Sharon Fries-Britt is Distinguished University Professor in Higher Education, Student Affairs and International Education Program (HESI) University of Maryland. As a higher education scholar, she examines the experiences of high achieving Blacks, underrepresented students in STEM fields and issues of race, equity, and diversity. Dr. Fries-Britt has published widely within peer-reviewed journals and has served on the editorial boards of The Journal of College Student Development, The Journal of Diversity in Higher Education, and the College Student Affairs Journal. Her research has been funded and supported by the National Science Foundation, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Lumina Foundation, and the National Society of Black Physicists.
Dr. Fries-Britt is a co-author and co-editor of two recent books Black Women Navigating the Doctoral Journey: Student Peer Support, Mentorship, and Success in the Academy (2023) and Building Mentorship Networks to Support Black Women: A Guide to Succeeding in the Academy (2022). In her current project with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation she is working with the Post-Secondary Measurement, Learning and Evaluation Team to accelerate and improve postsecondary outcomes for Black, Latinx, Indigenous students and students from low-income backgrounds. Dr. Fries-Britt was a member of the American Institutes of Physics (AIP) National Task Force (2018-2020) to Elevate African American Representation (TEAM-UP) in physics. She is a co-PI on a National Science Foundation grant (2018-2021) to explore the academic trajectories of Black transfer engineering students from community colleges. She was a faculty co-lead for a national case study of the University of Missouri recovery process following the campus racial unrest of 2015. This work in collaboration with the American Council on Education (ACE) resulted in two national monographs (1) Speaking Truth and Acting with Integrity Confronting Challenges of Campus Racial Climate (2018) examines the impact of the racial crisis for the university and (2) Leading After a Racial Crisis: Weaving a Campus Tapestry of Diversity and Inclusion (2020) provides important insights for how leaders can address campus tensions following a racial crisis.
Prior to her academic career she served as a senior level administrator in higher education, and consulted extensively with colleges and universities, foundations, governmental agencies, national organizations, and private industry on issues of race, equity, diversity, and leadership. With over 42 years of professional experience in the field of higher education she brings a wealth of knowledge, insight and experience to both research and practice. She is the recipient of numerous awards including the 2023 Mentor of the Year Award UMD Gradate School, Excellence in Physics Education Award by the American Physical Society 2022, the NASPA Robert H. Shaffer Academic Excellence Award in 2022, the prestigious AERA Social Justice in Education Award in 2021 and in 2019 she was appointed Distinguished Scholar Teacher at UMD.
Distinguished University Professor, 2023
Mentor of the Year, UMD Graduate School, 2023
Robert H. Shaffer Award for Academic Excellence as a Graduate Faculty Member. NASPA Annual Award, 2022
Excellence in Physics Education Award, American Physical Society (APS)- TEAM Up Research Project, 2022
AERA Social Justice in Education Award, 2021
Distinguished Scholar Teacher, University of Maryland, 2019
Excellence in Research Award, Alumni Association, University of Maryland, 2019
Outstanding Faculty Award, Office of Multiethnic Student Education, 2016.
Faculty Achievement Award, University of Maryland, President’s Commission on Ethnic Minority Issues, 2012.
Mentor of the Year, Association for the Study of Higher Education (ASHE), 2011
Community Service Award, University of Maryland’s, Black Faculty and Staff Association, 2002.
Outstanding Faculty Mentor Award, Department of Education Policy and Leadership, 2001.
SELECTED PUBLICATIONS
Fries-Britt, S.L., & Kelly Turner, B., (2023). Black Women Navigating the Doctoral Journey: Student Peer Support, Mentorship, and Success in the Academy. Routledge Press.
Berhane, B., Onuma, F., Buenaflor, S.H., Fries-Britt, S.L, Ogwo, A. (2023). "They Helped Me to Get Through": Investigating Institutional Sources of Support at Two-Year Colleges That Facilitate the Transfer and Persistence of Black Engineering Students. Community College Review.
Kelly Turner, B. & Fries-Britt, S.L. (2022). Building mentorship networks to support Black Women: A guide to succeeding in the academy. Routledge Press.
Buenaflor, S.H., Berhane, B., Fries-Britt, S.L., Ogwo, A. (2022). "Everything is Bigger and Different": Black Engineering Transfer Students Adjusting to the Intensity & Academic Culture of the Four-Year Campus. The Urban Review.
Fries-Britt, S. L., & Onuma (2021). The Role of Family, Race, and Community as Sources of Motivation for Black Students in STEM. Journal of Minority Achievement, Creativity, and Leadership, 1(2) 151-187
Onuma, F., Berhane, B., & Fries-Britt, S. L. (2020). “I’ve Always Been in Private School”: The Role of Familial Norms and Supports in Black Immigrant Students’ Preparation for STEM Majors." Journal of Diversity in Higher Education. https://doi.org/10.1037/dhe0000285.
Fries-Britt, S. L., White-Lewis, D. (2020). In Pursuit of Meaningful Relationships: How Black Males Perceive Faculty Interactions in STEM. Urban Review 52, 521–540. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11256-020-00559-x
Fries-Britt, Kezar, A, Wheaton, M., McGruire, D, Kurban, E. & Dizon, J.P.M (2020). Leading After a Racial Crisis: Weaving a Campus Tapestry of diversity and inclusion. ACE Monograph (release date June 22nd).
Adrianna Kezar & Sharon Fries-Britt (2020) Navigating a Campus Racial Crisis: Building Capacity, Leading Through Trauma and the Recovery Process, Change: The Magazine of Higher Learning, 52:2, 89-93, DOI:10.1080/00091383.2020.1732795.
George Mwangi, C.A., Daoud, N, Peralta, A. & Fries-Britt, S. L. (2019). Waking from the American Dream: Conceptualizing racialactivism and critical consciousness among Black immigrant college students. Journal of College Student Development
Fries-Britt, S. L. (2017). It Takes More Than Academic Preparation: A Nuanced Look at Black Male Success in STEM. Journal of African American Males in Education.
George Mwangi, C.A., Fries-Britt, S. L., Peralta, A.M., Daoud, N. (2016). Examining intra-racial dynamics and engagement between native-born and foreign-born Black collegians in STEM. Journal of Black Studies, 47(7), 773-794
SELECTED INVITED TALKS
Fries-Britt, S (2023) Keynote Address The Courage to Advance Social Justice and Equity Academic DEI & Climate Committee Retreat, Princeton, University March 24th.
Fries-Britt, S. (2022). Framework for High-Quality Qualitative Research Insights from Literature, Studying Black, Latinx & Indigenous Students. Gates Foundation. Virtual meeting October 5th.
Fries-Britt, S. (2022). Diversity & Inclusion 21st Century Higher Education. Virtual workshops (six sessions annually). The Johns Hopkins University.
Fries-Britt, S. (2022). Centering Black Academic Lives: Cultivating the Full Expression of Self in the Academy. AERA Social Justice Lecture., San Diego, California. April 22nd
Fries-Britt,S., Rall, R.M., & Schwartz M., (2022). Shared Governance for Advancing Justice, Equity and Diversity. AGB Virtual National Conference of Trusteeship. April 12th.
Fries-Britt, S. (2022). Leveraging Race, Equity, and Diversity, Princeton University Virtual Talk. February 16th.
McDonald, K., & Fries-Britt, S. (2021). Virtual Plenary Session: Leading in Times of Crisis. Alabama Conference for Chief Diversity Officers, Power, and Privilege, February 9th.
Fries-Britt, S. (2021), Virtual Invited Talk: Building Capacity for DEI work. University of Florida Board of Trustees Meeting, February 18th.
Fries-Britt, S. (2021). Virtual Keynote Address: The Intersection of Leadership and Wellbeing: Navigating Vulnerable Spaces of Racism, Equity and Justice in 21st Century Higher Education. Student Affairs Conference UMD, April 14th.
Fries-Britt, S. (2021). Virtual Keynote Address: JEDI: Leading Will Learning, Princeton University, May 4.
Fries-Britt, S. (2021). Virtual Keynote Address: Forever Changed Leading While Learning and Rebuilding. Associated Colleges of the Midwest (ACM) Retention Conference. July 14th.
Fries-Britt, S. (2021). Invited Virtual Workshop: “Leading, Learning, & advancing Justice, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion (JEDI). Associated Colleges of the Midwest (ACM) President’s Meeting, December 8th.
EXAMPLES OF FUNDED RESEARCH
2021-2023 (Co-PI) Postsecondary System Opportunities. Evidence & Strategic Analysis to Leverage the System Framework as a Tool for Facilitating Strategic Learning $609,741. Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Grant.
2018-2021 (Co-PI) Broadening Participation in Engineering to study transfer student’s experiences in Engineering from 4 Maryland community colleges. National Science Foundation, Awarded $553,000.
2010-2011, (Evaluator), “Evaluation of Louis Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation (LSAMP), Bridge to the Doctorate in STEM.” Center for Minorities in Science and Engineering, University of Maryland, Awarded $10,000.
2004-2006, (Co-PI), “Study of Race Equity and Diversity in 19 Southern and Border States.” Lumina Foundation for Education, Awarded $323,800.
2004-2006, (PI), Grant sub-contracted as part of “Broadening Participant in Physics: Fall Regional Meetings and Spring Annual Conferences of the National Society of Black Physicists.” DMR-0400699, Awarded $25,000 (yearly).
SELECTED CONSULTANCIES
2001-Present: Johns Hopkins University (Consultant on Race, Equity and Diversity)
2005-2008:United States Secret Service (Consultant on Race, Equity and Diversity)
2006-Present: Princeton University (Consultant on Race, Equity and Diversity)
2008-2010- Massachusetts Institute of Technology MIT
Chaired Dissertation Committees
2006 Roni M. Ellington (PhD, Curriculum and Instruction) – “Having Their Say: Eight High-Achieving African-American Undergraduate Mathematics Majors Discuss their Success and Persistence in Mathematics”
2007 Alycia A. Marshall (PhD, Mathematics Education) – “Black/African American Students' Perceptions of Mathematical Success and Mathematical Success Factors at a Community College”
2007 Shawna Acker-Ball (PhD, Higher Education) – “A Case Study of the Influence of Family on First-Generation College Students’ Educational Aspirations Post High School”
2008 Jeff Van Collins (PhD, Higher Education) – “Stating a Claim Upon Which Relief Can be Granted: Examining How the Development of Standards of Care and Changes in Public Policy Surrounding Public Education Potentially Validate Conditions for Educational Malpractice”
2009 Toyia K. Younger (PhD, Higher Education) – “The Case for Degree Completion: African American Transfer Students at a Traditionally White Instituton”
2010 Joelle I. Davis Carter (PhD, Higher Education) – “Factors Influencing the Engagement of White Undergraduates Attending Public Historically Black Universities”
2012 Belinda Jung-Lee Huang (PhD, Higher Education) – “Navigating Power and Politics: Women of Color Senior Leaders in Academe”
2013 Jennifer M. Johnson (PhD, Higher Education) – “A Different World: African American, First-Generation College Students at a Selective University”
2013 Kimberly M. Holmes (PhD, Higher Education) – “The Perceived Undergraduate Classroom Experiences of African American Women in Science, Technology, Engineering, And Mathematics (STEM)”
2014 Chrystal George Mwangi (PhD, Higher Education) – “A Family Affair: AfricanImmigrant Families Conceptualizing and Navigating College Choice”
2016 Tykeia Robinson (PhD, Higher Education)-Exploring An integrative Graduate Research Traineeship (IGERT): Using Organizational Culture to Understand how programs work.
2017 Domonic Rollins (PhD, Student Affairs)-Navigating Racism in Higher Education: A Grounded Theory Study of Black Male Administrators.
2020 Jeanette Cristine Snider (Ph.D., Higher Education) “ A Multi-Case Study Exploration of the Motivations and Racialized Experiences of Multiracial Women in Monoracial Sororities at a Predominately White Institution”.
2021 Felicia Onuma (Ph.D., Higher Education)-“Does Social Class Have Anything to do With It? Exploring the College Destination Process of Nigerian Immigrant Origin Students Attending Private Elite Colleges and Universities.
Co-Chaired Dissertation Committees
2007 Rebecca E. Thomas. (PhD, Higher Education) – “Pathways to the Baccalaureate: A Longitudinal Study of Sequence Differences by Parents' Education Level”
2010 Christine Pour Mahan (PhD, Higher Education) – “First to the Finish Line: A Case Study of First Generation Baccalaureate Degree Completers in the University of Maryland Student Support Services Program”
2011 Yvette D. Mozie-Ross (PhD, Higher Education) – “An Examination of High School Graduates Who Identify Teachers as Influential in their Choice of College”
2012 Jennifer Vest Frank (PhD, Higher Education) – “Expanding the Role of Maryland Community Colleges in K-12 Teacher Preparation: Benefits and Costs of Implementing the Associate of Arts in Teaching (AAT) Degree”
2012 Dora Elías McAllister. (PhD, Higher Education) – “Mexican American First-Generation Students' Perceptions of Siblings and Additional Factors Influencing their College Choice Process”
2021-2023 (Co-PI) Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Postsecondary System Opportunities. Evidence & Strategic Analysis to Leverage the System Framework as a Tool for Facilitating Strategic Learning, Awarded $609,741.
2018-2021 (Co-PI) Broadening Participation in Engineering to study transfer student’s experiences in Engineering from 4 Maryland community colleges. National Science Foundation, Awarded $553,000.
2010-2011, (Evaluator), “Evaluation of Louis Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation (LSAMP), Bridge to the Doctorate in STEM.” Center for Minorities in Science and Engineering, University of Maryland, Awarded $10,000.
2004-2006, (Co-PI), “Study of Race Equity and Diversity in 19 Southern and Border States.” Lumina Foundation for Education, Awarded $323,800.
2004-2006, (PI), Grant sub-contracted as part of “Broadening Participant in Physics: Fall Regional Meetings and Spring Annual Conferences of the National Society of Black Physicists.” DMR-0400699, Awarded $25,000 (yearly).