Alicia J. Cooper Ellis

Alicia J. Cooper Ellis is a doctoral candidate in the Higher Education program at George Mason University. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from East Carolina University and a master’s degree in Experimental Psychology from Virginia State University. Her research focuses on identifying pathways to success for Black college students from rural areas. Currently, Alicia is working on her dissertation, in which she will develop a theory of student success for Black, rural college students using Constructivist Grounded Theory.

Recently, she has also developed an interest in the history of education, particularly in understanding the history of Black, rural communities and how they have served as engines for upward mobility—especially during the late 19th and early 20th centuries—prior to the Brown v. Board of Education decision. Alicia is passionate about shining a light on Black, rural populations and highlighting the assets these individuals possess, thereby disrupting deficit narratives that position them as “less than.”