KINGSTON, R.I. – April 3, 2023 – The University of Rhode Island will welcome alumni author Domingo Morel ’98 to campus on Thursday, April 6, 5:30 to 7 p.m. The event will take place in the Multicultural Student Services Center, Hardge Forum.

Morel is a proud alumnus of the University of Rhode Island Talent Development program.

His new book, Developing Scholars—Race, Politics, and the Pursuit of Higher Education, examines the history and political factors that led to the creation of college access programs for students of color in the United States, including URI’s Talent Development program.

During the past 50 years, debates concerning race and college admissions have focused primarily on the policy of affirmative action at elite institutions of higher education. But a less well-known approach to affirmative action also emerged in the 1960s in response to protest and urban unrest. These programs offered a more radical, community-centered approach to college access: admitting and supporting students who do not meet regular admission requirements and developing scholars at their local public institutions of higher education.

Today, Morel is an associate professor of political science and public service at New York University, where he teaches racial and ethnic politics, urban politics, education politics and public policy. His research explores the ways state policies help expand or diminish political inequality among marginalized populations.

In Developing Scholars, he explores the history and political factors that led to the creation of college access programs for students of color. Through a case study of Talent Development, Morel shows how protest has been instrumental in the maintenance of college access programs. He also reveals the hidden forms of restriction that emerged in response to such programs, which have significantly impacted students of color and the promise of higher education as a mechanism of opportunity.

Morel is also the author of Takeover: Race, Education, and American Democracy, which won the W.E.B. Du Bois Distinguished Book Award, and co-editor of Latino Mayors: Power and Political Change in the Postindustrial City.

In addition to his scholarship, Morel has several years of experience in political affairs and public policy and is co-founder of the Latino Policy Institute at Roger Williams University and past president of the Rhode Island Latino Political Action Committee.

Morel earned his bachelor’s degree in human development and family studies. Following his graduation from URI, he served as an admission officer at Rhode Island College and an academic advisor for the Talent Development program for several years. He went on to receive master’s degrees at Rhode Island College and Brown University, before attaining his Ph.D. in political science at Brown in 2014.

He has been invited to speak and present at a range of institutions and is a frequent opinion writer and media guest, having been featured in The Washington Post, Associated Press, Bloomberg News, Boston Public Radio, Houston Chronicle, Latino Public Radio, New York City Public Radio, New York Times, ProPublica, Providence en Español, Providence Journal, Rhode Island Monthly, The Atlantic, and The Public’s Radio.

The presentation will feature an alumni panel discussion and book signing reception and is open to the public. Panelists will be Donna-Jean Wosencroft ’72, Linda A’Vant-Deishinni ’75, Karoline Oliveira ’94 ’03, Matthew Buchanan ’98, and Cristobal Bustos ’25. Tammy Vargas Warner ’99 ’06 will moderate.

Register for the event here.