Boyce Watkins: Difference between revisions
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'''Dr. Boyce D. Watkins''' |
'''Dr. Boyce D. Watkins''' is a professor of finance and a social commentator. |
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He advocates for education, economic empowerment and social justice. |
He advocates for education, economic empowerment and social justice. |
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*[http://www.boycewatkins.org The Educational Excellence Contract] |
*[http://www.boycewatkins.org The Educational Excellence Contract] |
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*[http://www.yourblackworld.com Black World] |
*[http://www.yourblackworld.com Black World] |
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*[http://www.blackvoices.com AOL Black Voices] |
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*[http://www.thegrio.com The Grio] |
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Watkins, Boyce}} |
{{DEFAULTSORT:Watkins, Boyce}} |
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Revision as of 05:36, 14 December 2009
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Boyce Watkins | |
|---|---|
| Born | June 20, 1971 |
| Nationality | American |
| Alma mater | University of Kentucky |
| Occupation(s) | Academic, finance expert, media commentator, activist |
| Employer | Syracuse University |
| Website | www.boycewatkins.com |
Dr. Boyce D. Watkins is a professor of finance and a social commentator.
He advocates for education, economic empowerment and social justice.
In addition to publishing scholarly articles on finance and investing, Dr. Watkins has made regular appearances in various national media outlets, including CNN, Good Morning America, MSNBC, Fox News, BET, NPR, Essence Magazine, USA Today, The Today Show, ESPN, The Tom Joyner Morning Show and CBS Sports. He is also the favored financial expert and social commentator for the radio show The Wendy Williams Experience; host Wendy Williams has called him "one of the most eligible bachelors in America and the most significant voice of our generation."[citation needed]
Dr. Watkins is also a faculty affiliate with the College Sports Research Institute at University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill and the author of "Financial Lovemaking 101: Merging Assets with your Partner in Ways that Feel Good." He was the only African American in the world earn a PHD in Finance during the year 2002. He is currently a Finance Professor at Syracuse University.
Jesse Jackson has said, of Watkins, "You remind me of the great activist scholars who inspired me during college and we need more professors like you to continue the fight for economic and social justice in America."[citation needed]
Early life
Dr. Boyce Watkins was born in Louisville, KY to a 17-year old mother and 16-year old father. His father left his mother shortly after his birth, and he only spoke to his father 3 times during his life. Boyce's mother, Robin Couch remarried when he was 3 years old to Larry Watkins, a young Vietnam Veteran from Louisville. The family struggled for years, but worked hard for economic advancement.
Boyce's mother was a spirited woman who encouraged her children to be the best they can be at anything they do. Larry, who would become Boyce's adopted father, was a tough, stern head of the household who joined the local police force at the age of 30.
Boyce struggled in school, earning very poor grades all throughout. His teachers placed him in special education and also told him that he was not smart enough to go to college.
"When I look back on those years as a Black boy in a racist state like Kentucky, I get angry," says Dr. Watkins. "I almost lost the future that God had in store for me."
In high school, Boyce was captain of his track team. He also had a job working for Taco Bell, along with other fast food restaurants. This taught him the importance of hard work, as he learned that without an education, he would be forced to work low wage jobs for the rest of his life.
Dr. Watkins' teenage years were tough, as he did (and still does) suffer from self-esteem problems. Also, his father was a good provider, but very tough, leading Boyce to feel abandoned and unloved. His uncle, 8 years his senior, was regularly sent to prison, which only added to his feelings of abandonment. "Those were tough years for me," says Watkins. "I honestly think my mind has blocked them out."
Dr. Watkins received a small scholarship from a group called "Black Achievers", based in Louisville, KY, to the University of Kentucky, which was just enough to pay his tuition, but nothing else.
Early adulthood
During his senior year in high school, Boyce met his first girlfriend, 6 months after high school graduation, she gave birth to their first and only child. Watkins was a freshman in college at the time, and the child was born during Fall break.
The pressure of fatherhood further motivated Boyce to work hard in school. It was during his first semester at The University of Kentucky that he earned straight As for the first time in his life.
Dr. Watkins went on to win several honors in college, including Freshman of the Year, Sophomore of the Year and numerous scholarships. He finished with a triple major in Finance, Economics and Business Management. He was selected as the Wall Street Journal Outstanding Graduating Senior in Finance and granted a full scholarship to earn his PhD at Indiana University
Beginnings of his career in social activism
Watkins left the PhD program soon afterwards, deciding to return to his alma mater, The University of Kentucky, in order to study mathematics and statistics, two subjects he'd struggled with in the past.
It was during his time as a graduate student at The University of Kentucky that Watkins became more involved with political activism. The racism he perceived in the language used in his campus newspaper, The Kentucky Kernel, led Watkins to begin writing columns himself. In his work, he challenged what he felt were the racially-divisive foundations of his campus. Watkins also battled with the University President at the time, Charles Wethington III, referring to him as "Chuck" and claiming that he was racially insensitive and unqualified to be a campus president.
Syracuse University
After leaving The University of Kentucky, Watkins spent a year at The University of Rochester, eventually transferring to Ohio State University to finish his PhD.
Working under Rene Stulz, David Hirshleifer and Andrew Karolyi, Watkins finished his PhD at Ohio State University. His first academic position was with Syracuse University, requiring Watkins to move to Syracuse, NY.
The first four years of Watkins' academic career at Syracuse were relatively quiet. An isolated and dedicated scholar, Watkins lived alone, writing several research papers in areas related to Equity Markets, International Finance, and Investor Psychology.
In 2004, Watkins completed his first book, "Everything You Ever Wanted to Know about College – A Guide for Minority Students". The book was an instant success and began his work in public scholarship. "I wrote this book for all the young kids like me who were told they can't go to college," said Dr. Watkins.
A few months later, Watkins created his second book "What if George Bush were a Black Man?" This book was a satirical discussion of President Bush and the presence of White privilege in America. Watkins explores the criminal justice system, the educational system, and the economic systems of America, using statistics and anecdotes to inductively describe likely fates for President Bush and other privileged individuals if they were poor and Black.
The book was featured on national media, including CNN, The Today Show, and Good Morning America. Prominent African American Scholar Michael Eric Dyson referred to Watkins as "brilliant", and Fox News Analyst Dr. Marc Lamont Hill stated that Watkins is "one of the greatest minds of our time".
His next books were "Financial Lovemaking 101: Merging Assets with Your Partner in Ways that Feel Good", "The Parental 411: What Every Parent should Know about Their Child in College", and "Quick and Dirty Secrets of College Success: A Professor Tells it all".
Bill O'Reilly and Juan Williams
One point of notoriety for Watkins has been his on-going feud with Bill O'Reilly from Fox News. Watkins referred to Bill O'Reilly and Sean Hannity as "UnAmerican borderline Klansmen who graduated from the Rush Limbaugh School of Arrogant Self-righteousness". During one CNN episode, after which Bill O'Reilly made controversial statements about African Americans during his visit to Sylvia's Restaurant in Harlem, Watkins, referred to Juan Williams, as "Bill O'Reilly's happy little Negro", in reference to Williams' insistence that O'Reilly did nothing wrong.
In response, Williams wrote a scathing piece about Dr. Watkins in Time Magazine.[citation needed] O'Reilly spent a week on his show calling for Dr. Watkins to be fired from his post at Syracuse University.[citation needed] Watkins referred to Bill O'Reilly, Sean Hannity and Rush Limbaugh as "The Axis of Ignorance" for what Watkins believed to be racist attacks against the Black community.
Later in the spring of 2008, Watkins formed an online protest through his website YourBlackWorld.com. In response to Fox News attacks on Senator Barack Obama and Pastor Jeremiah Wright, Watkins asked his supporters to write to Bill O'Reilly's corporate sponsors and complain about O'Reilly's behavior.
Watkins' attack led O'Reilly to spend another week during May 2008 calling for Watkins to be fired. He also sent reporters to chase the Chancellor of Syracuse University, Dr. Nancy Cantor, to ask her why she had not challenged Watkins for his words. In his comments, O'Reilly claimed that Watkins accused him of wanting to lynch Michelle Obama, the wife of Senator Barack Obama and that he was "smearing the good name of Syracuse University by spreading these kinds of lies."
Keith Olbermann, host of "Count Down with Keith Olbermann" came to Dr. Watkins' defense, stating that O'Reilly did in fact joke about lynching Michelle Obama. He also mentioned that O'Reilly's lash at Watkins stemmed from his protest against O'Reilly's corporate sponsors. Others, such as Rev. Jesse Jackson backed Dr. Watkins as well, with Rev. Jackson inviting Watkins onto his show over 15 times in 2008.
Dr. Watkins' challenge to the NCAA
Dr. Watkins is known as one of the leading advocates for the rights of college athletes. In his work as a faculty affiliate for the College Sport Research Institute at The University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, Watkins has challenged the NCAA on its refusal to compensate college athletes, stating that the NCAA exploits Black families by using young men for their athletic ability and refusing to share the wealth with their families.
In his work, Watkins has appeared on several national media outlets, including CNN, ESPN, Fox, and CBS Sports explaining why athletes should be compensated. He has also challenged the tax exempt status of the NCAA, stating that the United States Congress should step in and conduct an anti-trust investigation into the NCAA.
In op-ed pieces opposite NCAA President Myles Brand, Watkins has argued that students' rights are being violated on a regular basis by the NCAA and that a fairer compensation model should be used by the league. He cites that the revenues from NCAA March Madness exceed that of the Super Bowl and the World Series combined. Watkins also cites the fact that many coaches are made into millionaires by a system designed to keep star athletes and their families in poverty. At the conference for the North American Society for the Sociology of Sport (NASSS), Watkins cited the work of Harry Edwards during the 1968 Olympics as a spring board for Black athlete activism.
"Like hookers kept dazed on drugs, the Black athlete is kept ignorant by his coaches so they can continue to rob him blind," says Dr. Watkins. "Coaches in college are given little incentive to increase graduation rates, and even choose the classes for the athletes. It's a sham."
Financial activism
Through his position at Syracuse University and YourBlackWorld.com, Dr. Boyce Watkins also provides regular financial advice to a largely African American audience. He argues that African Americans should consider their financial independence to be part of their spiritual and social independence. He also argues that African Americans should find a way to "own the land on which you stand", in order to be truly liberated in America.