Today we have Dr. Donna J. Nickel on the program. Dr Nickel is the Associate Dean of Personnel and Curriculum and professor of history in the College of Liberal Arts at California State University Long Beach.
Dr Nickel is the author of Black Woman on Board: Claudia Hampton, the California State University, and the Fight to Save Affirmative Action (University of Rochester Press; May, 2024), which traces the unforgettable accomplishments of Hampton. As the first Black woman trustee at California State University, Hampton led a twenty-year fight to save affirmative action during the post-civil rights movement era. A visionary leader, Hampton's strategic leveraging of her "soft power" to sway trustees, advocate for marginalized communities, and effect profound change from within has shaped the current landscape of public higher education. Please enjoy our conversation.