Dr. Devin Walker

Dr. Devin Walker currently serves as the Director of Equity and Student Success at Cabrillo College in Santa Cruz, California. Originally from Los Angeles, California, Devin earned his undergraduate degree in 2008 from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, “Go Badgers,” where he majored in Sociology and History. He earned his Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction at The University of Texas at Austin in 2018 where his research focused on the intersection of race, sports and education as well as the influence of global education on student’s self-concept, national identity and future orientation. Prior to leaving Texas in 2023, he served as the director of two high-impact centers for the Division of Diversity and Community Engagement at UT- Austin: The Heman Sweatt Center for Black Males as well as Global Leadership and Social Impact.

Dr. Walker credits his diverse upbringing in Los Angeles as well as his extensive experience living, working, and backpacking abroad as pillars to his professional trajectory. He taught English in Korea for 2 years, has lived in 5 countries, has traveled to 37 countries and has led over 500 students on study abroad programs to China, South Africa, the UAE, Ghana and Senegal. His recently published book, Historically Underrepresented Faculty and Students in Education Abroad: Wandering Where We Belong, aims to disrupt the deficit-based narratives that often surround students of color and instead offers a roadmap for how institutions can effectively engage all students in education abroad. In addition to his academic pursuits, he is a co-founder of the Black Student-Athlete Summit and the founder and CEO of World Walker, an organization focused on providing transformational education abroad opportunities for Black students.