36-year-old becomes first African American man to be promoted to Full Professor at U of I
A University of Idaho professor has high hopes for the future.
Dr. Sydney Freeman Junior is the first African American man, descended from slaves, to be promoted to the rank of Full Professor at the University of Idaho.
Dr. Freeman said he was able to earn the rank of Full Professor in five years and seven months on tenure track.
For context, it takes most faculty 10 to 12 years to earn this rank and the average age is 55-years-old. Dr. Freeman is only 36-years-old.
Dr. Freeman graduated in 2011 from Auburn University with a degree in Higher Education Administration.
Within 17 days, he was hired at Tuskegee University as a Director in the Teaching and Learning Center for three and a half years.
He then got an opportunity to work as an Associate Professor at the University of Idaho, before becoming a Full Professor.
Dr. Freeman said he thinks there should be more emphasis on hiring and retaining faculty of color.
"If we want to see Idaho grow and be more inclusive, we have to bring that inclusion in and so it's important for us to not only have conversations about it but actually invest in diversifying faculty and staff but also retaining them," Dr. Freeman said.
Dr. Freeman said he was teaching from home when he was delivered the news he was a Full Professor, as well as balloons and a sign. He said he was excited to share the experience with his students.
Dr. Wudneh Admassu was the first person of African descent, born and raised in Ethiopia, to earn the rank of Full Professor at the University of Idaho.
Additionally in 2019, Professor Shaakirrah Sanders became and remains the only black woman to earn the rank of Full Professor at the University of Idaho.
ncG1vNJzZmihlJa1sLrEsKpnm5%2BifK%2Bx1qxmpaeTlrlwf5VmsJ6ZomK8rbCMm5ycp52awG6yyKuqrWWRm7%2Bqr8CnZJqllae2pK3NZqSapl2pvG6uxGanq6edpMGmsIytpmaepaG5brzRqJ2eq6Okv26t02asZqeWYrY%3D