Roshaunda L. Breeden Joining College of Education as Assistant Professor of Higher Education Opportunity, Equity, and Justice

Roshaunda L. Breeden will join NC State’s College of Education as an assistant professor of higher education opportunity, equity, and justice, beginning Aug. 16, 2024. Currently, Breeden is an assistant professor of educational leadership within the College of Education at East Carolina University.

An educator, researcher and playwright, Breeden says she’s thrilled to return home to NC State, which has played a critical role in her personal and professional development.

“Having arrived at NC State University as a first-generation college student from a working-class family, I was fueled by my mother’s dreams to get my education and pave the way for future generations. Guided by the unwavering support of dedicated faculty and staff who invested in my growth, I am driven to pay forward their generosity,” she said. “Now, returning to NC State as Dr. Breeden, I am steadfast in my dedication to cultivating inclusive educational environments for all. I am thrilled to join forces with the esteemed faculty, staff and students within the department as we strive towards our collective goals.” 

Breeden earned her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Africana Studies from NC State, where she also previously worked with the Poole College of Management, TRIO Programs, and the Belk Center for Community College Leadership and Research, which is part of the College of Education. 

Breeden’s research agenda centers on fostering equitable learning environments for minoritized students, leaders and communities. All her work connects to equity and justice in higher education and, methodologically, she tries to push the bounds of qualitative research, using both participatory and arts-based approaches. She said she aims to depart her research from more traditional methods, which are often jargon-laden and slow to reach decision-makers, to modes of scholarship that are timely and digestible for all. 

Breeden received a Ph.D. in College Student Affairs Administration and a certificate in Interdisciplinary Qualitative Studies from the Mary Frances Early College of Education at the University of Georgia. She won three dissertation awards, including the Bobby Wright Dissertation of the Year Award from the Association for the Study of Higher Education. Her research has been published in journals such as The Review of Higher Education, Journal of Diversity in Higher Education, and Journal of Women and Gender in Higher Education.