East Tennessee State University Professor Receives Virginia Social Science Association Scholar Award for Exemplary Work in Social Science Field

Dr. Terence Hicks, a tenured full professor in the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis at East Tennessee State University, recently received the Virginia Social Science Association Scholar Award for his exceptional work in the social science field. The award was presented to him during the association’s 97th annual conference on April 20th.

Hicks is a prolific author with over 100 combined research publications or presentations to his name, including 10 published books. He is renowned for his expertise on first-generation college students and has presented academic papers both nationally and internationally. His research interests encompass college student self-efficacy, STEM research, college retention, school closing and massive resistance, high school to college transition, spirituality among college students, and the psychological well-being of students and administrators in higher education.

Apart from his work at East Tennessee State University, Hicks has also served as a Distinguished Visiting Professor for the Southern Regional Education Board and as a Research Fellow for the National Institutes of Health, National Center of Minority Health and Health Disparities. He holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration and a master’s in counseling education from Virginia State University, as well as a Doctorate in Education in educational leadership from Wilmington University and a Ph.D. in counseling and counselor education and higher education from North Carolina State University.