Shakima M. Clency

Shakima M. Clency is an advocate and champion for equity and empowerment. She currently works as the National Director of Campus Partnerships and Student Success at the Kessler Scholars Collaborative, a direct initiative of the Judy and Fred Wilpon Family Foundation. The Kessler Scholars Program is a cohort-based transformative scholarship support program designed to empower talented first-generation college students from limited-income backgrounds. Throughout her professional career, Shakima has committed her time, energy, and advocacy to supporting students most marginalized in higher education through transformative programming, empowering community-building initiatives, and strategic collaborations to drive institutional change. In her spare time, Shakima enjoys spending time with her family and friends and supporting doctoral students on their dissertation journeys.