Sherick Hughes , '99

Samuel M. Holton Distinguished Professor; Founder & Director, Interpretive Research Suite & Carter Qualitative Thought Lab;

Founder & Co-Director, Graduate Certificate in Qualitative Studies, School of Education, UNC-Chapel Hill

“Just as the beloved former MPA Program Manager Jean Coble predicted, the education policy research and leadership knowledge and skills that I gained in the MPA program have been invaluable in my work as a professor, a position involving research, teaching, and service.”

When Sherick Hughes was deciding on a second Master’s degree program with a concentration on education policy, he knew one thing for sure: the highly regarded Carolina MPA program was the ONLY place to go. He first learned of the program while serving as a 1997 UNC Institute of Government intern for former Lieutenant Governor Dennis Wicker. In the MPA program, he honed the knowledge and skills that would allow him not only to excel at research and teaching in higher education, but also to do it while serving marginalized youth and families struggling for equitable educational opportunities. In his current role, Hughes serves as an elected faculty member of the UNC Education Policy Committee and as an appointed member of the UNC Community and Diversity Committee. He was honored as a 2016 “Distinguished Scholar” by the esteemed American Educational Research Association in Washington, DC. His education research has been used to inform schools/colleges of education, local school districts, nonprofit agencies, and arguments before the NC Supreme Court regarding equitable education for all. Hughes earned a BA from UNC Wilmington, an MA from Wake Forest University, an MPA from UNC-Chapel Hill, and a PhD from UNC-Chapel Hill.

Professional Experience:

• Full Professor (July 1, 2017), School of Education, UNC-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
• Associate Professor (2012–2017), School of Education, UNC-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
• Founder and Director (2013– ), Interpretive Research Suite & Carter Lab, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
• Founder and Co-Director (2014– ) Graduate Certificate in Qualitative Studies, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
• Assistant Professor (2007–2012) College of Education, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland
• Assistant Professor (2003–2007), College of Education, University of Toledo, Toledo, Ohio
• Founder and President (2005–2007), G-3 Inc., An Educational Nonprofit, Toledo, Ohio
• Research Associate (1999–2002) NC Education Research Council, Chapel Hill, North Carolina