Marques Dexter

Adjunct Faculty

706-583-8195

[email protected]

210 Holmes-Hunter Academic Building

Mr. Dexter teaches UNIV 1203: Starting Strong: Introductory Seminar for Scholars. In the past, he has taught activity courses within the Basic Physical Education program, several lecture courses within the Sport Management program in the Department of Kinesiology, as well as co-taught the Educational Psychology of Race & Racism course within the Department of Educational Psychology, all housed within the Mary Frances Early College of Education.

Mr. Dexter is a student-centered diversity practitioner and educational scholar, whose commitment as an educator is to cultivate opportunities for students to engage in learning experiences that assist in their development as critically conscious members of society. A central goal of my teaching is to provide effective instruction that recognizes students as holistic individuals. Through engaging in such praxis, my teaching emphasizes the usage of multiple modalities that cater to various learning styles. Moreover, I seek to construct learning environments where self-reflection and self-actualization become intertwined within my teaching methods and curriculum.

He currently serves as the Assistant Director of Student Initiatives within the Office of Institutional Diversity, where he is the interim Director of the Georgia African American Male Experience (GAAME) Program.

In his free time he enjoys cooking, exploring the wealth of restaurants throughout Athens, watching popular anime such as Naruto, Baruto: Naruto Next Generations, and My Hero Academia, as well as benefitting from the self-care activity known as napping.

Curriculum Vitae

Education

B.S.B.A. in Sport Management — Robert Morris University 2007
M.S. in Kinesiology (Sport Management) — University of Georgia 2009
Ph.D. in Kinesiology (Sport Management & Policy) — University of Georgia 2021 (expected)

Awards & Honors

Diversity & Inclusive Excellence Planning Committee (Support Team) (2020 – 2021)
President’s Fulfilling Dream Award (Graduate), University of Georgia (2020)

Areas of Expertise

Mr. Dexter is interested in examining the socio-cultural aspects of sport, primarily its intersections with race, gender, and culture. Given the prevalent deficit ideologies and monolithic views of Black males, his research centers around how ecological systems affect Black male athletes’ holistic identity development, focusing on those who are academically & athletically high achieving. Utilizing visual qualitative research methods, his work illuminates the ways in which Black male athletes’ academic, athletic, and racial identities are impacted by their (pre-) collegiate experiences, thereby affecting their sense of self.

Teaching Philosophy

My commitment as an educator is to cultivate opportunities for students to engage in learning experiences that assist in their development as critically conscious members of society. Informed by the numerous teaching roles I have held over the past decade, and rooted in bell hooks’—influenced by Paulo Freire—engaged pedagogy, I envision myself as an educator whose teaching pedagogy and praxis enable dualistic learning by both the student and me, whereby the educational environment empowers students to engage in the process of self-actualization. Additionally, providing practical instruction that recognizes students as holistic individuals is paramount to my praxis. This is my Nindo or ninja way for those not familiar with the popular Japanese anime Naruto.

Furthermore, as James Baldwin reminds us, education should serve as a nexus where future knowledge producers gain a greater sense of self and understanding of the impact they can have upon society. Through providing effective instruction, recognizing students as holistic individuals, my teaching emphasizes the usage of multiple modalities that cater to various learning styles. Moreover, I seek to construct learning environments where self-reflection and self-actualization become intertwined within my teaching methods and curriculum. Such an environment is accomplished through (a) utilizing reflective journaling exercises, (b) providing collaborative learning activities, (c) providing opportunities for students to bridge theory to practice while engaging in group discussions.

Lastly, the term mentoring elicits varied thoughts and definitions to the point that it can be difficult to pinpoint what it means to mentor and be mentored. For me, mentoring connotes a mutually beneficial relationship where desired goals and outcomes impact all individuals; ultimately, the mentee gains the skills and knowledge to become a mentor to others. As a person who possesses several intersecting marginalized identities, mentoring has been a vital part of my success—both as a mentor and mentee. Therefore, I recognize its importance in providing opportunities to connect with students beyond the classroom setting to support their growth and development, affirm their individuality, and empower them to develop holistically continually. Whether formal or informal, my professional experiences and extensive network have positioned me to support students in their aspirations of obtaining gainful employment, transitioning to graduate school, in addition to successfully navigating academic and occupational environments that often lack self-representations.

Faculty