New director spotlight with Dr. Alvin Logan Jr.
Dr. Alvin Logan, Jr., PhD, is a distinguished leader in education and museum studies with a rich background in fostering community engagement and learning. He earned his doctorate in education from the University of Texas at Austin, following his bachelor's in urban planning and master's in education from the University of Washington (UW).
In his new role as director of Unite:Ed at the UW College of Education, Dr. Logan brings over a decade of experience in both education and museum settings. Before this role, he was director of education at the Burke Museum, director of student leadership at Seattle Central College, and faculty in the Educational Administration Program at Seattle University. His career is marked by a deep commitment to integrating education, race and identity development, and enhancing community-institution partnerships.
Dr. Logan’s work has focused on creating impactful educational experiences and securing grants for BIPOC youth and STEAM education across various states. He continues to contribute to the field through his roles as affiliate assistant professor in Anthropology at the UW and affiliate curator for African culture and education at the Burke Museum.
Discover more about Dr. Logan’s vision for Unite:Ed in the interview below.
Can you share a bit about your journey in education and how it led you to Unite:Ed?
My journey in education has been an amazing one, both professionally and personally. From experiencing phenomenal education and thought mentors to working for some of the most impactful organizations in the state, I found myself continually reigniting my passion for learning, leading, and supporting others. Personally, the institutions I attended sharpened my ability to find and use information to problem-solve. Professionally, serving in higher education has been rewarding in the way I can see students and colleagues progress into better versions of themselves. These experiences have catapulted me into this role with Unite:Ed through a passion for connecting people, communities and organizations. The role supports so much of the great work happening between the community and our college. For me, this role exemplified what it means to support students, communities, faculty, and staff in the process of not just reading the word, but reading the world and locating our place and purpose in it.
What excites you most about your new role?
What excites me most about this new role is the level of creativity and connectivity that can be had. There are endless ways to connect with people and communities, and I believe this a one of the most productive ways to do it. Helping communities by supporting organizations solve problems and create better version of their services builds deeper connections among all involved. To do this, creativity is often the cure. I love that we, as a college, are engaged in so many important problem-solving arenas in education. It is exciting that I get to be a part of the team that connects the ideas and people to the community, as many barriers continue to persist in this endeavor.
What do you believe makes Unite:Ed unique compared to other programs?
I believe that Unite:Ed is unique because it works for the betterment of community and students first and foremost. Additionally, Unite:Ed as an alliance is flexible. What I mean by that is, it has the space for growth to be what continually serves communities. Those two aspects are often lost between community-university research programs because it becomes about the university more than anything else. Fortunately, we have excellent and equity minded individuals working for the college that can ensure we don’t fall into that mindset with our engagement.
How do you see Unite:Ed adapting to meet the evolving needs in education today?
I see Unite:Ed adapting beautifully because we listen more than we move, and support more than we lead. When working with community it’s easy to come from UW and say what we can do for communities, however only those communities know what will authentically help them. When listening more than moving, we can see how our resources can support community direction. Education will continue to move in ways we can predict but not actualize until we live it. We offer support through many stages of research partnerships that can fill in many of the gaps between what we (community and college) can predict and what we will experience in the present.
What are some of your goals and aspirations for Unite:Ed under your leadership?
Usually when I start a role, I wait at least a year to understand the role, constituents, the present operation before making any goals. However, I know that Unite:Ed is important to the college and the community organizations we serve. My aspiration in this endeavor is to help more organizations understand our approach to research and how we can further their goals. I would like for Unite:Ed to be a welcoming alliance that is valued in community for its reciprocity, authenticity, and deep knowledge in the field of education.
Finally, what’s a hobby or activity you enjoy outside of work that brings you joy?
Outside of work, I enjoy camping with my family, barbecuing or smoking food, and playing billiards. If I could do all three of those at once every day, I’d be the happiest you’ve seen a person be.
