Dr. Mordecai Officially Receives NASPA Foundation Pillar of the Profession Award

I want to extend my deepest gratitude to the Community College of Aurora for your unwavering support this week as I attended the NASPA - Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education Annual Conference, where I had the tremendous honor of receiving the Pillar of the Profession Award from the NASPA Foundation.

This recognition is more than a personal milestone—it is a reflection of the incredible people, purpose, and passion that fuel our work every day. The student affairs profession has been my foundation. It taught me the value of truly seeing and honoring others, the importance of designing student experiences that nurture the whole learner, and the transformative power of love-driven leadership.

To my colleagues, our students, and the entire CCA community: thank you for walking this journey with me. This moment belongs to all of us.

- Dr. Mordecai

No More TikTok, Hello Clapper

With TikTok on the decline, I have deactivated my account and opened a Clapper account. To follow and engage with me, please visit https://www.clapperapp.com/ItsDrMordecai

Online Bullying

Bullying has different faces. Some explicit, and some subtle. Protect our students, educate our students, empower our students.

The Purpose of Standardized Testing

Standardized testing should ONLY be used as a tool for assessment in developing individualized success plans for students. Less standardized test, more TEACHING!

Celebrating Our Students

Let's find ways to celebrate our students and their success
EVERY chance we get!

Student Success

‪School for many resumes today, others next week, some the week after that. Whatever the case, educators let's keep our students OUR focus.‬

Change Now!

Too many wait until the new year to have an excuse to change something; change doesn't require an excuse. Change now.

Texas Bound, and Ready to Serve!

It is so amazing how things have a way of coming back full circle. Just over two years ago I had selected St. Philip's College as a research site to participate in my dissertation regarding community colleges and their role in Texas House Bill 5. Now, I'm driving a moving truck to San Antonio, TX and starting my journey later this week as the VP of Student Success at St. Philip's. I'm grateful, and ready to serve!

The Nature of Today's Revolutions

History has shown us that every revolution has had acts of protests, insubordination, and even martyrs. Whether it was biblical in nature, the end of slavery, the fights for women rights, civil rights, same sex rights, etc. (Side Note: Can you imagine how horrific the images and videos we would have all been exposed to if mediums like YouTube and Facebook existed during the times of American slavery???)

It is human nature for revolutions to continue; people will evolve, and t...hat evolution will follow the paths as they always have.

The ONLY difference now is that the revolutions of the world are being televised, and the revolutionist (through social media) are being given the opportunity to tell their own stories.

These stories that we have been exposed to will continue, and stories of various nature will continue to flood the timelines of social media. It is the nature of social media, and it is the nature of today's revolutions.

Student Interaction Through Social Media

I just read a GREAT article this morning published by The Chronicle for Higher Education that I encourage you to read: https://shar.es/1ldA3g

Yes, social media is a great tool for interacting with our students - I know I do! However, that interaction, or should I say accessibility comes with a responsibility. Make the right choice.

Can't Please Everybody...

" I cannot give you the formula for success, but I can give you the formula for failure, which is: Try to please everybody." — Herbert Swope

Take away lesson from day 3 in New York

Take away lesson from day 3 in New York: Society has a way of tricking us into survival mode. Think about Maslow's hierarchy for a second. Survival mode is the worst of the worst; it causes us to behave in an animalistic manner, without morals or care for others. We should all control our perceptions, emotions, and actions. We should all fight the urge to become puppets of society

Take away lesson from Day 2 in New York

Take away lesson from Day 2 in New York: Growing up, every Saturday night at 11 pm cst. was a sacred time in my house. Why? Because it was "Showtime at the Apollo!" After all those years I am now blessed to stay right at a hotel right across the street from a place that played such a pivotal role in my cultural development and exposure to African Americans in the arts. Pay homage where homage is due. God is Great.

Take away lesson from Day 1 in New York

Take away lesson from Day 1 in New York: It is important that we define "success" within ourselves and for ourselves. If not, the world has a definition of success that will manipulate your life - and it will cost you a lot of money trying to attain it.