Larycia Hawkins facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Larycia Hawkins
Born	Larycia Alaine Hawkins (1972-08-22) August 22, 1972 (age 53) Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States
Alma mater	Rice University (B.A.) 1994 University of Oklahoma (M.P.A.) 2001, (Ph.D.) 2007
Institutions	University of Virginia (current) Wheaton College (2007–Feb 10, 2016)
Main interests	American government and politics Religion and politics Policy and politics Race and welfare politics Interest groups and political advocacy Research methodology

Larycia Alaine Hawkins, born on August 22, 1972, is an American scholar, writer, and speaker. In 2013, she made history at Wheaton College. She became the first African-American woman to be a tenured professor there. This means she had a permanent teaching position. She taught political science at this Christian college. Today, she teaches and does research at Lincoln University. She works in both the politics and religious studies departments.

In December 2015, Dr. Hawkins became part of a public discussion. She posted on her personal Facebook page about Advent, a Christian holiday. In her post, she showed support for both Christians and Muslims. She wore a hijab, a head covering worn by some Muslim women. She explained this was to show friendship with Muslim women. At that time, Muslims in the U.S. were facing more unfair treatment.

Wheaton College put her on paid leave on December 15. They wanted to decide if her statement, "Christians and Muslims worship the same god," fit with the school's Christian beliefs. On February 8, 2016, Dr. Hawkins and Wheaton College announced they had reached an agreement. They decided to go their separate ways. On March 3, 2016, the University of Virginia announced Dr. Hawkins would join their team. She became a special visiting faculty member there.

Early Life and Schooling

Dr. Hawkins was born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. She grew up in Shawnee, Oklahoma. In 1994, she earned her first college degree, a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.). She studied History and Sociology at Rice University in Houston, Texas.

Later, she earned a Master of Public Administration (M.P.A.) in 2001. She received this degree from the University of Oklahoma. She then continued her studies at the same university. In 2007, she earned her Ph.D. in political science. Her research looks at how black theology connects to political speeches. It also explores black political goals, like those of the Congressional Black Caucus and the NAACP.

Her Career Journey

Early in her career, Dr. Hawkins worked with government programs. These included the Social Security Disability program. She also worked with the Community Development Block Grant. These programs help people and communities.

Dr. Hawkins joined Wheaton College in 2007. She was an assistant professor in the Department of Politics and International Relations. In 2014, she earned tenure. This meant she had a permanent teaching job. She was also promoted to associate professor. She was the first African-American woman to receive tenure at Wheaton College since it started in 1860.

On April 26, United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities announced something special. Dr. Hawkins was chosen to be their 2019 commencement speaker. A commencement speaker gives a speech at a graduation ceremony. Her speech was about the theme "you were made for such a time as this."