The Billy Hill Scholarship is awarded to a graduate or professional student who has illustrated a commitment to battle against illiteracy through prior extra‐curricular involvement and/or academic pursuits or is seeking a profession in the public service arena.
Neal McKinney (he, him, his) is a first-year PhD student in the Higher Education and Student Affairs program. He earned a BA in Communication from DePauw University, and a MEd in Higher Education, Student Affairs, and International Education Policy from the University of Maryland. Subsequently, he has worked as a Career Services Program Director at the University of Maryland, and most recently in Education Abroad as the Associate Director of Off-Campus Programs at DePauw University. His research interests include persistence, retention, and high impact practices that support the educational success of diverse student populations (specifically for Black students) as well as teaching on diversity, inclusion, and social justice pedagogy.
