Richard Bland College Announces 2022 Commencement Speaker
Nakeina E. Douglas-Glenn, Ph.D., director and associate professor at the Virginia Commonwealth University Grace E. Harris Leadership Institute and L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs, will deliver the keynote address at Richard Bland College of William & Mary’s 59th Commencement Ceremony on May 19, 2022, at Virginia State University’s Multi-Purpose Center at 6:00 p.m.
“The College is honored to have Dr. Douglas-Glenn deliver this year’s Commencement address,” said President Debbie Sydow. “Dr. Douglas-Glenn is a powerful role model, leader, and visionary who will most assuredly inspire RBC’s 2022 graduates.”
Dr. Douglas-Glenn is a higher education academic and practitioner with more than 15 years of experience in organizational development, leadership development, public policy analysis, and racial equity. She has been the recipient of numerous awards and honors at VCU, including the President’s Outstanding Achievement Award and the Presidential Award for Community Multicultural Enrichment. In addition, Douglas-Glenn was inducted into Omicron Delta Kappa, a national leadership honor society.
“It is a tremendous honor to be selected as this year’s Richard Bland College commencement speaker,” says Dr. Douglas-Glenn. “The class of 2022’s demonstration of resilience, perseverance, and compassion in and outside of the classroom has served as a masterclass on leadership for us all. I look forward to celebrating the class of 2022 as they advance to the next stage of their professional journey.”
Before coming to VCU, Douglas-Glenn served as a research and evaluation associate at the National Science Foundation. Douglas-Glenn earned her Doctorate of Philosophy in public administration and public affairs with a certificate in race and social policy from the Center for Public Administration and Policy at Virginia Tech. She has a Master of Social Work from Radford University and received her Bachelor of Arts in political science and Bachelor of Science in sociology from Virginia Tech.
Douglas-Glenn is active in the community and professional organizations. She previously served on the YWCA Richmond board of directors and was appointed to the Millennial Civic Engagement Task Force by Governor Terry McAuliffe. She is an elected member of the American Council on Education’s (ACE) Virginia Women’s Network executive board and serves as the Women’s Network’s institutional representative at VCU. She is also a member of the board of directors for the Health Brigade free and charitable clinic (formerly the Fan Free Clinic) and SOAR365, an organization providing services and opportunities for individuals with disabilities.
