Acceleration: The Future of Education!
Dr. Bernard Franklin is a national recognized leader and consultant advocating for children who come from hard places. He has served as Vice President of urban education, and President of Kauffman Scholars, a college access program of the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, and President of Metropolitan Community College-Penn Valley (KCMO). Currently he is Assistant Vice President at Kansas State University, Executive Director of the Kansas State College Advising Corps, and Director of University Programs for the Shawnee Mission (KS) School District.
Franklin has twice been honored one of the 100 Most Influential African Americans in Kansas City (1998, 2009). His work and contributions to urban boys was recognized in the opening chapter of Bill Cosby’s new book, “Come On People” (2008). The Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce honored him with their distinguished Leadership Award (2009) for contributions to urban education. The Kansas City Downtown Council awarded Franklin as an “Urban Hero” for his work in public education (2009). Most recently, Franklin was awarded the MLK “Living Legacy Award” from MidAmerica Nazarene University (2011).
Franklin has served on the board of Truman Medical Center, and as the Midwest region chair of the Rhodes Scholarship Selection Committee (2005-2010), and the Community Advisory Board of the Federal Reserve Bank of KC. Finally, Franklin was a member of the KC Mayor’s Bi-State Innovation Task Force which was charged with recommending how Google Broadband fiber technology rolled out in the KC urban communities, the first US city to receive Google Broadband. .
Currently, Franklin serves on the boards of two significant public charter schools in Kansas City who are implementing and are influenced by his work around trauma informed teaching and learning: Gordon Parks Elementary Charter School, and University Academy, supported by the generous philanthropic gifts of the Helzberg (Jewelers) and Bloch (H&R Block) families.
Franklin has an MS in Counseling and Behavioral Studies (1989, University of South Alabama), and a Ph.D. in Counseling and Higher Education Administration, with an outside emphasis in Family Studies (1996, K-State). His research area for both advanced degrees was boys and men’s development. Franklin has served as a higher education consultant and has advised numerous local, national and international organizations on a wide range of education, leadership, diversity, urban father and family issues, and is regarded as a leader in articulating the daunting challenges facing the urban community. Franklin is the widowed and proud father of a daughter (Christina, 21, KCK), and three sons (Brandon 37, Topeka; Morgan 27, Topeka; and Blake 26, KCK).