Nettavia D. Curry,
President of the National Pan-Hellenic Council Inc. of Lansing
Nettavia D. Curry is a native of Detroit, Michigan. She is an alumna of Michigan State University (MSU) having received both her Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees in Merchandising Management and Human Resources from the university. Presently, she is Ph.D. Candidate in Higher, Adult, Lifelong Education at MSU. Her dissertation is on mentoring and professional identity development for African American female doctoral students. Her other research interests focus on socialization for African American graduate students, undergraduate student development and academic persistence, African American female faculty, and academic experiences for African American students at Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
For 15 years Nettavia has coordinated the Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program/Summer Research Opportunity Program at MSU. The program is commonly referred to as the McNair/SROP Scholars Program. The program’s mission is to encourage and prepare first-generation, low-income, and/or underrepresented college students to pursue Ph.D. studies. Nettavia has successfully written four consecutive competitive federal grants through the US Department of Education to maintain this program at the university. The four successful grants total over four million dollars. In the last 15 years, the program has served approximately 900 undergraduates from MSU and other colleges and universities across the country. Presently, McNair/SROP alumni are graduate and doctoral students, and faculty members at universities across the United States.
In the capacity of Coordinator, Nettavia has enhanced the program offerings and service delivery to program participants. Additionally, she has incorporated several professional development and community service opportunities for students. Specifically, she has purposefully engaged college students in service to the greater Lansing community through volunteering at the Ronald McDonald House, North Central Network, Volunteers of America, East Lansing Arts Festival, Habitat for Humanity, and the American Cancer Society. Nettavia has been blessed to receive several professional and personal accolades, such as, Emerging Leader Award (MSU College of Human Ecology), MSU Leadership Initiative Fellow, and Outstanding Staff Member through the MSU Black Graduate Student Association and the Black Student Alliance, respectively.
Nettavia enjoys speaking on the topics of mentoring, college student success and achievement, graduate education, and diversity in higher education. She has given talks at MSU and often speaks at colleges and universities locally and nationally.
Personally, Nettavia is a committed and active member of the Lansing community. Currently, she serves as a Board Member of the Riverwalk Theatre and Delta Tau Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.; Member of the Women Working Wonders Committee through the Sparrow Foundation and the Greater Lansing African American Cultural Association; and President of the National Pan-Hellenic Council Inc. of Lansing.
Nettavia has a bright personal and professional career ahead of her. She is dedicated to helping others and is delighted to see her legacy of service and scholarship continue through her students and mentees.
