Sharon Fries-Britt

Associate Professor

2203 Benjamin Building
University of Maryland
College Park, MD 20742
(301) 405-0186
sfries@umd.edu

Ph.D., University of Maryland, College Park
Joined faculty in 1995.

Dr. Fries-Britt's intellectual interests' center around understanding the experiences of college students. She is interested in the academic, social and psychological experiences they encounter during their collegiate years. In the broadest since her research is connected to the retention of college students and the impact of college. However, Dr. Fries-Britt is specifically concerned with the experiences of high ability minority collegians. Her current work focuses on the experiences of high ability Black collegians and their academic, social and racial experiences.

Since joining the faculty she has developed three courses. Dr. Fries-Britt teaches a course that examines models and other frameworks on college student retention and the impact of college. She teaches a second course on the experiences and needs of diverse student populations, and a class that examines the impact of changing demographics and research on higher education. In the class on changing demographics we examine how the changing diversity of students, faculty and staff is creating a new set of challenges and issues for the field. The fourth class that Dr. Fries-Britt teaches is a required professional seminar for students in higher education. Prior to her academic appointment she worked for thirteen years in student affairs administration and she has worked with numerous governmental agencies on issues of diversity and race relations. Dr. Fries-Britt finds that these previous experiences and ongoing connections enhance her research and teaching.

TOP

• Fries-Britt, S. L. & Kelly-Turner, B. (2005). Retaining Each Other: Narratives of Two African American Women in the Academy. The Urban Review, 37 (3), 221-242.
  
• Fries-Britt, S.L., Lee, Z & Gerald, D. (2005). Clarion Calls for Reform and Change in Postsecondary Education. In A. Harvey-Smith, The Seventh Learning College Principle A Framework for Transformational Change. NASPA. 1-25.
  
• Fries-Britt, S.L. (2005). [Review of Book. Mixed raced students in college]. The Review of Higher Education, 28(4), 629-630.
  
• Fries-Britt, S. L., (2004). Attracting the best and the brightest: Understanding the challenges and needs of high achieving Black students. In Brown, M.C., & Freeman, K. (Eds.). Black colleges at the millennium: New perspectives on policy and praxis. Stamford, CT: Ablex.



• Fries-Britt, S.L. (2002). High Achieving Black Collegians. About Campus Magazine, Vol. 7, No. 3 (July/August). Jossey Bass.



• Fries-Britt, S.L., & Turner, B., (2002). Uneven Stories: The Experiences of Successful Black Collegians at a Historically Black and a Traditionally White Campus. The Review of Higher Education, 25 (3).



• Fries-Britt, S.L., Turner, B., (2001). Facing Stereotypes: A Case Study of Black Students on a White Campus. The Journal of College Student Development, Vol. 42, (5)(September/October).



• Fries-Britt, S.L. (2000). Developing Support Networks and Seeking Answers to Questions. In M. García (Ed.) Succeeding in an Academic Career: A Guide for Faculty of Color. Greenwood Publishing Group.



• Fries-Britt, S.L. (2000 ). Identity Development of High Ability Black Collegians. In M. Baxter Magolda (ed.) Teaching to Promote Intellectual and Personal maturity: Incorporating students’ Worldviews and Identities into the Learning Process. Jossey-Bass, New Directions in Teaching and Learning.



• Fries-Britt, S.L. (1998). Book Review. Leveling the Playing Field: Promoting Academic Success for Students of Color. NASPA Journal, Vol. 35,(3).



• Fries-Britt, S.L. (1998). Moving Beyond Black Achiever Isolation: Experiences of Gifted Black Collegians. Journal of Higher Education, Vol. 69,(5).



• Fries-Britt, S. L. (1997). Identifying and Supporting Gifted African American Men. New Directions for Student Services, (80). NY: Jossey-Bass.

TOP

• Fries-Britt, S.L. & Griffin, K. (in preparation). Singing Mozart in Latin: The effects of stereotype threat on high achieving Blacks.



• Fries-Britt, S.L.(Manuscript in preparation). The Experiences of Black Students at an HBCU: A Case Study.



• Fries-Britt, S. L. & Kelly-Turner, B. (Manuscript in preparation). Learning Out Loud-Mentoring Narrative of Women of Color.



• Fries-Britt, S.L & Sedlacek, W. (Manuscript in preparation). Differences in Career Aspirations and Work Habits of High Ability African American, Asians and Whites.



• Fries-Britt, S.L (Manuscript in preparation). Smart and Black: The intersection of racial and academic identity.



• Fries-Britt, S.L. (Manuscript in preparation). All in the Family: Sources of Motivation of High Achieving Blacks.



• Fries-Britt, S.L. (Manuscript in preparation). Coping Strategies of High Achievers.

TOP

• Co-Principal Investigator, Evaluation of Civil Rights Summer Internship Program—Summer program for rising college juniors sponsored by the Harvard Civil Rights Project, Leadership Conference on Civil Rights, and Citizens’ Commission on civil Rights. Evaluation will determine the impact of this unique internship experience ($4,000). 6/01-present.



• Funded Research. Diversity Initiative Faculty Support Award. Sponsored by the Office of Human Relations, The University of Maryland, College Park. The award carries a release of a course for Spring 2001.



• Received a $26,000 grant from the Graduate School, University of Maryland to support research on gifted and talented black students (1996).

• *Fries-Britt, S.L., Milem, J.F., Perna, L.W., Williams III, J.B., Rowan, H., Gerald, D.S., and Hutchens, N. (November, 2005). Understanding the Status of Race Equity and Diversity in Public Higher Education in the South: A Multi-Faceted Approach. Research Symposium presented at the annual meeting of the Association for the Study of Higher Education, Philadelphia, PA.
  
• +Fries-Britt, S.L. (2002). Leadership Challenge: Communicating Across Cultures. Internal Revenue Service, Seattle Washington.



• +Fries-Britt, S.L. (2002). Retaining Students: New Questions and Fresh Perspectives. National Teleconference, National Resource Center for the First Year Experience, South Carolina.



• +Fries-Britt, S.L. (2002). Diversity and Excellence. Excellence in Government National Conference, Washington D.C.



• +Fries-Britt, S.L. (2002). Leading With Soul. Presentation for the Summer Institute for Women in Higher Education Administration, Bryn Mawr College.



• *Fries-Britt, S.L. (2001). Singing Mozart in Latin: The effects of stereotype threat on high achieving Blacks. Symposium paper presented at the Association for the Study of Higher Education, Richmond, Virginia.



• +Fries-Britt, S. L. (2001). Cultivating Authentic Pathways to Leadership. Twenty Seventh Annual Maryland Student Affairs Conference.



• +Fries-Britt, S. L. (2000). Embracing Body, Mind and Spirit: A Pathway to a More Authentic Self. Colorado Wyoming Association for Women in Education (CWAWE) Conference.



• +Fries-Britt, S.L. (2000). Bridging the Gap Between Student Affairs and Academic Affairs. Presentation for the Summer Institute for Women in Higher Education Administration, Bryn Mawr College.



• +Fries-Britt, S.L. (1999). Bridging the Gap Between Student Affairs and Academic Affairs. Presentation for the Summer Institute for Women in Higher Education Administration, Bryn Mawr College.



• +Fries-Britt, S. L. (1999). Supporting High Ability Minority Students. Prince Georges County School System, PLUMS Program.



• +Fries-Britt, S. L. (1998 & 1999). Cultural Diversity. Keynote Address, Notre Dame University.



• *Fries-Britt, S. L. (1997). Precollege Family Predictors of Racial Identity in High Ability Blacks: An Exploratory Study. Research paper presented at the Association for the Study of Higher Education, New Mexico.



• +Fries-Britt, S. L. (1997). The Challenge of Diversity. Graduate Research Seminar, Association for the Study of Higher Education, New Mexico.



• +Fries-Britt, S. L. (1997). Scholastic Achievement of African Americans in Higher Education. Harvard Graduate School of Education, Higher Education Week.



• +Fries-Britt, S. L. (1996). Examining and Implementing the Student Learning Imperative: Where do we go from here?. Workshop at The University of Tennessee, Martin.



• +Fries-Britt, S. L. (1996). The Transformation of Student Affairs in Higher Education. Keynote speech at The American College Personnel Association, Baltimore, Md. March 8.

TOP

• 2002. Editorial Board, Journal of College Student Development.



• 2001. ASHE, reviewed research papers and served as the discussant.



• 1997-2001. National Advisory Board, Eric Clearinghouse.



• 1997-2000. National Task Force for Minority High Achievement, The College Board.



• 1996. AERA, reviewed research papers for national convention.



• 1995-1997. Reviewed manuscripts for "On the Campus", Journal of College Student Development.

• University of Maryland, Woman of Color Award, 1992



• University of Maryland, Minority Staff Member of the Year, 1991



• University of Maryland, Associate Staff Outstanding Contributions Award, 1988



• New Professionals Presenter of the Year Award, MACUHO 1985 Member, Omicron Delta Kappa, selected by students at University of Maryland



• Member, American College Personnel Association (ACPA)



• Member, Association for the Study of Higher Education (ASHE)



• Member, American Association for Higher Education (AAHE)



• Member, American Association of University Professors (AAUP)

TOP

• EDPL 650 Professional Seminar in Higher and Adult Education
• EDPL 660 Retention Theories and The Impact of College
• EDPL 661 The Retention of College Students: Academic, Social and Cultural Implications
• EDPL 662 Research on Ethnic Minorities and Demographic Trends in Higher Education
• EDPL 853 Leadership and Change in Higer Education