Join Jamiere Abney and Charles Catchings as they explore the mind of Dr. Lee Pelton, outgoing president of Emerson College, about his contribution to the field of academia for African-American students. Though many Black men and women are continuing to make progress in education and in their professional lives, the rates at which they do so are dismal in comparison to White or Asian-Americans. Dr. Pelton believes this is partly due to the lack of opportunity and exposure given to African-Americans by others. He also firmly posits that Black men are in need of strengthened networking skills and that mentorship programs should be developed across the nation to foster professional and personal growth for disadvantaged youth.

Dr. Pelton pulls the audience into his adolescence in Wichita, KS on the heels of Brown vs. The Board of Education, where his family had faith, commitment to each other and hard-working values of Mid-West America, values that still didn’t couldn’t convince local politicians to offer indoor plumbing his predominantly African-American community. Like many boys of his youth, he was not afforded opportunities to see much of the world beyond Kansas. Dr. Pelton’s strong commitment to his value system helped ensure that he’d move beyond the sticks of Kansas into more prominent positions. Today, he spends much of his time helping others like Jamiere, chart their own paths to success.

Marvin Lee Pelton (born September 27, 1950) is an academic administrator and college president. A native of Wichita, Kansas, Lee studied English literature at Wichita State University and Harvard University. He then held various deanship positions at Colgate University and Dartmouth College before becoming president of Willamette University (1998-2011) and Emerson College (2011-2021). In June of 2021, Pelton will take the helm as the President and CEO of the Boston Foundation.

In 1974, Pelton graduated from Wichita State University. There he earned a degree in English and psychology, while graduating magna cum laude with a focus in 19th century British literature. He earned a doctorate in English and American literature from Harvard University in 1984.

Pelton holds or has held positions on several educational boards and committees including the American Council on Education, the Harvard University Board of Overseers, the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, the Oregon Symphony, Oregon Health & Science University Foundation, American Association for Higher Education, National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities, and National Collegiate Athletic Association. Pelton serves on the board of directors of Portland General Electric, the local publicly traded electric utility.

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