Loyola Marymount University Westchester campus welcomed more than 200 undergraduate and graduate students, along with professionals and professoriate at the 12th annual Black Doctoral Network (BDN) national conference and the U-PROPEL (Undergraduates Promoting Research, Opportunities, Professionalism, Education, and Leadership) conference. Held over three days from Oct. 17-19, the dual conference featured two keynote speakers who shared their career journeys and valuable insights, in addition to a variety of workshops and social events.
Opening the conference, before the keynote speaker took the stage, members of the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority and Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity showcased their respective “strolls,” which are organized dance performances.
Berenecea Johnson Eanes, Ph.D., the first woman and ninth president of California State University Los Angeles, the conference keynote speaker, discussed the importance of having a support system. She also shared her journey along with a glimpse into the day of a university president. “My average day starts at about 4 in the morning,” she told the audience. Providing more context into her busy schedule, Eanes shared that in addition to being a university president she is a wife, and mother to two teenagers. “Each morning, I get myself grounded and plan my day, I organize my thoughts and make my to-do list, return texts, emails, and phone calls, but this all works because I have an amazing team and support system.”
From Ignite a Brighter World, read: Building Bonds through Braiding.
The Cal State L.A. president encouraged the conference attendees to be lifelong learners as they progress through their careers. “Asking for help is the only way, and receiving instruction is the only way. You will need people to help and teach you. Take those leadership courses,” she emphasized. “BDN is the beginning of your team, and you will have others along the way.”
Reflecting on her own career, Eanes expressed her appreciation from being a professor in the classroom to her role as president. She urged conference attendees to follow their own path. “Along your journey, what others see in you and for you is not always what you see for yourself. That doesn’t mean they’re right, and you’re wrong, but it is a conversation worth having, but ultimately it’s you who gets to decide.”
Watch the slideshow to see photos from the BDN conference and the U-PROPEL poster winner.
BDN welcomes attendees in University Hall west atrium 
Valeska Gutierrez, LMU DEI Operations and Program Specialist, and jamal Epperson, LMU Assistant Director, DEI Initiatives, speaking to prospective candidates at LMU’s recruiting table 
Berenecea Johnson Eanes, Ph.D., president of California State University Los Angeles giving keynote address in University Hall Ahmanson auditorium. 
Audience looks on as Berenecea Johnson Eanes gives her keynote address. 
Two members of the Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity®, Inc. stroll in Ahmanson before the keynote speaker Eanes took the stage. 
LMU Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity members 
Three members of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. stroll in Ahmanson after the keynote speaker Eanes concluded her speech. 
LMU Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority members 
BDN second keynote for U-PROPEL speaker Hakeem Oluseyi, Ph.D., astrophysicist and author of his memoir, “A Quantum Life: My Unlikely Journey from the Streets to the Stars,” addressed the audience in Roski Dining Hall. 
Dr. Thomas Poon, LMU Executive Vice President and Provost, welcomes BDN conference to LMU 
From left, BDN Lynda Gibson, Ph.D., Conference Manager Deputy Director; Thomas Poon, Ph.D., LMU Executive Vice President and Provost; and BDN Deandra Taylor, Ed.D., Conference Chair Executive Director 
Rosemarie Rae, LMU Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer; Maurice Green Ph.D., BDN Managing Director; Emelyn dela Peña, Ed.D., LMU vice president for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion pose for picture after hearing give Oluseyi speech. 
BDN conference attendees gather for lunch at food trucks near the University Hall flagpole 
BDN conference attendees chat outside at lunch time 
LMU students listen to another BDN conference attendee. 
LMU student Julien Herard presenting, “It Takes a Village: The Importance of Peer Advocacy” workshop. 
LMU students (L-R) Exodus Broussard and Julien Herard fielding questions from audience at their “It Takes a Village: The Importance of Peer Advocacy” workshop. 
BDN conference attendees attend one of many different workshops 
LMU panel discussion “Reclaiming Voices: Using Critical Storytelling to Empower Scholars of Color” with (from left) Keisha Chin Goosby, Ph.D., LMU Clinical Assistant Professor and Academic Program Director; Deonna Smith, Ed.D., ’22, DEI Consultant; Jeremy Divinity, Ed.D., ’24, EdTec Marketing Manager; and Cuauhtemoc Salinas Martell, Ed.D., ’24, UCLA Dream Resource Center (DRC) Alumni Coordinator. Antonio Felix, Ed.D., LMU Associate Dean, Student Services, on left, moderated the discussion. 
“Reclaiming Voices: Using Critical Storytelling to Empower Scholars of Color” panelists (from left) Keisha Chin Goosby, Ph.D., LMU Clinical Assistant Professor and Academic Program Director; Deonna Smith, Ed.D., ’22, DEI Consultant; Jeremy Divinity, Ed.D., ’24, EdTec Marketing Manager; and Cuauhtemoc Salinas Martell, Ed.D., ’24, UCLA Dream Resource Center (DRC) Alumni Coordinator. Antonio Felix, Ed.D., LMU Associate Dean, Student Services, on left, moderated the discussion. 
U-PROPEL Poster Competition 1st Place Winner: Soleyana Shiferaw, LMU student, “Redefining the Monolith: The Political Divide Between Black Immigrants and the Descendants of Enslaved Africans” 
BDN welcomes attendees in University Hall west atrium. From left, Lynda Gibson, Ph.D., Conference Manager Deputy Director; Marshia Allen, M.Ed., Conference Manager U-PROPEL Director; Rodlyn Hines, Ph.D., Conference Manager; Dr. Deandra Taylor, Ed.D., Conference Chair Executive Directoratrium
The second keynote speaker, Hakeem Oluseyi, Ph.D., an internationally recognized astrophysicist and education advocate, kicked off day two of the conference. He has had a distinguished career in academia and scientific research and is the author of a memoir, “A Quantum Life: My Unlikely Journey from the Streets to the Stars.”
As a youngster, Oluseyi grew up in poverty, moving from city to city with his mother after his parents divorced. He was an avid reader and had a keen interest in science, specifically physics. After high school, he didn’t see college in his future so he enlisted in the U.S. Navy and was selected for an upward mobility program designed for junior sailors who showed potential to become officers. However, he was disqualified from the program because of a skin condition and honorably discharged. Shortly after, Oluseyi went to Tougaloo College, a member of the Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) in Jackson, Mississippi, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in physics and mathematics.
In 1991, Oluseyi entered Stanford University through an affirmative action program and wasn’t expected to succeed. As a first-year graduate student, he struggled with imposter syndrome, yet he persisted. In the years that followed, he experienced “impostorization” — the systemic biases and microaggressions within academic institutions that can undermine one’s confidence causing them to question their abilities. Despite the doubts cast upon him, he earned an M.S. in physics in 1995 and a Ph.D. in 1999 and went on to have a notable career.
After recounting his youth, the charismatic 57-year-old Oluseyi told the audience, “As a young person, you are born into a lot of narratives. You’re born into a lot of people telling you what the world is. But you’re coming of age, and you’re going to have to make these determinations for yourself. You’re going to have to determine your own life’s path. You’re going to have to determine your own career path.”
Concluding his speech, Oluseyi emphasized, “You are the author and architect of your future” and attributed his success to hope, hustle, and help. While hope and hustle came from within, Oluseyi shared that the help came from unlikely people who showed up for him. He urged the audience not to focus on those whose goal is to hinder, but on those who can, instead, help.
Leading up to lunch, LMU Executive Vice President and Provost Thomas Poon, Ph.D., took a moment to thank conference attendees for “flipping the script” and “flipping the narrative” regarding BIPOC academics advancements in higher education.
On the final day of the conference, winners of the Undergraduate Research Poster competition were announced.
BDN and LMU form an ideal partnership, as both are supportive and nurturing communities. As an R2 institution, LMU, like BDN, values inclusive excellence, research, and scholarship. This partnership aligns perfectly with LMU’s commitment to fostering an inclusive environment to prepare students for the future.
