Shakima M. Clency

As the National Director of Campus Partnerships and Student Success, Shakima Clency is responsible for developing and supporting sustainable institutional partnerships with leadership of campus-based Kessler Scholars Programs to support effective implementation of the Kessler Scholars student support model.

Shakima has worked in higher education for over 17 years in both academic and student affairs and has extensive experience establishing rapport and cultivating relationships with campus stakeholders to drive institutional change in support of student success. Prior to joining the Kessler Scholars Collaborative, Shakima served on the leadership team at Cornell Tech and oversaw the implementation and assessment of initiatives in support of strategic diversity and inclusion priorities and previously served as the inaugural Director of First-generation and low-income student support and led the planning and implementation of the Kessler Scholars program at Cornell University. Shakima’s previous consulting activities, teaching and research has focused on empowerment strategies to support first-generation college students, critical theory and higher education, college access and the first-year experience for college students.

Shakima holds a PhD in Educational Studies with a concentration in Cultural Foundations from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. She holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Alfred University and a master’s degree from Canisius College.