Dr. Nancy Boxill - UI&U Faculty

“A key quality that a leader must possess is the ability to listen in a way that people believe they are being heard. And a leader must be confident in the future – to think that it will not be like the present.” – Dr. Nancy Boxill

When looking for an example of Union Institute & University’s commitment to preparing learners for careers as effective and creative community leaders, one need not look any further than Dr. Nancy Boxill. Whether as the first woman to serve on the Fulton County, Atlanta, Board of Commissioners, as a proponent of gender equality in both policy and community programs, or as a faculty member in Union’s Ph.D. program, Dr. Boxill uses the skills she honed as a doctoral learner at Union to effect change within her community, her district, and her classrooms.

“There is a direct link between my career with Fulton County and my education at Union,” said Dr. Boxill, who first began working for Fulton County as part of her Ph.D. internship. “Through my internship, I began to understand the important role of making policy, and I began to develop my thoughts about planning and resource allocation. What was evident from the beginning of my studies was Union’s unique commitment to social justice. It was an apparent and vigorous part of my studies, and for this I am extremely grateful.”

Today, in addition to her work as a commissioner, Dr. Boxill serves as a part-time professor and program coordinator for the UI&U Ph.D. program’s Martin Luther King Jr. specialization.  She was instrumental in the creation of this new, innovative program, connecting learners with civil rights leaders across the nation, including the Rev. Dr. Virgil Woods, a colleague of the Rev. Dr. King, who helped launch the specialization at a Cincinnati-based academic residency in 2008.

Dr. Boxill also plays a pivotal role in the MLK specialization’s biannual Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Legacy Luncheon, and invites nationally recognized civil rights leaders to deliver the  keynote address – to share their lessons with the MLK learners and faculty so that they may apply these important lessons to their own work.

“The MLK program is a very viable and exciting way to study the work of Dr. King in a scholarly fashion. It’s a unique opportunity to examine his work and the legacy he has left throughout the world,” said Dr. Boxill.

In addition to her work as a commissioner, Dr. Boxill has also served as a psychologist, focusing on issues that affect women, children, and the homeless population. She is a tireless champion for the arts, serving on boards of arts organizations, including the Carl Ratcliff Dance Theatre. She has served as a member of the National Black Arts Festival board of directors since its inception, and was pivotal in the creation of the West End Performing Arts Center in Atlanta.  Dr. Boxill currently serves on the board of directors of the Atlanta Opera and the board of trustees of the Herndon Foundation.

 “I tell people all the time that if they want an exciting and exceptional education experience, they should look no further than Union,” said Dr. Boxill. “It’s a place where learners have the freedom to continue their intellectual journey and their quest to make it possible for people of all sorts to find their place."

It is with honor that we feature Dr. Boxill as part of Union’s 2011 celebration of Black History Month.  With a dedication to service and a track record of positively effecting policy and social thought, she is a prime example of the strength of Union’s faculty and alumnae body.