ABSTRACT
The work done in creating quality graduate programs in public administration and public policy at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) has been critical in helping to diversify the field. It has helped to establish the importance of African Americans and other people of color in shaping how government responds to the needs of those citizens marginalized for so many years by unfair and discriminatory public policies. Dr. Curtina Moreland-Young’s outstanding leadership in helping establish and expand programs at Jackson State University in the areas of public administration and public policy has made her a true Trailblazer. Born in South Carolina in the late 1940s during a period in which segregation and discrimination were the norm in this country, her success both academically and professionally reflects an admirable level of exceptionalism. Moreland-Young received a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Creative Writing from Fisk University in 1969. In 1975 she received a Master of Arts in Political Science/ Public Administration from the University of Illinois-Urbana, and the following year she was awarded a Ph.D. in these combined areas of study. As one committed to life-long learning, she participated in several post-doctoral programs to include study at Adelphi University’s American Forum for International Study in 1977, Harvard University in 1982, and in 2004 at the University of Michigan. Her passion for education and commitment to social equity and justice serve as the foundation for her more than 40 years of career accomplishments.
