Heather Knight

Three Acclaimed Black Female Writers

For almost a decade, Dr. Heather Knight served as president for Pacific Union College, where she was responsible for overseeing all college operations during a period of expansion. Considered a pioneer in her field, Dr. Heather Knight is the first black woman to rise to several key administrative roles in higher education. Dr. Knight holds a post-doctoral degree and has taught several courses at the University of the Pacific, including African-American literature and the work of black women writers.

Sometimes overlooked, black female writers have explored and protested against racism, violence, and abuse. A number have become literary icons. Maya Angelou was an American author, poet, and activist who earned a place in the literary canon with the book I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, released in 1969.

Another acclaimed writer is Toni Morrison, the first black woman ever to receive the Nobel Prize for Literature. Besides being a novelist, Morrison is a teacher and had her book Beloved adapted for the screen. The Color Purple, another famous work that went from book to movie, is from one of the best-known African-American authors, Alice Walker. Walker is an activist, fighting for feminist causes, economic justice, and environmental measures.

U.S. News Calculates Campus Ethnic Diversity

In her most recent position as president and chief executive officer of Pacific Union College (PUC), Dr. Heather Knight helped increase enrollment by 300 students in just four years. The first black woman to lead a North American Adventist college as president, Dr. Heather Knight focused on improving diversity at the school. In 2016, U.S. News and World Report named PUC Most Diverse National Liberal Arts College in the Country.

College rankings by U.S. News and World Report provide valuable information for high school students selecting a college or university. The Campus Ethnic Diversity ranking helps students identify schools where they are most like to encounter someone from an ethnic background different from their own. The rankings utilize enrollment data from each fall’s undergraduate student body, excluding international students, and calculate the total proportion of non-white students.

The formula gives each school a score between zero and one, with more diverse schools scoring closer to one. For the purposes of calculations, any student who chooses not to disclose his or her race is counted as white.

The Growth of Online Education

From 2009 to 2017, Dr. Heather Knight served as president of Pacific Union College (PUC). While there, she spearheaded an enrollment increase of more than 300 students in four years and improved freshman retention rates by 14 percent. As president, Dr. Heather Knight also launched PUC Online, which allowed students to complete their bachelor of science in nursing online.

The number of students participating in online learning continues to increase. The latest federal data from the National Center for Education Statistics’ Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) demonstrated that more than a third of college students took at least one online course in 2018. Additionally, the data showed that from 2016 to 2018 online learning enrollment increased by 3.6 percent, despite the fact that overall enrollment during the same time period decreased by 1.1 percent.

The flexibility of online education is a driving factor in online-course enrollment. Best Colleges’ 2019 Online Education Trends Report stated that more than 50 percent of students taking courses online have children, and that half are employed. Additionally, many students take online classes from schools that are too far away for them to attend in person.

University of the Pacific, California’s Oldest Chartered University

Dr. Heather Knight has been the first African-American female to serve in each of the many administrative roles she has held in higher education, and she has left a strong legacy in all of them. As president of Pacific Union College (PUC) in Angwin, California, she successfully led the college to the 2015 and 2016 President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll, and on her watch, PUC received the largest single cash gift in its history: $2.6 million. In addition to the recognition she has received from many professional organizations for her outstanding accomplishments, Dr. Heather Knight has been the recipient of numerous university awards, including eight from the University of the Pacific.

The University of the Pacific, located in Stockton, California, was founded in 1851, and is California’s oldest chartered university. Consisting of 11 schools and colleges that offer a wide variety of programs with opportunities in many different fields, small class sizes combined with dedicated faculty make this university highly rated. There are also many student clubs, Greek organizations, and academic and professional activities available on campus to help students meet other like-minded students. Housing is available both on- and off-campus, along with dining and other amenities.

In addition to the Stockton campus, University of the Pacific also has locations in Sacramento and San Francisco, offering both undergraduate and graduate degrees.