Education Matters: The Black Student Fund: Education That WORKS For America's Black Youth

Continuing on the theme of "Black Excellence In Education" Dr. Harry Jackson takes a look at the "Black Student Fund" with his special guest, BSF Executive Director, Leroy Nesbitt, Jr. who is a social engineer and lawyer with more than thirty years experience in the education arena.

Leroy Nesbitt, Jr. is a graduate of Middlebury College and Howard University School Of Law. Following his graduation from law school he clerked for the Honorable George W. Mitchell, Associate Judge Superior Court of the District of Columbia. He then returned to Howard University serving as associate general counsel and directing the Moot Court Team at the School of Law. His work in the education arena continued at his undergraduate alma mater Middlebury College as Special Assistant to the President. He presently serves as Executive Director of the Black Student Fund. During his more than thirty years in the education industry Leroy has worked as arbitrator, lawyer, professor, administrator, programmer and consultant. He has worked with colleges in nine states and high schools in more than forty cities.

Leroy has served as the General Counsel for the DC Chapter of Concerned Black Men, Inc.; Treasurer, Dianne Princess of Wales Memorial Fund (US), Board member of the New England Association of Schools and Colleges; Education Transition committee of Mayor Sharon Pratt Kelly and Board Member Stride: The Wright Foundation for Female Athletes. Board member of the Daniel Alexander Payne Com-munity Development Corporation; Program chair for the DC-Maryland -Virginia, Athletes in Action and a consultant for College For Every Student.

During his thirty years in education Leroy has worked to address underrepresentation of people of color and women in STEM. Working in collaboration with the New England Board of Higher Education Leroy launched an effort to place students at Vermont colleges in graduate and doctoral programs in STEM. He advises the Percy Julian Institute Science, Technology, Engineering, Math and Medicine pro-gram of the Daniel Alexander Payne Community Development Corporation working with middle school students. At the Black Student Fund he created BSF STEM and gaming develop program teaching kids how to code.

He is married to Dr. Debony Hughes and has two daughters Nina and Malayna. Leroy has a Black Memorabilia collection with more than 500 items.