Northwestern University’s Dr. Alvin Tillery Discusses Driving DEI from Within on EDU: Live

Editor's Note: Hosted by 2U Chief Strategy and Engagement Officer David Sutphen, EDU: Live is a monthly LinkedIn Live series of conversations with leaders from academia, business, and civil society who are passionate about creating greater equity, access, and opportunity in higher education and beyond. Drawing from his experiences at 2U, his work with the civil rights community, and his service on education-related, non-profit boards, Sutphen talks about opening doors of opportunity with those who have walked through them-and are using their positions to empower others to follow. Visit the EDU: Live LinkedIn pageto keep up-to-date on the full series, watch past recordings, and register for the next episode.

At age nine, Dr. Alvin Tillerywas waiting at an elementary school bus stop when the unthinkable happened.

'A group of older white kids hung me in a tree,' he shared with David Sutphen in last week's EDU: Live. 'Fortunately, the bus driver was on time that day. I still remember the look in his eyes when he saw me up there. He got his knife out and cut me down, so I was able to live. From that moment on, I really puzzled over why the world was so divided over color-and pledged to find ways to make it better.'

One look at Dr. Tillery's career, and it's clear that this horrific experience from his childhood has been a driving force in his mission to ensure greater compassion, understanding, and humanity in the world.

After graduating with a bachelor's from Morehouse College, one of the nation's top Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Dr. Tillery went on to pursue a Ph.D. in political science from Harvard University. 'Harvard was a huge culture shock,' he said. During Dr. Tillery's first week on campus, a professor exclaimed, 'You're wasting our time and should drop out, because your seat could go to a more qualified white student.' This was another defining moment in Dr. Tillery's life. 'That's where I committed to becoming an expert on race issues and teaching younger generations how we can come together,' he said.

After graduating from Harvard, Dr. Tillery moved into a series of faculty positions-first at the University of Notre Dame, then at Rutgers University, and finally at Northwestern University, where he currently serves as an associate professor in the Department of Political Science, teaches two 2U-powered short courses on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI),and is director of the Center for the Study of Diversity and Democracy.

Read on for Dr. Tillery's insights on organizational DEI efforts, anti-racism education, and the greatest challenges universities have yet to hurdle.