WKU News

Lexington, KY (May 21, 2023) --- In celebration of Academic Signing Day for its students, The Black Male Working Academy honored Dr. Julia Link Roberts for her commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion and for being a model of access and opportunity for underrepresented minority students.

Dr. Roberts is the Mahurin Professor of Gifted Studies and the Executive Director of The Center for Gifted Studies and The Carol Martin Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science in Kentucky.  

The Black Male Working Academy (BMWA) is a Saturday program that is a collaborative of First Bracktown, Inc. and the Fayette County Public School System. Their mission: To educate, motivate, and activate the potential for excellence that lies within every African American male.  Dr.  Roberts opened the door for African American males to attend the gifted programs of SCATS and Vampy in 2007.  Dr. Roberts, because of her commitment to diversity, inclusion, and equity realized that there were no children of color attending the summer programs on the campus of Western Kentucky University.  She reached out to Rosz Akins, the Executive Director of the BMW Academy in Lexington to ask if there were any boys in the academy who could attend one of the summer gifted programs.  She was so determined to include students of color in the summer gifted programs, she secured scholarships for the boys to attend because economically they could not afford to attend the summer camps.  The first two BMW Academy young men to attend the summer gifted programs were Jodocei Hill and Trevor McNary in 2007.  Both of these young men said attending the summer gifted program changed their lives.  Joedocei said that attending the summer camp made him aware of just how intelligent he was, and it made him know that he was a candidate for greatness.  Joedocei attended the University of Kentucky on a full scholarship, graduated with honors, and also got a master’s degree from the UK.  He is now the Principal Software Developer for Capital One.  Trevor McNary also graduated from the University of Kentucky with a Master’s degree.  He is now working in Washington, D. C.  Because of Dr. Roberts, over 12 young men have been blessed to attend the summer programs at Western Kentucky University.  One young man by the name of Jordan Mehnert who attended one of the summer gifted programs was so encouraged that he applied to attend the Gatton Academy at Western Kentucky University.  Jordan was the first African American male from Lexington, KY to attend the Gatton Academy.  In August of 2023, the first Hispanic male from BMWA will be attending the Gatton Academy.

Dr. Julia Roberts is a true trailblazer in opening the door for African American males to attend gifted programs that opened the door for them to do so much more.  Thank you so very much for being a blessing to the BMW Academy, Inc.