Shenika Hankerson

Dr. Shenika Hankerson is an Assistant Professor of Applied Linguistics and Language Education in the Department of Teaching and Learning, Policy and Leadership at the University of Maryland-College Park. Her research explores the intersection of race, language, and equity, with a focus on African American Language (AAL) and college writing. Dr. Hankerson’s research has two strands: (1) examining how critical and Afrocentric college writing practices and policies shape the writing experiences and outcomes of AAL speakers, and (2) examining how college writing instructors develop dispositions about teaching and learning that foster equitable and just writing environments for AAL speakers. More specifically, her research leverages her interdisciplinary knowledge of both applied linguistics and rhetoric and composition to better understand how best to promote the academic success and well-being of AAL speakers in college writing. Her published and forthcoming scholarship can be found in peer-reviewed journals such as the Journal of Second Language Writing, Written Communication, and Language Arts Journal of Michigan and edited collections published by Routledge, Oxford University Press, and Utah State University Press.

Dr. Hankerson is a past Chair of the Linguistic Society of America’s Committee on Ethnic Diversity in Linguistics. She is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.

Dr. Hankerson’s research grant activities and collaborations have culminated in over $1 million in funding. Chief among them–Project RISE: Research Institute for Scholars in Education–a $1.1 million research partnership grant from the US Department of Education’s Institute of Education Sciences (IES). Dr. Hankerson (Principal Investigator) and the Project RISE team have shared findings from this project through several conference presentations and a journal article focused on best practices for supporting historically underrepresented and racially minoritized undergraduates in research apprenticeship programs.

Research interests: African American Language; African Languages, Literatures, and Cultures; Race, Equity, Language, and Literacy; Language Policies and Language Rights; Applied Linguistics; Rhetoric and Composition