Felix O. Quayson, a Research Scholar from Workforce Development and Education program at Educational Studies Department, was named a 2022-23 ECMC Foundation Postsecondary Career and Technical Education (CTE) Research Fellow. The program is housed at the Belk Center for Community College Leadership and Research at North Carolina State University and led by Principal Investigators James Bartlett, Ph.D., and Michelle  Bartlett, Ph.D. Upon recommendation of his Research Sponsors, Christopher Zirkle, Ph.D., an Associate Professor and Fulbright Scholar to Finland, and Edward C. Fletcher, Jr. Ph.D., a Distinguished Associate Professor, and successful round of interviews, Felix was one of 11 fellows selected from universities nationwide in the 4th cohort of the program. “Fellows will be part of a community that participates in two national research training institutes, research methods webinars, works with CTE research mentors, and conducts postsecondary CTE research.”

The Research Fellows will complete research projects that focus on topics related to postsecondary career and technical education field. The research projects will be presented at national conferences including a manuscript submission to a nationally recognized academic journal.

Felix’s research will focus on “African American Male Community College Students’ Perceptions of Earning Industry Certification in Career and Technical Education”. The findings of this research study will assist postsecondary institutions to uncover critical areas in career and technical education that are not yet explored on the educational value of the tradeoffs associated with earning industry certification and linking it to educational attainment for African American male community college students. This study will support the prioritization of African American male students’ earning industry certifications.

Felix Quayson, who is a product of community college education, believes in the promise and purpose of community college to help African American male students to achieve industry certifications and postsecondary credentials. He says he has noticed a trend where African American male college students are focusing on earning only academic degrees and not industry certifications. Felix is passionate about helping African American male college students and graduates to explore professional apprenticeship networking, career readiness, and transition to employment. He hopes to develop African American male students’ abilities to recognize apprenticeship networking opportunities and be cognizant about their career readiness and career decisions.

Speaking on his project, Felix had this to say, “I want African American male students to identify their educational attainment that contribute to their cultural heritage, lived experiences, and the motivation to transition to employment to earn livable wages, attain middle-class status, and exude confidence in career decisions. I want African American male students to feel empowered with their image, identity, personality, educational attainment, and community belongingness. I want them to feel valued to contribute to societal development”.

The Research Fellows will participate in a virtual orientation and training institute in August 2022. The Postsecondary CTE program’s 4th cohort will run from August 2022 through August 2023. Fellows are required to attend monthly webinars on research methods, receive mentorship from nationally recognized researchers in Career & Technical Education, participate in the ECMC Foundation’s annual CTE Leadership Collaborative Convening in October 2022 in Nashville, TN, and attend a training institute in conjunction with the Association for Career and Technical Education Research’s (ACTER) national conference in November 2022 in Las Vegas, NV.

*About the The Postsecondary CTE Research Fellows Program*

“Bridging the Gaps in Postsecondary Career and Technical Education (CTE) Research is a project to enhance and strengthen postsecondary CTE research at universities nationwide through the establishment of the Postsecondary CTE Research Fellows Program at NC State University, sponsored by ECMC Foundation. The program, based at the Belk Center for Community College Leadership & Research at the NC State College of Education, was established in 2018 through a three-year, $2 million grant intended to enhance and strengthen postsecondary Career and Technical Education (CTE) research to improve student success. A four-year, $1.3 million grant was awarded in 2022 to continue developing Fellows through 2025.”

In 2021, Felix Quayson enrolled at Professional Education at Harvard Graduate School of Education where he began coursework for the Certificate in Media and Technology for Education program. Throughout the Certificate program, he completed three projects; (1) a project focused on designing a workforce accelerator program that empowers adult learners and recent college graduates to prepare them professionally for skills relevant to careers in technology and vocational economy, (2) an online project that would educate adults, individuals, and families about the financial side of health issues and diseases, and (3) an online project that would educate Black and minoritized families and individuals about the journey to financial literacy and freedom on wealth, investment, and ownership.

Speaking on his achievement, “I will say that it is admirable for anyone to have a Harvard credential, and this educational technology credential is special, not because it is from Harvard GSE, but it speaks to the work that I have dedicated myself to do, the work that I want to do, and the kinds of projects I am looking forward to implement. At the end, the name Harvard is just someone’s last name, however, the real work is with the people that I need to help with my professional skills and knowledge, and when they are satisfied then it speaks volume of me and my Harvard GSE credential. I have grown in perspective to not attach myself to any degree or professional certification, but to attach myself with the character of helping the people to bring equitable changes in communities. That brings value to me and makes me satisfied.”

In addition, to working on a National Science Foundation project, conducting research, and teaching online, Felix Quayson has applied to a few competitive national research fellowships. He is very passionate about Workforce Education and Career and Technical Education research. In addition to having an impressive educational background, Felix has taught at the graduate, undergraduate, online, and international levels in education and healthcare administration.

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#GoBucks #TogetherAsBuckeyes #BlackMaleEducation #BlackInEducation #DEIJ #BlackScholar #CTE #WorkforceEducation 

The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210.

WELCOME TO THE PROFESSIONAL PAGE OF FELIX QUAYSON AT THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY IN COLUMBUS, OH 43210. #TogetherAsBuckeyes #BlackMaleEducation #BlackInEducation #GoBucks#BlackScholar #CTE #WorkforceEducation #HRD

Areas of Research: Workforce HRD Education, Career & Technical/Vocational Education, Leadership, EdTech

Professional Summary: I am an educational research scientist and scholar-practitioner working to better understand how credentials of value, career readiness, and workforce education motivate and shape economic mobility and self-efficacy. My scholarships are interwoven in the interdisciplinary nature of education sciences through career and technical/vocational education, credentialing industry certifications and micro-credentials, leadership, higher education, performance metrics, edtech, training and development, labor relations, project design, and management. Likewise, I have a professional interest in course design, educational program design, multimedia activities, entrepreneurship, and traveling. I enjoy generating impactful new ideas and facilitating solutions to improve outcomes that benefit human development.

Career Highlights: I was named a national postsecondary career and technical education research fellow at ECMC Foundation. I worked on U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) STEM Education Grant projects# 2000472 and 2151029. I am a Grant reviewer at NSF. I was awarded a Grant from the ECMC Foundation to establish a National Applied Research Center on Industry Certifications and Career Readiness for Black Males. I am a book series editor in organization, workforce, and leadership studies at Information Age Publishing, Inc. I am an elected AERA CTE SIG Secretary for the 2023-2025 term. I serve on the board of directors at Youth Social Educational Vocational Training Academy in Springfield, MA. I am a co-founder of New Mind Media, LLC., an education and business consulting where we provide online training in career skills and job programs.