Nick serves as Director of the Howard Thurman Center for Common Ground at Boston University, where he leads initiatives focused on student belonging, identity development, and access to academic and career success. Guided by Howard Thurman's call for self-discovery and purpose, his work centers on empowering students and fostering inclusive campus communities.

A leader in equity, organizational culture, and staff development, Nick has contributed to university-wide efforts to strengthen workplace culture, advance equity initiatives, and build innovative partnerships across campus. He is also a founding member of the Patriot League Anti-Racism Commission and has played a key role in professional development efforts through The Placement Exchange (TPE), supporting workforce sustainability and leadership development in student affairs.

Nick is passionate about mentorship, leadership, and creating pathways for others to thrive in higher education and the student affairs profession.

Benjamin Williams (He/Him) serves as the Associate Dean of Students & Deputy Title IX Coordinator at Trinity University where we has broad oversight of student engagement and supports crisis and care work. His career has been strategic, intentional, and somewhat unorthodox. He’s worked across multiple areas ranging from orientation & family programs, conduct, care, activities, fundraising and student unions in progressive roles that provides a broad understanding of the student lifecycle and transferable skills. He completed his bachelor and doctorate from Georgia State University and masters from Miami of Ohio. 

Dr. Fran’Cee Brown-McClure serves as Vice President for Student Affairs at Prairie View A&M University, where she provides executive leadership for the programs, services, and experiences that support students beyond the classroom. She brings more than 20 years of higher education leadership experience across public and private institutions, research universities, liberal arts colleges, and Historically Black Colleges and Universities.

Prior to joining Prairie View A&M, Dr. Brown-McClure served as Associate Vice Chancellor & Dean of Students at Louisiana State University. Her career also includes service as Vice President for Student Affairs at Jackson State University, Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students at Union College, Dean of Students at Spelman College, and Associate Dean of Residential Education at Stanford University. Throughout her career, she has focused on strengthening the student experience, developing campus communities, supporting student well-being and success, and building strong connections between academic and student affairs.

Dr. Brown-McClure is also an experienced speaker and facilitator whose work has addressed leadership, student success, Greek life, emotional intelligence, cross-generational workplace relationships, and the experiences of women in leadership.

Dr. Brown-McClure earned her Ph.D. in Educational Administration from The University of Texas at Austin, Master of Social Work from Boston University, and Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Jackson State University. At the heart of Dr. Brown-McClure’s work is a belief in the transformative power of higher education and in creating environments where students can feel a sense of belonging, discover their potential, develop as leaders, and thrive both during college and beyond.

Dr. Jayla Moody Marshall (she/her/hers) is an Assistant Professor of Higher Education and the Interim Program Coordinator of the Higher Education Administration Program at North Carolina Central University. Her scholarship centers purpose development among marginalized college students, investigating how institutional structures shape their journeys through higher education and influence their opportunities to thrive during and after college. Through critical, qualitative inquiry, she investigates how care, joy, and community function as tools for transformation. Her research also explores institutional practices in graduate education, including mentorship and holistic student development.

Jayla completed her Ph.D. in Educational Leadership, Policy, and Human Development at North Carolina State University in Spring 2025, where she was selected as the College of Education Graduate Student Speaker for the Spring 2025 Commencement. During her doctoral journey, she was also recognized with the 2021 Provost Fellowship and the 2024 Chancellor's Creating Community Outstanding Student Award. Dr. Moody Marshall's expertise is complemented by her background as a storyteller. She believes in the power of storytelling to drive change and writes at the intersection of justice and transformative practice. Drawing on her experience in program coordination, admissions, and student advising across undergraduate and graduate education, she leverages narratives to build higher education environments where students are seen, valued and empowered.