, Black History Month signifies “a time of remembrance, a time of joy, a time to be able to connect with our identities and also share that with other people on campus.” He continues, “It’s a time to be happy and to think about all the good things that it is to be Black and to be expansive.”

Dr. McKenzie shares how he sees his work contributing to Black history, saying, “I am able to help and empower students, Black students, students from all different identities to really understand themselves, learn about others, and think about themselves beyond the classroom…”  He continues to encourage students to discover themselves as they are now and who they hope to be in the future.

When asked what advice he would give Black students navigating higher education, Dr. McKenzie emphasizes the importance of individuality and using this time to write your own story.

“College and higher education is not an A through Z experience. Everyone’s journey is different. Everyone’s journey is their own.” He adds, “Study abroad, join clubs, be a part of organizations, be a student leader, and also do nothing if that was what you want to do too. Don’t feel like you have to be productive to be important.”