Rate My Professor John Kuykendall

Dr. John A. Kuykendall III is the Dean and Professor of the College of Education and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Indianapolis. He holds a BS in Secondary Education with a focus on Biology from the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, an MS in Educational Leadership from Christian Brothers University, and a PhD in Higher Education Administration from Indiana University Bloomington. A native of Pine Bluff, Arkansas, Dr. Kuykendall brings extensive experience in higher education leadership and teacher preparation. Before joining UIndy in 2018, he served as a tenured associate professor of education and inaugural Director of the School of Education at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, where he oversaw 27 undergraduate and graduate degree programs in teacher education and educational leadership. Previously, at Marquette University, he coordinated the college student affairs program and taught graduate courses in higher education.

Dr. Kuykendall's academic interests center on college student retention, multicultural education, higher education policy, college preparation for high school students, culturally relevant teacher preparation for novice teachers, high school-to-college transitions for Black males, Black male student success, and student engagement. He has presented at over 50 national conferences, published in major peer-reviewed journals, and consulted with Historically Black Colleges and Universities on strategies to increase enrollment and boost faculty morale. Key publications include "Growth of Innovation: Saturday Academies" in the Journal of College Student Retention: Research, Theory & Practice (2021, co-authored with T. G. Barrett); "Exploring community colleges' role in the success of African American women in STEM undergraduate programs at HBCUs" in the International Journal of Social Policy and Education (2021, with D. J. Smith and J. Jackson); "Institutional efforts to improve Black male student achievement: A standards-based approach" in Change (2012, with S. R. Harper); "Are we in this together? An analysis of the impact of individual and institutional characteristics on teacher's perceptions" in The School Community Journal (2013, with J. W. Miller Jr. and S. Thomas); and "Will I ever teach? Latino and African American Students’ Perspectives on PRAXIS I" in the American Educational Research Journal (2006, with C. I. Bennett and L. M. McWhorter). He is also co-editor of the forthcoming book The Future of Black Leadership in Higher Education: Firsthand Experiences and Global Impact (IGI Global, 2022). At UIndy, Dr. Kuykendall works with faculty and staff to create optimal opportunities for students.