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'''Ricco Darnell Wright''' (born August 2, 1981) is an [[ |
'''Ricco Darnell Wright''' (born August 2, 1981) is an [[United_States|American]] [[Scholar#Scholars|scholar]] and [[Educator|educator]]. A [[Bill_and_Melinda_Gates_Foundation|Bill Gates scholar]] from 2000 to 2010,<ref name= "Dan">Thomas, Dan A. [http://thedanthomas.blogspot.com/2008/09/next-barack-obama.html "The Next Barack Obama?"], "For the Love of the Pen", September 11, 2008, accessed December 12, 2010</ref> Wright received his [[Bachelor_of_Science|Bachelor of Science ]] in [[Mathematics|mathematics]] from [[Langston_University|Langston University]] in 2004,<ref>LU Commencement Committee. [http://www.lunet.edu/2004%20Graduation%20Pages-Final.pdf, "Commencement 2004,"] "Langston University Commencement 2004," May 15, 2004, accessed December 11, 2010</ref> and his [[Master_of_Arts_(postgraduate)|Master of Arts]] in 2007 and [[Master_of_science|Master of Science]] in 2009 both in [[Mathematics_education|mathematics education]] from [[Columbia_university|Columbia University]].<ref name= "TCSF"/> He is currently pursuing a [[Doctor_of_education|Doctor of Education]] in mathematics education at [[Teachers_College,_Columbia_University|Teachers College, Columbia University]],<ref name= "Dan"/><ref>CU Directory. [https://directory.columbia.edu/people/search?filter.searchTerm=ricco+wright, "Ricco Darnell Wright,"] "People Search Results," Since 2004, accessed December 11, 2010</ref> a [[School_of_education|top ranked graduate school of education]] in [[New_york_city|New York City]].<ref>U.S. News & World Report. [http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-education-schools/rankings, "Best Education Programs,"] "Rankings," Fall 2010, accessed December 12, 2010.</ref> |
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An [[advocate]] of [[peace]] and [[social justice]], Ricco Wright first attracted national attention in October 2007 for his interviews on both [[CNN]] and [[CNN International]],<ref name= "TCSF"/><ref>CNN. [http://archives.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0710/10/cnr.05.html, "Noose on Campus,"] "CNN Senior Correspondent Allan Chernoff interviews Ricco Wright at Columbia University," October 10, 2007, accessed December 11, 2010 </ref><ref>CNN. [http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0710/11/cnr.02.html, "Noose on Campus,"] "CNN Anchor Heidi Collins interviews Ricco Wright at CNN studios," October 11, 2007, accessed December 11, 2010</ref> as well as [[NPR]],<ref>NPR. [http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=15236329, "Audio: Columbia Responds to Noose Incident,"] "NPR Host Farai Chideya interviews Ricco Wright at NPR Studios," October 12, 2007, accessed December 11, 2010</ref><ref>NPR. [https://www.npr.org/templates/transcript/transcript.php?storyId=15236329, "Transcript: Columbia Responds to Noose Incident,"] "NPR Host Farai Chideya interviews Ricco Wright at NPR Studios," October 12, 2007, accessed December 11, 2010</ref> deploring [[hate crimes]] and denouncing [[racism]] when a [[noose]] was found hanging on the [[office]] [[door]] of an [[ |
An [[advocate]] of [[peace]] and [[social justice]], Ricco Wright first attracted national attention in October 2007 for his interviews on both [[CNN]] and [[CNN International]],<ref name= "TCSF"/><ref>CNN. [http://archives.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0710/10/cnr.05.html, "Noose on Campus,"] "CNN Senior Correspondent Allan Chernoff interviews Ricco Wright at Columbia University," October 10, 2007, accessed December 11, 2010 </ref><ref>CNN. [http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0710/11/cnr.02.html, "Noose on Campus,"] "CNN Anchor Heidi Collins interviews Ricco Wright at CNN studios," October 11, 2007, accessed December 11, 2010</ref> as well as [[NPR]],<ref>NPR. [http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=15236329, "Audio: Columbia Responds to Noose Incident,"] "NPR Host Farai Chideya interviews Ricco Wright at NPR Studios," October 12, 2007, accessed December 11, 2010</ref><ref>NPR. [https://www.npr.org/templates/transcript/transcript.php?storyId=15236329, "Transcript: Columbia Responds to Noose Incident,"] "NPR Host Farai Chideya interviews Ricco Wright at NPR Studios," October 12, 2007, accessed December 11, 2010</ref> deploring [[hate crimes]] and denouncing [[racism]] when a [[noose]] was found hanging on the [[office]] [[door]] of an [[African_american|African-American]] [[female]] [[Tenure|tenured]] [[professor]] at Teachers College.<ref>ABC News. [http://abcnews.go.com/US/BlackHistory/story?id=3711479&page=1, "Police Investigate Possible Hate Crime; Student Walkout Planned,] "Hangman's Noose Targets Columbia Professor," October 10, 2007, accessed December 11, 2010</ref> He was soon recruited by then-[[president]] Michelle Cammarata,<ref>Teachers College Staff Writer. [http://www.tc.columbia.edu/news/article.htm?id=6410, "Learning What It Means to Lead"], October 18, 2007, accessed December 12, 2010</ref> as well as then-[[vice president]] Joe King,<ref>Teachers College Staff Writer. [http://www.tc.edu/news/article.htm?id=6613, "Partnership is Theme at TC's Convocation Exercises"], May 23, 2008, accessed December 12, 2010</ref> to run for Institutional Affairs [[Chairman|chair]] of the Student Senate.<ref name= "TCSF"/> That [[spring]], he was [[Election|elected]] president,<ref name= "TCSF"/> and served in that capacity until May 2009. |
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==School days== |
== School days == |
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===Elementary School=== |
=== Elementary School === |
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Ricco Wright was born August 2, 1981, at [[List_of_hospitals_in_Oklahoma#H|Hillcrest Medical Center]] in [[Tulsa]], [[Oklahoma]], to parents Renea Maythurple Gay (née Pittman) and Edward Darrell Wright. He [[Graduation|graduated]] from [[Walt_Disney|Disney Elementary School]] in 1992, [[Chester_W._Nimitz|Nimitz Middle School]] in 1995, and [[Union_Public_Schools|Union High School]] in 1999, becoming the first in his [[immediate family]] to graduate from [[high school]] and also later becoming a first-generation [[college]] [[student]]. Wright and his family moved almost every year once he started [[Elementary_school|grade school]], resulting in Wright attending several other elementary schools in Tulsa and [[Broken_Arrow,_Oklahoma|Broken Arrow]]. |
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===Secondary School=== |
=== Secondary School === |
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During [[6th grade]] and half of [[7th grade]], Wright attended [[ |
During [[6th grade]] and half of [[7th grade]], Wright attended [[Stephen_Foster_Middle_School|Foster Middle School]] in Tulsa, where he first began playing school [[basketball]], before transferring to Nimitz. After a rough transition from Foster to Nimitz, Wright, while in [[8th grade]], gathered himself for a successful year, joining the basketball team, earning the highest grade in his [[German language]] [[Class_(education)|class]], and eventually receiving the Most Improved Student [[award]] days before graduation. |
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After his [[freshman year]] at Union, Wright and his family moved again, this time to [[Oklahoma City]], where he spent his [[sophomore year]] and half of his [[junior year]] at [[Westmoore High School]]. There, he excelled as a student and played [[junior varsity]] [[basketball]], and also attended [[Vocational- |
After his [[freshman year]] at Union, Wright and his family moved again, this time to [[Oklahoma City]], where he spent his [[sophomore year]] and half of his [[junior year]] at [[Westmoore_High_School|Westmoore High School]]. There, he excelled as a student and played [[Junior_varsity|junior varsity]] [[basketball]], and also attended [[Vocational-technical_school|vo-tech school]] in Oklahoma City for half a day, taking classes in [[accounting]] and [[finance]]. In early 1998, Wright and his family moved back to Tulsa, where he returned to Union and transferred to the Tulsa vo-tech school, soon joining [[FBLA|Future Business Leaders of America]] (FBLA), an organization created by [[Hamden L. Forkner]] at Teachers College in 1937. |
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==College days== |
== College days == |
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===Freshman=== |
=== Freshman === |
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In the fall of 1999, Wright then matriculated to Langston University, the only [[ |
In the fall of 1999, Wright then matriculated to Langston University, the only [[Historically_black_colleges_and_universities|Historically Black College or University]] (HBCU) in the state of [[Oklahoma]].<ref name= "Dan"/> As a freshman, he worked as a [[teaching assistant]], a [[research assistant]] and a [[tutor]] in mathematics while serving as [[president]] of the Math Club and Pre-Alumni Council.<ref name="Lyle">Lyle, William. [http://issuu.com/apa1906network/docs/200308802, "Distinguished Collegians 2002-2003"], "The Sphinx," Summer 2003, Volume 88, Number 2, p. 26, accessed December 12, 2010</ref> Having earned a 4.0 [[grade point average]] during his first semester, Wright was awarded a full [[scholarship]] by the [[Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation]] for his college education. His Gates scholarship would later become a full [[fellowship]] for graduate school when he enters Teachers College, Columbia University in 2004. |
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That spring, Wright became an [[ |
That spring, Wright became an [[Oklahoma_State_Regents_for_Higher_Education|Oklahoma Regents scholar]] and also made the National Dean's List of America for his academic excellence.<ref name="Lyle"/> Upon completing his research assistantship, Wright presented a [[Academic_publishing#Scholarly_paper|research paper]] on non-routine problems in mathematics at the 1st Annual [[Academic_conference|Research Symposium]] at Langston. And with a nomination from [[Langston_University|then-Langston President Ernest Holloway]], Wright became a George & Donna Nigh Public Service scholar,<ref name="Lyle"/> a prestigious honor bestowed upon only one student at each university in the state of Oklahoma every year based exclusively on a University presidential nomination.<ref>Hardcastle, Ben. [http://www.okhighered.org/news-center/nigh.shtml, "Former Governor and Wife Honored for Public Service"], October 16, 2009, OSRHE Current News, accessed December 11, 2010</ref> |
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===Sophomore=== |
=== Sophomore === |
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By his sophomore year, Wright had emerged as a [[leader]] and a [[scholar]], serving as a [[student ambassador]] and [[mentor]] while maintaining his academic excellence. He joined [[ |
By his sophomore year, Wright had emerged as a [[leader]] and a [[scholar]], serving as a [[Student_ambassador|student ambassador]] and [[mentor]] while maintaining his academic excellence. He joined [[Alpha_Phi_Alpha|Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated]],<ref name="Lyle"/> and continued his work as a teaching assistant and a tutor in mathematics, though his participation in the Math Club and Pre-Alumni Council was waning. In the late fall of 2000, Wright was inducted into the Beta Kappa Chi National Scientific Honor Society and became a [[Thurgood_Marshall_College_Fund|Thurgood Marshall scholar]].<ref name="Lyle"/> |
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That spring, Wright became a USAA All-American scholar and also made the National Dean’s List of America again for his academic excellence.<ref name="Lyle"/> Upon completing his two terms as president of the Math Club and Pre-Alumni Council, Wright was elected president of his fraternity chapter, Beta Kappa. |
That spring, Wright became a USAA All-American scholar and also made the National Dean’s List of America again for his academic excellence.<ref name="Lyle"/> Upon completing his two terms as president of the Math Club and Pre-Alumni Council, Wright was elected president of his fraternity chapter, Beta Kappa. |
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In 2001, he was also inducted into the [[Alpha Chi National College Honor Society]], [[ |
In 2001, he was also inducted into the [[Alpha Chi National College Honor Society]], [[Kappa_Delta_Pi|Kappa Delta Pi International Honor Society in Education]], and [[Pi_Lambda_Theta|Pi Lambda Theta International Honor Society and Professional Association in Education]].<ref name="Lyle"/> |
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Having read [[Cornel West]]'s seminal work [[ |
Having read [[Cornel West]]'s seminal work [[Race_Matters|''Race Matters'']], Wright soon developed an interest in [[Black existentialism]], reading other scholarly works such as [[W. E. B. Du Bois]]'s classic work [[The_Souls_of_Black_Folk|''The Souls of Black Folk'']], [[Ralph Ellison]]'s novel [[Invisible_man|''Invisible Man'']], [[Toni Morrison]]'s novel [[The_Bluest_Eye|''The Bluest Eye'']], and [[James Baldwin]]'s book [[Fire_Next_Time|''The Fire Next Time'']]. |
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Reading these texts inspired Wright to read [[Dosteovsky]]'s novel [[ |
Reading these texts inspired Wright to read [[Dosteovsky]]'s novel [[Notes_from_Underground|''Notes from Underground'']], which in turn led him to the fathers of [[existentialism]], [[Kierkegaard]] and [[Nietzsche]], as well as [[Continental philosophy]], particularly [[Kant]] and [[Hegel]]—all four of whom Wright would later read and explore deeply and often while in graduate school. And through [[Plato]], Wright also became acquainted with the enigmatic [[Ancient_greece|Ancient Greek]] [[philosopher]] [[Socrates]], a character who would eventually transform Wright's ways of [[being]] and [[thinking]] almost instantly. |
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===Alpha Phi Alpha=== |
=== Alpha Phi Alpha === |
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In early 2002, he was elected assistant vice president of the Southwestern Region of Alpha Phi Alpha, thereby becoming only one of five college brothers to serve on the Alpha Phi Alpha National Board of Directors that year.<ref name="Lyle"/> Representing the states of [[Arkansas]], [[Louisiana]], [[Oklahoma]] and [[Texas]], Wright traveled extensively throughout each state primarily to bridge the college-alumni fraternal gap. |
In early 2002, he was elected assistant vice president of the Southwestern Region of Alpha Phi Alpha, thereby becoming only one of five college brothers to serve on the Alpha Phi Alpha National Board of Directors that year.<ref name="Lyle"/> Representing the states of [[Arkansas]], [[Louisiana]], [[Oklahoma]] and [[Texas]], Wright traveled extensively throughout each state primarily to bridge the college-alumni fraternal gap. |
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His tenure as assistant vice president was shaped by meetings and acquaintances with countless people, especially members of Alpha Phi Alpha, most notably Cornel West, author of ''Race Matters'' and ''Democracy Matters''; [[Andrew Young]], former [[mayor of Atlanta]]; [[Marc Morial]], former [[mayor of New Orleans]]; [[Dennis Archer]], former [[mayor of Detroit]]; [[Kwame Kilpatrick]], also former [[mayor of Detroit]]; [[William H. Gray]], former [[ |
His tenure as assistant vice president was shaped by meetings and acquaintances with countless people, especially members of Alpha Phi Alpha, most notably Cornel West, author of ''Race Matters'' and ''Democracy Matters''; [[Andrew Young]], former [[Mayor_of_Atlanta|mayor of Atlanta]]; [[Marc Morial]], former [[Mayor_of_New_Orleans|mayor of New Orleans]]; [[Dennis Archer]], former [[Mayor_of_Detroit|mayor of Detroit]]; [[Kwame Kilpatrick]], also former [[Mayor_of_Detroit|mayor of Detroit]]; [[William H. Gray]], former [[United_States_House_of_Representatives|United States House of Representative]] from [[Pennsylvania]]; [[Bobby Scott]], [[United_States_House_of_Representatives|United States House of Representative]] from [[Virginia]]; [[James R. Williams]], former [[judge]] of [[Akron]]; [[Henry Ponder]], former [[university president]]; [[Milton C. Davis]], former assistant [[State_Attorney_General|attorney general]] of [[Alabama]]; [[Harry E. Johnson]], [[attorney]] and former [[List_of_Alpha_Phi_Alpha_brothers#General_Presidents|president of Alpha Phi Alpha]]; and [[Lawrence Ross]], author of ''The Divine Nine''. |
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===Upperclassman=== |
=== Upperclassman === |
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From 2002 to 2003, Wright's challenges grew as his coursework became more demanding and his leadership responsibilities more widespread. Despite his busy schedule, Wright remain committed to maintaining his academic excellence and improving his leadership skills. That year, Wright became an OKAMP scholar for the second time since 2000,<ref>Lyle, William. [http://issuu.com/apa1906network/docs/200308802, "Distinguished Collegians 2002-2003"], "The Sphinx," Summer 2003, Volume 88, Number 2, p. 43, accessed December 12, 2010</ref> and also a Melvin Hall scholar and a Jack R. Swain scholar. In the late fall of 2002, President Holloway nominated Wright for the [[Howard R. Swearer]] Student [[Humanitarian]] award for his continued leadership and commitment to service. |
From 2002 to 2003, Wright's challenges grew as his coursework became more demanding and his leadership responsibilities more widespread. Despite his busy schedule, Wright remain committed to maintaining his academic excellence and improving his leadership skills. That year, Wright became an OKAMP scholar for the second time since 2000,<ref>Lyle, William. [http://issuu.com/apa1906network/docs/200308802, "Distinguished Collegians 2002-2003"], "The Sphinx," Summer 2003, Volume 88, Number 2, p. 43, accessed December 12, 2010</ref> and also a Melvin Hall scholar and a Jack R. Swain scholar. In the late fall of 2002, President Holloway nominated Wright for the [[Howard R. Swearer]] Student [[Humanitarian]] award for his continued leadership and commitment to service. |
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In early 2003, Wright led a delegation from Langston University to an Oklahoma Intercollegiate Legislature (OIL) session, where Langston University earned 1st runner-up for Best Delegation, and an Oklahoma Student Government Association (OSGA) conference. And for his demonstrated leadership on campus, in Oklahoma and in the Southwest that year, Wright was named both the Ernest L. Holloway Student Leader of the Year at Langston and the A. Maceo Smith Leader of the Year in the Southwestern Region of Alpha Phi Alpha. |
In early 2003, Wright led a delegation from Langston University to an Oklahoma Intercollegiate Legislature (OIL) session, where Langston University earned 1st runner-up for Best Delegation, and an Oklahoma Student Government Association (OSGA) conference. And for his demonstrated leadership on campus, in Oklahoma and in the Southwest that year, Wright was named both the Ernest L. Holloway Student Leader of the Year at Langston and the A. Maceo Smith Leader of the Year in the Southwestern Region of Alpha Phi Alpha. |
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==Graduate school== |
== Graduate school == |
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=== |
=== Master of Arts === |
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In 2004, Wright enrolled at Teachers College, Columbia University, where he studied [[Education# |
In 2004, Wright enrolled at Teachers College, Columbia University, where he studied [[Education#Higher_education|higher education administration]] for a year, before transferring to the Program in Mathematics to take classes from professors [[Henry Pollak]] and [[Henry Landau]], and to study [[mathematics education]], [[critical thinking]], and [[problem solving]], to name a few. |
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[[File:Ricco Wright observing young scientists in South Korea.JPG|thumb|left|Ricco Wright observing young scientists at [[Seoul Science High School]] in South Korea in 2006]] |
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| ⚫ | As a Bill Gates fellow, he spent many holidays traveling to several different |
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| ⚫ | As a Bill Gates fellow, he spent many holidays traveling to several different countries—namely, [[Finland]] and [[Iceland]] in 2005, [[Russia]] in 2005, [[South Korea]] in 2006, [[Guatemala]] in 2008, and [[Australia]] in 2009—to observe their schools and universities in order to juxtapose the United States educational system with their educational systems.<ref> Particelli, Brice. [http://www.tc.edu/news/article.htm?id=6682&tid=brv2, "Taking TC on the Road,"] "TC Today," September 24, 2008, accessed December 12, 2010</ref> He also attempted to ascertain the differences between the mathematics curricula in the United States and abroad. |
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| ⚫ | In 2006, Wright was introduced to several different [[music |
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| ⚫ | In 2006, Wright was introduced to several different [[Music_genre|music genres]], most notably [[classic rock]] and [[jazz]]. This aspect of his life would soon take on a life of its own, as Wright became quite the music lover in a sense that he was once primarily a fan of hip hop, R&B and gospel, and was quickly becoming an avid listener of [[The Beatles]], [[Jimi Hendrix]], [[Pink Floyd]], [[John Coltrane]], and [[Miles Davis]], among many other artists spanning the past six decades. Living in a vibrant city such as New York City allowed Wright to connect with many diverse [[cultures]], especially the [[hip hop]] culture, [[punk subculture]] and [[Indie_rock|"indie"]] culture, through music that was either birthed or nurtured in the city. |
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| ⚫ | In addition to collecting many classic albums recommended by [[ |
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| ⚫ | In addition to collecting many classic albums recommended by [[The_500_Greatest_Albums_of_All_Time|Rolling Stone magazine]] such as Miles Davis's album [[Kind_of_blue|''Kind of Blue'']] (1959), John Coltrane's album [[A_Love_Supreme|''A Love Supreme'']] (1965), The Beatles's album [[Revolver_(album)|''Revolver'']] (1966), [[Van Morrison]]'s [[Avant-garde_music|avant-garde album]] [[Astral_Weeks|Astral Weeks]] (1968) and [[Marvin Gaye]]'s [[Concept_album|concept album]] [[What%27s_Going_On|''What's Going On'']] (1971), Wright also explored a wide range of [[classical music]] and [[opera]], attending [[concerts]] and [[performances]] at [[Carnegie Hall]] and [[Metropolitan_Opera_House_(Lincoln_Center)|The Metropolitan Opera House]], as well as becoming a fan of [[Mozart]], [[Chopin]] and [[Tchaichovsky]]. |
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| ⚫ | In 2007, Wright purchased his first [[acoustic guitar]] and began learning about [[music theory]] and [[guitar |
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[[File:Ricco Wright CNN Interview NYC.jpg|thumb|right|Wright CNN Interview, NYC 2007]] |
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| ⚫ | In 2007, Wright purchased his first [[acoustic guitar]] and began learning about [[music theory]] and [[Guitar_chord|guitar chords]], and even took guitar lessons for a semester a couple years later. He would eventually try his hand at playing piano as well in 2009, but neither pursuit ever materialized in any substantial way due to lack of time already allotted to his graduate studies, work, or leadership duties. Nonetheless, Wright learned an invaluable lesson in the process: the mastery of any art or creative process requires time, effort, concentration and devotion, a theory he would later discover in [[Erich Fromm]]'s book [[The_Art_of_Loving|''The Art of Loving'']]. |
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After receiving his first master's degree in 2007, Wright embarked on a career as an [[Professor|adjunct instructor]] of mathematics at the [[Bmcc|Borough of Manhattan Community College]] while continuing his graduate studies. All of these experiences, new and old, would contribute to Wright's personal and social development, thereby affording him a plethora of opportunities to connect with people from different cultures, countries, and backgrounds—prominently displayed during his Student Senate presidency. |
After receiving his first master's degree in 2007, Wright embarked on a career as an [[Professor|adjunct instructor]] of mathematics at the [[Bmcc|Borough of Manhattan Community College]] while continuing his graduate studies. All of these experiences, new and old, would contribute to Wright's personal and social development, thereby affording him a plethora of opportunities to connect with people from different cultures, countries, and backgrounds—prominently displayed during his Student Senate presidency. |
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=== Master of Science === |
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===''Magister Scientiæ''=== |
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In the summer of 2008, Wright, having been inspired by Black existentialism while in college, began reading Continental philosophy, beginning with [[German idealism]], which would eventually lead him to [[ |
In the summer of 2008, Wright, having been inspired by Black existentialism while in college, began reading Continental philosophy, beginning with [[German idealism]], which would eventually lead him to [[American_philosophy#19th_century|19th century American philosophy]]. The era of Continental philosophy would not only shape his philosophical intellect but also channel his intellectual ambitions toward [[epistemology]], [[Phenomenology_(philosophy)|phenomenology]], and [[existentialism]]. Starting with excerpts from [[Kant]]'s influential work [[Critique_of_Pure_Reason|''Critique of Pure Reason'']], Wright began grappling with questions of [[being]], [[knowing]], [[consciousness]], [[self-consciousness]] and, ultimately, [[truth]]. |
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[[File:Ricco Wright Columbia Club NYC 2008.JPG|thumb|left|Wright at the Columbia University Club of New York in NYC in 2008]] |
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He would soon find some answers in [[Hegel]]'s classic philosophical book [[ |
He would soon find some answers in [[Hegel]]'s classic philosophical book [[Phenomenology_of_Spirit|''Phenomenology of Spirit'']] as well as [[Kierkegaard]]'s influential works [[Fear_and_trembling|''Fear and Trembling'']] and [[Sickness_Unto_Death|''The Sickness Unto Death'']], thereby discovering how critical his [[faith]] and relationship to [[God]] were for his [[spiritual growth]] and stability. As such, apart from enjoying [[Nietzsche]]'s philosophical novel [[Thus_Spoke_Zarathustra|''Thus Spoke Zarathustra'']] and accepting Nietzsche's [[Will_to_power|"will to power"]] [[concept]], derived from [[Schopenhauer]]'s [[Will_to_live|"will to live"]] concept, Wright mostly rejected [[Nietzschean|Nietzschean philosophy]] based on Nietzsche's attacks, mockery and critiques of [[Christianity]]. Suddenly, though, Wright was developing an interest in the [[Classics|"classics,"]] as each philosopher whom he was reading often made contextual references to Homer, [[Sophocles]], [[Goethe]], or the like. |
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In one such instance, Hegel, in ''Phenomenology of Spirit'', interpreted Sophocles's play [[ |
In one such instance, Hegel, in ''Phenomenology of Spirit'', interpreted Sophocles's play [[Antigone_(Sophocles)|''Antigone'']] as he opined on the question whether [[Antigone]] was morally obligated to give her brother a proper burial despite his transgressions. Desiring to better understand the context, Wright had decided to read the play but, upon realizing that ''Antigone'' is the last third of Sophocles's [[Sophocles#The_Theban_plays|''Theban plays'']], decided instead to read [[Oedipus_the_King|''Oedipus the King'']] first, then some days later [[Oedipus_at_Colonus|''Oedipus at Colonus'']] followed by ''Antigone''. However, he was so enthralled by ''Oedipus the King'' that he stayed up all night reading it as well as the other two plays, finally learning the complexity of Antigone's dilemma. |
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After reading ''The Theban Plays'', Wright began reading other "classics" such as [[Homer]]'s epic poems the [[Iliad|''Iliad'']] and the [[Odyssey|''Odyssey'']], [[Virgil]]'s epic poem the [[Aeneid|''Aeneid'']], [[Dante]]'s epic poem the [[ |
After reading ''The Theban Plays'', Wright began reading other "classics" such as [[Homer]]'s epic poems the [[Iliad|''Iliad'']] and the [[Odyssey|''Odyssey'']], [[Virgil]]'s epic poem the [[Aeneid|''Aeneid'']], [[Dante]]'s epic poem the [[Divine_comedy|''Divine Comedy'']], and some of [[Plato]]'s [[Socratic_dialogues|dialogues]]—[[Apology_(Plato)|''The Apology of Socrates'']], [[Ion|''Ion'']], [[Meno|''Meno'']], and [[Symposium_(Plato)|''Symposium'']], to name a few. Taken together, all of these works afforded Wright many opportunities to examine his [[courage]], [[spirituality]], [[morality]] and [[ethics]], and also provided him with a wider historical context to better understand many of the works in [[modern literature]] and [[modern philosophy]], especially ''The Souls of Black''. |
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After a year of independent study of Continental philosophy and some of the "classics," Wright turned his attention to [[ |
After a year of independent study of Continental philosophy and some of the "classics," Wright turned his attention to [[American_philosophy|American philosophies]] of education, reading works by [[Ralph Waldo Emerson]], [[John Dewey]] and, again, Du Bois, among others. Determined to better understand American philosophical and educational foundations, Wright delved into these works deeply, eventually writing a term paper for a course that on the one hand praised Du Bois for his continued striving to better America and all of humanity, and on the other hand criticized him for his bourgeois ideology. In the end, though, Wright admired Du Bois all the more, and began appreciating the likes of Emerson, [[Henry David Thoreau]], [[Gandhi]], and [[Nelson Mandela]]. |
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In 2009, Wright received his second master's degree, having written a thesis on "Teaching Remedial Mathematics Education from the Perspective of Connecting between Advanced Mathematics and High School Mathematics," under the director Bruce Vogeli, Clifford Brewster Upton Professor of Mathematical Education. Ever such an avid reader, Wright continued reading philosophy and literature while taking doctoral courses in mathematics education. Some of his favorite books to date are [[ |
In 2009, Wright received his second master's degree, having written a thesis on "Teaching Remedial Mathematics Education from the Perspective of Connecting between Advanced Mathematics and High School Mathematics," under the director Bruce Vogeli, Clifford Brewster Upton Professor of Mathematical Education. Ever such an avid reader, Wright continued reading philosophy and literature while taking doctoral courses in mathematics education. Some of his favorite books to date are [[The_bible|''The Bible'']], ''The Souls of Black Folk'', ''Invisible Man'', Plato's ''Apology'', the ''Iliad'', ''Oedipus the King'', and the ''Phenomenology of Spirit''. |
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[[File:Ricco wright welcome celebration.jpg|thumb|right|President Wright at the Welcome Back Reception |
[[File:Ricco wright welcome celebration.jpg|thumb|right|President Wright celebrating with colleagues at the Teachers College Welcome Back Reception in 2008]] |
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===Student Senate=== |
=== Student Senate === |
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As president, Wright served a student body of over 5000 graduate and professional students from all 50 US states and approximately 80 different countries,<ref>TC Office of Diversity. [http://www.tc.columbia.edu/abouttc/community.htm, "Demographics,"] "College Profile 2009-2010," Summer 2010, accessed December 12, 2010</ref> and also served as student representative on several different College committees, including the Teachers College Board of Trustees. One of the Student Senate's remarkable accomplishments during his presidency was the establishment of the campus-wide [[ |
As president, Wright served a student body of over 5000 graduate and professional students from all 50 US states and approximately 80 different countries,<ref>TC Office of Diversity. [http://www.tc.columbia.edu/abouttc/community.htm, "Demographics,"] "College Profile 2009-2010," Summer 2010, accessed December 12, 2010</ref> and also served as student representative on several different College committees, including the Teachers College Board of Trustees. One of the Student Senate's remarkable accomplishments during his presidency was the establishment of the campus-wide [[Go_green|Go Green]] [[committee]], which organized the popular Rockin' Earth Day Festival on April 18, 2009, that featured performances by [[legendary]] [[Folk_singer|folk singer]] [[Pete Seeger]] and several others.<ref>Brooklyn Vega. [http://www.brooklynvegan.com/archives/2009/06/clearwater_fest.html, "Clearwater Festival... Pete Seeger... Columbia University,"] "Pete Seeger @ Columbia in April," June 20, 2009, accessed December 12, 2010</ref> |
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=== Doctor of Education === |
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For his [[dissertation]], Wright is studying the effects of relational thinking in elementary and middle school mathematics at [[Harlem Children's Zone]]. |
For his [[dissertation]], Wright is studying the effects of relational thinking in elementary and middle school mathematics at [[Harlem_Children%27s_Zone|Harlem Children's Zone]]. |
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Revision as of 04:06, 14 December 2010
Ricco Darnell Wright | |
|---|---|
 Ricco Wright at the Ikeda Center for Peace, Learning, and Dialogue, in Cambridge, MA | |
| Born | Ricco Darnell Wright August 2, 1981[1] |
| Alma mater | Langston University, Columbia University |
Main interests | mathematics education, numeracy, arithmetic, elementary algebra, critical thinking, problem solving, multicultural education, remedial education, urban education |
| Signature | |
 | |
Ricco Darnell Wright (born August 2, 1981) is an American scholar and educator. A Bill Gates scholar from 2000 to 2010,[3] Wright received his Bachelor of Science in mathematics from Langston University in 2004,[4] and his Master of Arts in 2007 and Master of Science in 2009 both in mathematics education from Columbia University.[2] He is currently pursuing a Doctor of Education in mathematics education at Teachers College, Columbia University,[3][5] a top ranked graduate school of education in New York City.[6]
An advocate of peace and social justice, Ricco Wright first attracted national attention in October 2007 for his interviews on both CNN and CNN International,[2][7][8] as well as NPR,[9][10] deploring hate crimes and denouncing racism when a noose was found hanging on the office door of an African-American female tenured professor at Teachers College.[11] He was soon recruited by then-president Michelle Cammarata,[12] as well as then-vice president Joe King,[13] to run for Institutional Affairs chair of the Student Senate.[2] That spring, he was elected president,[2] and served in that capacity until May 2009.
School days
Elementary School
Ricco Wright was born August 2, 1981, at Hillcrest Medical Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma, to parents Renea Maythurple Gay (née Pittman) and Edward Darrell Wright. He graduated from Disney Elementary School in 1992, Nimitz Middle School in 1995, and Union High School in 1999, becoming the first in his immediate family to graduate from high school and also later becoming a first-generation college student. Wright and his family moved almost every year once he started grade school, resulting in Wright attending several other elementary schools in Tulsa and Broken Arrow.
Secondary School
During 6th grade and half of 7th grade, Wright attended Foster Middle School in Tulsa, where he first began playing school basketball, before transferring to Nimitz. After a rough transition from Foster to Nimitz, Wright, while in 8th grade, gathered himself for a successful year, joining the basketball team, earning the highest grade in his German language class, and eventually receiving the Most Improved Student award days before graduation.
After his freshman year at Union, Wright and his family moved again, this time to Oklahoma City, where he spent his sophomore year and half of his junior year at Westmoore High School. There, he excelled as a student and played junior varsity basketball, and also attended vo-tech school in Oklahoma City for half a day, taking classes in accounting and finance. In early 1998, Wright and his family moved back to Tulsa, where he returned to Union and transferred to the Tulsa vo-tech school, soon joining Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA), an organization created by Hamden L. Forkner at Teachers College in 1937.
College days
Freshman
In the fall of 1999, Wright then matriculated to Langston University, the only Historically Black College or University (HBCU) in the state of Oklahoma.[3] As a freshman, he worked as a teaching assistant, a research assistant and a tutor in mathematics while serving as president of the Math Club and Pre-Alumni Council.[14] Having earned a 4.0 grade point average during his first semester, Wright was awarded a full scholarship by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation for his college education. His Gates scholarship would later become a full fellowship for graduate school when he enters Teachers College, Columbia University in 2004.
That spring, Wright became an Oklahoma Regents scholar and also made the National Dean's List of America for his academic excellence.[14] Upon completing his research assistantship, Wright presented a research paper on non-routine problems in mathematics at the 1st Annual Research Symposium at Langston. And with a nomination from then-Langston President Ernest Holloway, Wright became a George & Donna Nigh Public Service scholar,[14] a prestigious honor bestowed upon only one student at each university in the state of Oklahoma every year based exclusively on a University presidential nomination.[15]
Sophomore
By his sophomore year, Wright had emerged as a leader and a scholar, serving as a student ambassador and mentor while maintaining his academic excellence. He joined Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated,[14] and continued his work as a teaching assistant and a tutor in mathematics, though his participation in the Math Club and Pre-Alumni Council was waning. In the late fall of 2000, Wright was inducted into the Beta Kappa Chi National Scientific Honor Society and became a Thurgood Marshall scholar.[14]
That spring, Wright became a USAA All-American scholar and also made the National Dean’s List of America again for his academic excellence.[14] Upon completing his two terms as president of the Math Club and Pre-Alumni Council, Wright was elected president of his fraternity chapter, Beta Kappa.
In 2001, he was also inducted into the Alpha Chi National College Honor Society, Kappa Delta Pi International Honor Society in Education, and Pi Lambda Theta International Honor Society and Professional Association in Education.[14]
Having read Cornel West's seminal work Race Matters, Wright soon developed an interest in Black existentialism, reading other scholarly works such as W. E. B. Du Bois's classic work The Souls of Black Folk, Ralph Ellison's novel Invisible Man, Toni Morrison's novel The Bluest Eye, and James Baldwin's book The Fire Next Time.
Reading these texts inspired Wright to read Dosteovsky's novel Notes from Underground, which in turn led him to the fathers of existentialism, Kierkegaard and Nietzsche, as well as Continental philosophy, particularly Kant and Hegel—all four of whom Wright would later read and explore deeply and often while in graduate school. And through Plato, Wright also became acquainted with the enigmatic Ancient Greek philosopher Socrates, a character who would eventually transform Wright's ways of being and thinking almost instantly.
Alpha Phi Alpha
In early 2002, he was elected assistant vice president of the Southwestern Region of Alpha Phi Alpha, thereby becoming only one of five college brothers to serve on the Alpha Phi Alpha National Board of Directors that year.[14] Representing the states of Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Texas, Wright traveled extensively throughout each state primarily to bridge the college-alumni fraternal gap.
His tenure as assistant vice president was shaped by meetings and acquaintances with countless people, especially members of Alpha Phi Alpha, most notably Cornel West, author of Race Matters and Democracy Matters; Andrew Young, former mayor of Atlanta; Marc Morial, former mayor of New Orleans; Dennis Archer, former mayor of Detroit; Kwame Kilpatrick, also former mayor of Detroit; William H. Gray, former United States House of Representative from Pennsylvania; Bobby Scott, United States House of Representative from Virginia; James R. Williams, former judge of Akron; Henry Ponder, former university president; Milton C. Davis, former assistant attorney general of Alabama; Harry E. Johnson, attorney and former president of Alpha Phi Alpha; and Lawrence Ross, author of The Divine Nine.
Upperclassman
From 2002 to 2003, Wright's challenges grew as his coursework became more demanding and his leadership responsibilities more widespread. Despite his busy schedule, Wright remain committed to maintaining his academic excellence and improving his leadership skills. That year, Wright became an OKAMP scholar for the second time since 2000,[16] and also a Melvin Hall scholar and a Jack R. Swain scholar. In the late fall of 2002, President Holloway nominated Wright for the Howard R. Swearer Student Humanitarian award for his continued leadership and commitment to service.
In early 2003, Wright led a delegation from Langston University to an Oklahoma Intercollegiate Legislature (OIL) session, where Langston University earned 1st runner-up for Best Delegation, and an Oklahoma Student Government Association (OSGA) conference. And for his demonstrated leadership on campus, in Oklahoma and in the Southwest that year, Wright was named both the Ernest L. Holloway Student Leader of the Year at Langston and the A. Maceo Smith Leader of the Year in the Southwestern Region of Alpha Phi Alpha.
Graduate school
Master of Arts
In 2004, Wright enrolled at Teachers College, Columbia University, where he studied higher education administration for a year, before transferring to the Program in Mathematics to take classes from professors Henry Pollak and Henry Landau, and to study mathematics education, critical thinking, and problem solving, to name a few.
As a Bill Gates fellow, he spent many holidays traveling to several different countries—namely, Finland and Iceland in 2005, Russia in 2005, South Korea in 2006, Guatemala in 2008, and Australia in 2009—to observe their schools and universities in order to juxtapose the United States educational system with their educational systems.[17] He also attempted to ascertain the differences between the mathematics curricula in the United States and abroad.
In 2006, Wright was introduced to several different music genres, most notably classic rock and jazz. This aspect of his life would soon take on a life of its own, as Wright became quite the music lover in a sense that he was once primarily a fan of hip hop, R&B and gospel, and was quickly becoming an avid listener of The Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, Pink Floyd, John Coltrane, and Miles Davis, among many other artists spanning the past six decades. Living in a vibrant city such as New York City allowed Wright to connect with many diverse cultures, especially the hip hop culture, punk subculture and "indie" culture, through music that was either birthed or nurtured in the city.
In addition to collecting many classic albums recommended by Rolling Stone magazine such as Miles Davis's album Kind of Blue (1959), John Coltrane's album A Love Supreme (1965), The Beatles's album Revolver (1966), Van Morrison's avant-garde album Astral Weeks (1968) and Marvin Gaye's concept album What's Going On (1971), Wright also explored a wide range of classical music and opera, attending concerts and performances at Carnegie Hall and The Metropolitan Opera House, as well as becoming a fan of Mozart, Chopin and Tchaichovsky.
In 2007, Wright purchased his first acoustic guitar and began learning about music theory and guitar chords, and even took guitar lessons for a semester a couple years later. He would eventually try his hand at playing piano as well in 2009, but neither pursuit ever materialized in any substantial way due to lack of time already allotted to his graduate studies, work, or leadership duties. Nonetheless, Wright learned an invaluable lesson in the process: the mastery of any art or creative process requires time, effort, concentration and devotion, a theory he would later discover in Erich Fromm's book The Art of Loving.
After receiving his first master's degree in 2007, Wright embarked on a career as an adjunct instructor of mathematics at the Borough of Manhattan Community College while continuing his graduate studies. All of these experiences, new and old, would contribute to Wright's personal and social development, thereby affording him a plethora of opportunities to connect with people from different cultures, countries, and backgrounds—prominently displayed during his Student Senate presidency.
Master of Science
In the summer of 2008, Wright, having been inspired by Black existentialism while in college, began reading Continental philosophy, beginning with German idealism, which would eventually lead him to 19th century American philosophy. The era of Continental philosophy would not only shape his philosophical intellect but also channel his intellectual ambitions toward epistemology, phenomenology, and existentialism. Starting with excerpts from Kant's influential work Critique of Pure Reason, Wright began grappling with questions of being, knowing, consciousness, self-consciousness and, ultimately, truth.
He would soon find some answers in Hegel's classic philosophical book Phenomenology of Spirit as well as Kierkegaard's influential works Fear and Trembling and The Sickness Unto Death, thereby discovering how critical his faith and relationship to God were for his spiritual growth and stability. As such, apart from enjoying Nietzsche's philosophical novel Thus Spoke Zarathustra and accepting Nietzsche's "will to power" concept, derived from Schopenhauer's "will to live" concept, Wright mostly rejected Nietzschean philosophy based on Nietzsche's attacks, mockery and critiques of Christianity. Suddenly, though, Wright was developing an interest in the "classics," as each philosopher whom he was reading often made contextual references to Homer, Sophocles, Goethe, or the like.
In one such instance, Hegel, in Phenomenology of Spirit, interpreted Sophocles's play Antigone as he opined on the question whether Antigone was morally obligated to give her brother a proper burial despite his transgressions. Desiring to better understand the context, Wright had decided to read the play but, upon realizing that Antigone is the last third of Sophocles's Theban plays, decided instead to read Oedipus the King first, then some days later Oedipus at Colonus followed by Antigone. However, he was so enthralled by Oedipus the King that he stayed up all night reading it as well as the other two plays, finally learning the complexity of Antigone's dilemma.
After reading The Theban Plays, Wright began reading other "classics" such as Homer's epic poems the Iliad and the Odyssey, Virgil's epic poem the Aeneid, Dante's epic poem the Divine Comedy, and some of Plato's dialogues—The Apology of Socrates, Ion, Meno, and Symposium, to name a few. Taken together, all of these works afforded Wright many opportunities to examine his courage, spirituality, morality and ethics, and also provided him with a wider historical context to better understand many of the works in modern literature and modern philosophy, especially The Souls of Black.
After a year of independent study of Continental philosophy and some of the "classics," Wright turned his attention to American philosophies of education, reading works by Ralph Waldo Emerson, John Dewey and, again, Du Bois, among others. Determined to better understand American philosophical and educational foundations, Wright delved into these works deeply, eventually writing a term paper for a course that on the one hand praised Du Bois for his continued striving to better America and all of humanity, and on the other hand criticized him for his bourgeois ideology. In the end, though, Wright admired Du Bois all the more, and began appreciating the likes of Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, Gandhi, and Nelson Mandela.
In 2009, Wright received his second master's degree, having written a thesis on "Teaching Remedial Mathematics Education from the Perspective of Connecting between Advanced Mathematics and High School Mathematics," under the director Bruce Vogeli, Clifford Brewster Upton Professor of Mathematical Education. Ever such an avid reader, Wright continued reading philosophy and literature while taking doctoral courses in mathematics education. Some of his favorite books to date are The Bible, The Souls of Black Folk, Invisible Man, Plato's Apology, the Iliad, Oedipus the King, and the Phenomenology of Spirit.
Student Senate
As president, Wright served a student body of over 5000 graduate and professional students from all 50 US states and approximately 80 different countries,[18] and also served as student representative on several different College committees, including the Teachers College Board of Trustees. One of the Student Senate's remarkable accomplishments during his presidency was the establishment of the campus-wide Go Green committee, which organized the popular Rockin' Earth Day Festival on April 18, 2009, that featured performances by legendary folk singer Pete Seeger and several others.[19]
Doctor of Education
For his dissertation, Wright is studying the effects of relational thinking in elementary and middle school mathematics at Harlem Children's Zone.
References
- ^ a b c Levine, Joe. "Talking Obama," "Inside TC," January 19, 2009, accessed December 11, 2010
- ^ a b c d e Teachers College Staff Writer. "He's Working for You", "TC Today," September 10, 2008, accessed December 11, 2010
- ^ a b c Thomas, Dan A. "The Next Barack Obama?", "For the Love of the Pen", September 11, 2008, accessed December 12, 2010
- ^ LU Commencement Committee. "Commencement 2004," "Langston University Commencement 2004," May 15, 2004, accessed December 11, 2010
- ^ CU Directory. "Ricco Darnell Wright," "People Search Results," Since 2004, accessed December 11, 2010
- ^ U.S. News & World Report. "Best Education Programs," "Rankings," Fall 2010, accessed December 12, 2010.
- ^ CNN. "Noose on Campus," "CNN Senior Correspondent Allan Chernoff interviews Ricco Wright at Columbia University," October 10, 2007, accessed December 11, 2010
- ^ CNN. "Noose on Campus," "CNN Anchor Heidi Collins interviews Ricco Wright at CNN studios," October 11, 2007, accessed December 11, 2010
- ^ NPR. "Audio: Columbia Responds to Noose Incident," "NPR Host Farai Chideya interviews Ricco Wright at NPR Studios," October 12, 2007, accessed December 11, 2010
- ^ NPR. "Transcript: Columbia Responds to Noose Incident," "NPR Host Farai Chideya interviews Ricco Wright at NPR Studios," October 12, 2007, accessed December 11, 2010
- ^ ABC News. "Police Investigate Possible Hate Crime; Student Walkout Planned, "Hangman's Noose Targets Columbia Professor," October 10, 2007, accessed December 11, 2010
- ^ Teachers College Staff Writer. "Learning What It Means to Lead", October 18, 2007, accessed December 12, 2010
- ^ Teachers College Staff Writer. "Partnership is Theme at TC's Convocation Exercises", May 23, 2008, accessed December 12, 2010
- ^ a b c d e f g h Lyle, William. "Distinguished Collegians 2002-2003", "The Sphinx," Summer 2003, Volume 88, Number 2, p. 26, accessed December 12, 2010
- ^ Hardcastle, Ben. "Former Governor and Wife Honored for Public Service", October 16, 2009, OSRHE Current News, accessed December 11, 2010
- ^ Lyle, William. "Distinguished Collegians 2002-2003", "The Sphinx," Summer 2003, Volume 88, Number 2, p. 43, accessed December 12, 2010
- ^ Particelli, Brice. "Taking TC on the Road," "TC Today," September 24, 2008, accessed December 12, 2010
- ^ TC Office of Diversity. "Demographics," "College Profile 2009-2010," Summer 2010, accessed December 12, 2010
- ^ Brooklyn Vega. "Clearwater Festival... Pete Seeger... Columbia University," "Pete Seeger @ Columbia in April," June 20, 2009, accessed December 12, 2010