Dr. Jasmine Mitchell, associate professor in the American Studies/ Media and Communications Department, recently received the Oliver Scholars Inaugural Alumni Award at the organization's gala. Mitchell was one of three alumni honored for excelling at Oliver's core pillars of scholarship, leadership, and service.
Founded in 1984, Oliver Scholars prepares high-achieving Black and Latinx students from underserved New York City communities for success at top independent schools and prestigious colleges. The Oliver experience includes up to 10 years of one-on-one support, after school and summer coursework, and pre-career training.
“I am incredibly honored to be with the Inaugural Oliver Scholars Scholarship Award,” Said Dr. Mitchell. “With the mission of opening up educational opportunities for Black and Latinx youth, Oliver Scholars helped me see the potential in myself, in our communities, and that our stories mattered. Now, as a professor, I aim to unlock this same potential in my students as they continue their educational journey so that they, too, can continue to create a more just world.”
A member of Old Westbury since 2013, Dr. Mitchell earned her Ph.D. in American Studies from the University of Minnesota and her Bachelor of Arts in American Studies from Williams College. Her scholarly interests include race and gender representation in popular culture, mixed-race, African-Americans and Afro-Brazilians, Black feminisms, and race and sports.
Her book, “Imagining the Mulatta: Managing Blackness in US and Brazilian Media,” examines contemporary media representations of mixed-black women in the United States and Brazil. Her next project examines Brazilian mega-sporting events and the role of race in public media cultures.