Shaun R. Harper

Dr. Shaun R. Harper is a Provost Professor in the Rossier School of Education and Marshall School of Business at the University of Southern California, where he holds the Clifford and Betty Allen Chair in Urban Leadership and serves as executive director of the USC Race and Equity Center. Harper was appointed University Professor, a distinction held by a select group of USC faculty members. He founded the Center for the Study of Race and Equity in Education at the University of Pennsylvania, which later became the USC Race and Equity Center.

Harper's research addresses race, gender, and equity in education, corporate, and policy environments. He has published 14 books and authored more than 125 peer-reviewed articles and academic publications. His notable works include "Student Engagement in Higher Education," "College Men and Masculinities," "Advancing Black Male Student Success from Preschool through Ph.D.," and "Scandals in College Sports." Harvard Education Press published his book "The Big Lie About Race in America's Schools," and Teachers College Press published "Let's Talk About DEI: Productive Disagreements About America's Most Polarizing Topics." Harper's research has been cited in over 26,000 published studies, referenced on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives, and included in multiple amicus briefs submitted to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Harper served as president of the American Educational Research Association and the Association for the Study of Higher Education. He was inducted into the National Academy of Education and appointed by President Joe Biden to the National Board for Education Sciences. Harper also served on President Barack Obama's My Brother's Keeper Advisory Council, contributed to the national education policy committee for the Biden-Harris Campaign, and participated in California Governor Gavin Newsom's statewide task force. He has testified before Congress, spoken at White House and federal agency events, and led the White House Summit on Educational Excellence for African Americans.

Harper has published extensively in academic journals and contributed articles to Washington Post, Forbes, Los Angeles Times, Rolling Stone, Chronicle of Higher Education, and other major newspapers and magazines. His research and commentary have been featured in New York Times, USA Today, Wall Street Journal, Sports Illustrated, and numerous other news outlets, and he has been interviewed on CNN, MSNBC, ESPN, PBS NewsHour, and NPR. Harper is the recipient of multiple awards in the field of education and six honorary degrees. He has been recognized in Education Week as one of the 10 most influential scholars in education. Major philanthropic organizations, including the Bill & Melinda Gates, Lumina, Ford, Kellogg, and Open Society Foundations, have awarded him $26 million in grants, reflecting the impact of his scholarship and advocacy on equity in American education.