SDP Accepts 18 Institutions into New Data Community for Minority-Serving Institutions

June 2025 — Cambridge, MA – The Strategic Data Project (SDP), an initiative of the Center for Education Policy Research at Harvard University, has accepted eighteen fellows across eighteen Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs) to participate in the inaugural cohort of the MSI Data Community of Practice and Fellowship.  This marks an important milestone in SDP’s commitment to strengthen data practices that support postsecondary student success. 

Backed by the Gates Foundation and in collaboration with the United Negro College Fund, Complete College America, and Growing Inland Achievement, SDP’s newest program brings together a talented cohort of data leaders from MSIs across the country. Over the course of the fellowship, these leaders will collaborate to strengthen institutional capacity, deepen their data analytic expertise, and champion evidence-based solutions for student outcomes. 

The inaugural cohort includes: 

  • Abigail Newsome, Mississippi Valley State University (Itta Bena, MS)
  • Alejandra Villalobos Melendez, The University of New Mexico-Taos (Ranchos de Taos, NM)
  • Charla Orozco, The University of New Mexico (Albuquerque, NM)
  • Daniel Sisco, Northampton Community College (Bethlehem, PA)
  • Gloria Davis, Texas Southern University (Houston, TX)
  • Mariana Rincon Osorio, Florida Memorial University (Miami Gardens, FL)
  • Marlin Hicks, Johnson C. Smith University, Incorporated (Charlotte, NC)
  • Rahat Khan, Claflin University (Orangeburg, SC)
  • Raquel Borges-Hernandez, University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez Campus (Mayaguez, PR)
  • Samantha Petitt, Walla Walla Community College (Walla Walla, WA)
  • San Bernardino Community College District (San Bernardino, CA)
  • Sandra Ramawy, Lane College (Jackson, TN)
  • Sharmyne Evans, Morehouse College (Atlanta, GA)
  • Stephanie Mayberry, Kentucky State University (Frankfort, KY)
  • Tanner Carollo, California State University, San Bernardino (San Bernardino, CA)
  • Veronica Powell Shuford, Virginia State University (Petersburg, VA)
  • Yan Ma, University of California, Riverside (Riverside, CA)
  • Yasser Ismail, Southern University and A&M College (Baton Rouge, LA) 

The program will launch with an in-person orientation this July in Cambridge, MA, where fellows and their supervisors will begin their dynamic community of practice and set the stage for the next eighteen months of learning, collaboration, and impact. Orientation will support fellows in identifying key goals around their chosen focus areas, which include data governance and systems, pathways analytics for student success, data communication and literacy, and student voice. 

“We couldn’t be more excited to serve and support MSI data leaders and their institutions as they harness evidence to improve student outcomes,” said Miriam Greenberg, Senior Director of the Strategic Data Project. “These fellows are poised to bring about powerful change not only within their campuses, but across the entire sector.” 

Throughout the fellowship, participants will engage in a blend of in-person and recurring virtual training, regular collaborative projects, and opportunities to share lessons learned with both the cohort and the broader higher education community. The fellows will work towards the development of public-facing tools and resources—such as actionable whitepapers and toolkits—designed to extend the impact of the program to other institutions nationwide. This cohort will conclude in September 2026. 

To learn more about the program, visit https://sdp.cepr.harvard.edu/sdp-minority-serving-institution-msi-data-community-practice-and-fellowship.  

About the Strategic Data Project 
Harvard's Strategic Data Project (SDP) works with education agencies to find and train data leaders to uncover trends, measure solutions, and effectively communicate evidence to stakeholders. SDP’s network of system leaders, fellows, and faculty come together to share how to best use data to make a difference in the lives of students. SDP Fellows are driving data-informed change in over 300 school systems and organizations. Learn more at sdp.cepr.harvard.edu. 

About the Center for Education Policy Research at Harvard University 
 The Center for Education Policy Research at Harvard University, based at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, seeks to transform education through quality research and evidence. CEPR and its partners believe all students will learn and thrive when education leaders make decisions using facts and findings, rather than untested assumptions. Learn more at cepr.harvard.edu. 

For questions, contact Juda Smack, the SDP Higher Education Program Manager, at juda_smack@gse.harvard.edu.  

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