2024聽Undergraduate Commencement
May 11, 2024聽 |聽 9:30 a.m.
Daniel "Chappie" James Arena

Speaker: Dietra Y. Trent, Ph.D.
Executive Director of the White House Initiative on HBCUs

Dietra Y. Trent was recently appointed by President Biden to serve as the Executive Director of the White House Initiative on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence, and Economic Opportunity through Historically Black Colleges and Universities. In this capacity, she works closely with the Executive Office of the President and the Secretary of Education to implement a government-wide approach to break down systemic barriers to HBCUs participation in federally sponsored programs. In partnership with HBCU leaders and advocacy groups, Dr. Trent and her team work to promote key priorities related to advancing educational and economic opportunity for HBCUs across the federal government.聽 聽

Dr. Trent has twenty-five years of higher education and public policy experience. 聽Most recently, she served as Interim Vice President for Compliance, Diversity and Ethics at George Mason University. She first joined the University in August 2019 as Interim Chief of Staff to then Interim President, Anne Holton.聽

In July 2016, Governor Terry McAuliffe appointed her Secretary of Education for the Commonwealth of Virginia. Previously, she served as Deputy Secretary of Education, a position she also held during the Administration of then-Governor Tim聽Kaine.聽 聽聽聽聽

As Secretary of Education, Dr. Trent鈥檚 primary responsibility was to promote the Governor鈥檚 agenda to eradicate the Achievement Gap, promote great teaching and learning, and help strengthen educational pathways to the new Virginia Economy. As Secretary, she provided guidance to the聽Virginia Department of Education聽(VDOE), the聽Virginia Community College System聽(VCCS) and聽The State Council of Higher Education for Virginia聽(SCHEV), as well as Virginia鈥檚 16 public colleges and universities, 23 community colleges and five higher education and research centers, and seven state-funded arts/cultural institutions.

Prior to joining the McAuliffe Administration, Dr. Trent served as Deputy State Director for Senator Mark Warner. Having served in former Governor鈥檚 Tim Kaine and Mark Warner鈥檚 offices, as well as the Office of Congressman Robert C. 鈥淏obby鈥� Scott, she has a wealth of federal, state, and higher education experience.聽

During her time in Governor Warner鈥檚 office, Dr. Trent鈥檚 proudest moment was establishing and obtaining state funding for the Minority Political Leadership Institute (MPLI), housed at Virginia Commonwealth University.聽MPLI is a six-week intensive program designed to promote leadership for aspiring individuals interested in running for elected office or assuming leadership roles in minority communities.聽

A native of Halifax County, Virginia, Dr. Trent earned a bachelor鈥檚 degree in Sociology and Criminal Justice from Hampton University, and completed her master鈥檚 and doctoral degrees in Public Administration and Policy from Virginia Commonwealth University. 聽 聽

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