Ezinne D. Ofoegbu, Ph.D. (pronounced eh-zen-eh oh-FEH-boo) is an Assistant Professor of
Educational Leadership. Dr. Ofoegbu earned her Ph.D. in Educational Leadership, Policy, and
Human Development, with a specialization in Higher Education, from North Carolina State
University. During her time at NC State, she worked in research and assessment for university
housing and taught in the higher education master’s program and interdisciplinary studies
department. Prior to her doctoral studies, Dr. Ofoegbu worked in academic support and advising
for college athletes. Dr. Ofoegbu is an alumna of San Diego State University, where she earned a
B.S. in Kinesiology, and the University of Southern California, where she earned a M.Ed. in
Postsecondary Administration and Student Affairs.
Dr. Ofoegbu’s research focuses on Black women and girls in higher education, Black immigrant-
origin students and issues of equity and social justice in college athletics and higher education.
Her work is rooted in the desire to center historically marginalized students in college
environments that continue to exclude, “other”, and deny the cultural wealth that exists within
these student populations. She has presented her at research at national conferences, including
the American Educational Research Association (AERA), the Association for the Study of
Higher Education (ASHE), Critical Race Studies in Education Association (CRSEA), the Black
Student-Athlete Summit, and the College Sports Research Institute (CRSI). Additionally, her
work has been published in journals such as the Journal of Diversity in Higher Education,
Journal of Women and Gender in Higher Education, Journal of Issues in Intercollegiate
Athletics, and Sociology of Sport Journal.
Dr. Ofoegbu teaches courses related to higher education leadership and student affairs, such as
history of higher education and student development theory, and research methods, such as
action research. Her teaching philosophy is rooted in four objectives: 1) for students to
understand the relevance of the course curriculum in their professional practice, 2) to create
opportunities for students to learn with and from each other, 3) to assign course readings that
privilege the voices and perspectives of historically underrepresented populations, and 4) to
create an environment in which students can enter as their whole selves.
Ofoegbu, E. D. (2023). “Aren't you here to help me?”: Examining the role of identity as Black
women athletes navigate relationships and creating community at PWIs. Journal of Diversity in
Higher Education. Advanced online publication. https://doi.org/10.1037/dhe0000493
Ekpe, L. & Sherman, A., & Ofoegbu, E. D. (2023) Restoring resilience through joy: The pursuit
of happiness in the midst of unprecedented times. Equity in Education & Society. Advanced
online publication. https://doi.org/10.1177/27526461231154012
Ofoegbu, E. D. (2022). “Of course, I was the only Black girl”: Unpacking the academic
experiences of Black women student-athletes at PWIs. Journal of Women and Gender in Higher
Education. 15(4), 396-414. https://doi.org/10.1080/26379112.2022.2134143
Black, W. L., Ofoegbu, E. D., & Foster, S. L. (2022). #TheyAreUnited and #TheyWantToPlay:
A critical discourse analysis of college football player social media activism. Sociology of Sport
Journal. 39(4), 352–361. https://doi.org/10.1123/ssj.2021-0045
Ofoegbu, E. D. & Ekpe, L. (2022). Walk it like you talk it: A critical discourse analysis of
college athletics’ response to the murder of George Floyd. Journal of Issues in Intercollegiate
Athletics. 15, 168-188. http://csri-jiia.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/RA_2022_08.pdf
Ofoegbu, E. D., Gayles, J. G. & Weight, E. (2022). “More than an Athlete”: How Black
collegiate athletes use navigational capital to successfully transition to life after intercollegiate
athletics. Journal for the Study of Sports and Athletes in Education, 16(1), 23-44.
https://doi.org/10.1080/19357397.2021.1924561