Meet Dr. Jacob Alan English: Champion of Student Success and Global Engagement
Jacob Alan English, Ph.D. is not just a leader; he's a passionate advocate for high-impact practices, currently serving as the Director of the Center for Undergraduate Fellowships and Research (CUFR). As the Director, he establishes, implements, and leads CUFR's strategic vision and priorities. In this role, he facilitates the development of global citizens and leaders through undergraduate research and national awards mentorship, collaborating with faculty, staff, and external partners who advocate for these initiatives. He finds joy in empowering undergraduates and alumni, guiding them in writing, storytelling, goal setting, and graduate school and career planning, and fostering their leadership development. Before joining GW, Dr. English served as the Assistant Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of the District of Columbia.
Starting his career at Georgia State University and Georgia Institute of Technology, Dr. English intentionally pursued positions that allowed him to understand the breadth and depth of the higher education ecosystem, including those in academic affairs, student affairs, and athletics. However, it was his time as an adjunct instructor and involvement in Georgia State's Black Male Initiative that truly shaped his path as an administrator. Between 2016 and 2019, he taught the Science of Learning and Teaching course, earning the Outstanding Teacher in Educational Psychology Award. From 2018 to 2022, he led the Black Male Initiative in the Honors College at Georgia State, securing an IDEAS (Increase and Diversify Education Abroad for U.S. Students) grant from the U.S. Department of State to enhance the global learning experiences of Black college men. Additionally, he built strong partnerships with corporate sponsors to elevate the initiative through vital economic and social support.
As a scholar-practitioner, Dr. English is a recipient of a Fulbright International Education Administrator award to Germany. He also played a key role as a founding member of the Delta Air Lines-sponsored AGILE (Advancing Global Inclusive Leadership Education) program, a collaboration focused on empowering historically underrepresented groups in higher education through international education and leadership learning. Dr. English operates within three distinct yet overlapping areas of research and praxis, which include understanding social and psychological barriers to participation in high-impact practices (e.g., research, global learning), justice, diversity, equity, and inclusion in education, and student-athlete development. His findings have gained recognition through publications in journals like the Journal of Adolescent Research and Journal of Issues in Intercollegiate Athletics, as well as presentations at notable conferences focused on global learning and race and ethnicity in education, like the Forum on Education Abroad Conference and the National Conference on Race and Ethnicity.
Dr. English is deeply involved in his field. He has served a four-year term on the executive board of the National Association of Fellowships Advisors and was the founding co-chair of the DEI committee. He served a two-year term as a Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs Gilman Advisor Ambassador. Currently, he contributes his expertise as an Education Division Councilor in the Council on Undergraduate Research and as a member of the University of Virginia's Navigate Project Advisory Board.
Proudly wearing the title of "Triple Panther," Dr. English holds a Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science, a Master of Science in Sport Administration, and a Ph.D. in Educational Psychology from Georgia State University. His award-winning dissertation research, titled “I Am Not Only a Student-Athlete: Investigating Social Identity Complexity as a Stereotype Threat Mitigation Strategy to Reduce Barriers to Academic Engagements”, was funded by the NCAA and published in the Journal of Issues in Intercollegiate Athletics. He was also celebrated as part of Georgia State’s 2020 40 Under 40 Class and inducted into the Georgia State Athletics Hall of Fame in 2019, honoring his achievements in track and field.
Dr. English enjoys life as a husband, son, brother, uncle, friend, and colleague. He’s passionate about health and wellness. When he's not at the gym, you can find him enjoying quality time with family and friends or indulging in his love for reading, writing, and watching tennis and track and field.
Dr. Jacob Alan English’s commitment to education and social equity is not just a career—it's his calling.
