Each year, up to six scholars are selected and each receives up to $350,000 distributed over five years for their research. Awards are made to the applicant’s institution and do not replace the institution’s current support of the applicant’s research.

Born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Dr. Clay began her academic journey as an accounting major attending DePaul University in Chicago, Illinois. Her focus began to shift once she found herself enrolled in sociology courses. She developed a need for a deeper understanding of things, people, systems, relationships and how they all work together. 

“I was playing basketball in college, but once I stopped, I felt lost, and a few of my professors were instrumental in helping me figure out my next moves. Their mentorship and support really showed me how impactful educators are outside of the classroom, and as I was finding out what I wanted to do, I knew I wanted to be in a position to provide the same mentorship and guidance that I was provided” she said. 

Dr. Clay planned to change the world, but she needed to figure out how and was led to the McNair Scholars program designed for underrepresented students pursuing a Ph.D.   Through that program, she conducted and presented research on the roles of women in the Black Panther Party and developed a love for research.

“Education inequality introduced me to research as an undergrad through a project one of my mentors was doing that he allowed me to collect data for.  My passion for research and teaching comes from because I’ve always loved learning and sharing what I’ve learned with others. I love sharing knowledge because it allowed me to role model the research process for my students. I understand and value the importance of that mentorship,” said Dr. Clay.

She graduated from Texas A&M, where she received her masters and Ph.D in. Sociology and she immediately began mentoring and teaching upon graduation. Her primary focus in crime, social justice and African American Diaspora studies has allowed her to work with youth affected by social injustice.

“I moved to Oakland after I graduated to teach at Merritt College, and before that, I did mental health counseling at group homes,” said Dr. Clay. “I’ve worked one-on-one with people affected by these things. Living in Oakland, many of my students- who were good kids- were having terrible interactions with the legal system that was labeling them and their families as criminals. I knew they weren’t. That’s when I became interested in police misconduct and Black families.”

Dr. Clay hit the ground running when she started at Xavier in 2018. A self-proclaimed “sociologist of an African diaspora,” she engages her students by researching the things that have a significant impact on her community. 

“My main research interests are police terrorism, pan-African resistance movements, constructions of Black womanhood, Black student experiences with Study Abroad,” she said. “I’ve always been motivated to study things that are important to my community.  I also love to get students involved in the research process. I’ve researched HBCU students' perceptions of Africa and African Students’ perceptions of Black Americans with the two student research assistants from Xavier and it was great because we presented the research at a conference in Senegal. I also am trying to work with students with great research ideas like one that wants to compare the policing HBCU and treatment students experience as compared to white college students as it relates to assault issues, underage drinking, etc. I believe getting to the root core of these real issues will only shed light and empower us to make better decisions.”

Dr. Clay’s grant-winning research analyzes the impacts of what she has conceptualized as “Systemic Police Terrorism”. Her research seeks to expand our understanding of police brutality beyond individual acts to understand the systems and mechanisms that enable police terrorism.  It also seeks to move beyond fatal incidents of police use of force as the primary measure of harm caused. 

“There are several nonfatal ways that police are damaging Black communities that should be reviewed. When the police come into neighborhoods and destroy people’s homes, the idea of safety is violated for the whole community. What will they do when they feel unsafe? Who can they trust to help them when those that they are supposed to go to for help are those causing the harm?  I want this book to help us identify these dynamics, understand their impacts and lead us to solutions about how to address public safety in Black communities,” she Dr. Clay.  

Dr. Clay did not initially submit her research as an application for the grant. She initially wanted to participate in their research training program to learn as much as she could about best practices in scientific research. 

“When I applied to the William T. Grant Foundation’s training program, I was told that my research would be a better fit for something better. I had no idea this was going to happen, so I’m very proud,” she said.  

Dr. Clay believes her project stood out due to the mixed methodology she is employing to conduct her research. Dr. Clay’s technique includes collecting police engagement and statistical data and conducting interviews with those affected in the community; Her innovative inclusion of photographs and videos to document her research personifies the data she collects. She hopes her findings will be converted to a book and then possibly a short documentary. 

“Sociology helps us understand society and really any system. I think it’s important to create more awareness. Xavier is doing great things outside of biomedical. We are conducting research that will answer the questions we’ve been asking our whole lives. This knowledge empowers us and allows us to take action. We are answering the questions that could really change things.” 

The William T. Grant Foundation prioritizes high-quality research focused on reducing inequality in youth outcomes and improving the use of research evidence in decisions that affect young people in the United States. Its mission includes supporting research aimed to improve the lives of young people. All William T. Grant scholars have the full support of experienced researchers throughout the process of collecting data.

“It’s always humbling for someone to recognize the work I have put in as something worthy of being invested in. I’m very grateful, and I know they probably received hundreds of brilliant ideas but to have them choose mine is very affirming that there’s value in what I do beyond the ways I think it’s important,” said Dr. Clay. “Black women are few in sociology. There are not many of us in social sciences or the sciences in general. There are entire departments in this country that don’t even have nonwhite scholars. It’s still a battle to be represented, present, and to be recognized, but with the support of Xavier University and the assistance of my students, I will do what I can to influence change.  

For more information on Xavier’s Sociology program, please follow this link. For more information on Dr. Charity Clay, visit her website www.urfavcharity.com.