Note: If you are registered for the 34th Annual UMBC McNair Research Conference, please also register for this event!
The UMBC McNair Scholars Program will present the 8th Annual Hill-Robinson McNair Lecture, named in honor of Cynthia M. Hill, Former UMBC Associate Provost & Founding UMBC McNair Director, and Thomas Robinson, PhD., Assistant Professor of Africana Studies and McNair Research Methods Faculty for over 30 years. Here is the link to the flier for the event. All are welcome and encouraged to attend!
Annually, we will highlight a lecturer who is an accomplished UMBC McNair alum or UMBC faculty/staff member who is an alum of a McNair program from another university. This year’s lecturer will be Dr. Jameka C. Wiggins, Advisor, TRIO Upward Bound, Columbus State Community College, and an alumna of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) McNair Scholars Program. Click here to read Dr. Wiggin’s full biography.
Title of Lecture: “Becoming Critically Conscious: Identity, Lived Experience, and Authentic Presence in Academic and Professional Spaces”
Abstract: Critical consciousness offers a pathway for individuals to deepen their awareness, enhance their self‑efficacy, and engage in purposeful action at both individual and collective levels. It invites ongoing analysis of how one’s lived experiences and professional practices are shaped by familial knowledge, societal structures, and historical and contemporary contexts. In her memoir Becoming, Michelle Obama reminds us that becoming is not about reaching a fixed endpoint; it is about continual evolution, forward movement, and striving toward a better version of ourselves. In this same spirit, critical consciousness is best understood as an ongoing process of becoming: not a destination, but a journey that shifts and unfolds over time as we encounter new experiences, people, and insights.
In this lecture, Dr. Jameka Wiggins will draw from her research on critical consciousness, situating it within a broader discussion of critical reflexivity and authenticity informed by her integrated critical consciousness framework. Attendees will be invited to examine how they holistically show up in academic and professional spaces and to consider whether their identities and lived experiences are authentically represented. Dr. Wiggins will share her journey toward becoming critically conscious, highlighting critical incidents from her childhood and professional life that have shaped her current practices and commitments.
A central focus of the lecture will be examining how whiteness has historically and presently shaped our scholarly landscapes: influencing the questions we ask, the methods we use, and the voices that are included or marginalized. Participants will be encouraged to reflect on how these dynamics influence their presence in professional spaces: Are we reserved or vocal? Do we question our belonging? Through intentional reflexivity, attendees will be challenged to deepen their critical consciousness, exploring how we can move beyond constraints to thrive authentically, acknowledge the influence of our past, and cultivate pathways toward collective personal and professional well‑being.
The 2026 Hill-Robinson McNair Lecture is co-sponsored by the UMBC McNair Scholars Program (other sponsors will be listed soon).
For more information & sponsorship opportunities, please contact Dr. Michael A. Hunt, Program Director, UMBC McNair Scholars Program, michaelahunt@umbc.edu.