Bloomfield College Announces EOF Pride Day Speaker, EOF Advocate of the Year

As part of Bloomfield College’s Educational Opportunity Fund (EOF) Pride Day Celebration, Dr. Joy DeGruy, a nationally and internationally renowned researcher, educator, and author, will present on her acclaimed workPost Traumatic Slave Syndrome.

Dr. DeGruy will present on Saturday, April 22, 2017, beginning at 12:00 p.m. in the Robert V. Van Fossan Theatre. The event is scheduled to run two hours. Admission is free and open to the public.

As a result of 12 years of quantitative and qualitative research, Dr. DeGruy has developed her theory of Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome and published her findings in the bookPost Traumatic Slave Syndrome – America’s Legacy of Enduring Injury and Healing.The book addresses the residual impacts of generations of slavery and opens up the discussion of how the black community can use the strengths we have gained in the past to heal in the present.

Dr. DeGruy holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Communication, a master's degree in Social Work (MSW), a master's degree in Clinical Psychology, and a Ph.D. in Social Work Research.

She is an Assistant Professor at Portland State University and the President of JDP Inc. Dr. DeGruy has over twenty-five years of practical experience as a professional in the field of social work. She conducts workshops and training in the areas of mental health, social justice, and culture-specific social service model development.

In addition to her pioneering work in the explanatory theory and book,Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome, she has developed a culturally based education model for working with children and adults of color, published numerous refereed journal articles, and has developed the “African American Male Adolescent Respect Scale.”

“This event will allow Bloomfield College EOF students to work directly with the internationally acclaimed researcher, Dr. DeGruy,” said Maretta L. Hodges, MSW, Educational Opportunity Fund Program Director. “This lecture will help students evaluate historical patterns of deficiency among people of color to develop strategies for improving communication, increase positive student outcomes, and foster positive outcomes within their communities.”

Bloomfield College has also announced James Harris, President of the New Jersey Association of Black Educators, will accept the 2017 EOF Advocate of the Year Award at the College.