Honorary Degree

Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa

Steve Perry, Ph.D.

Education Advocate and Leader, Author

Dr. Steve Perry’s life is marked by a commitment to improve the lives of those born into poverty under the knee of racism. He has used being born on his mother’s 16th birthday as his North Star.

A national leader in the education revolution, Dr. Perry is a change agent who is tireless in his pursuit to provide equal and competitive opportunities for children who otherwise would not have a voice. His mission is simple – to provide high-quality education with college-bound opportunities for children in poverty.

Dr. Perry’s commitment to excellence started as former principal of what U.S. news and World Report has cited as one of the top schools in the country, Capital Preparatory Magnet School in Hartford, Connecticut. Capital Prep achieved the distinction of 100% of its first-generation high school graduates being accepted to four-year colleges every year since its first class graduated in 2006. This success led him to start Capital Preparatory Schools in 2012. His vision was to open schools that provide as many lowincome students/families with an educational experience that he considered a right, not just an opportunity. Partnering with Sean “Diddy” Combs in 2015, Dr. Perry began building a charter school network that is educating the nation’s neediest children. Guided by this mission, Dr. Steve Perry founded and runs five schools in New York and Connecticut that have sent 100% of its low income, minority, first generation graduates to four-year colleges.

In addition to his leadership as Head of Schools of Capital One Preparatory Schools, Dr. Perry started a non-profit that worked with children who would go on to become the first in their families to go to college. He has led a homeless shelter in his hometown of Middletown, Connecticut, and has founded three school-choice parent advocacy groups. His passion, advocacy and commitment to provide educational opportunities for children of low-income families has also been showcased on FOX, CNN, MSNBC, TV One, and OWN networks, to Al Jazeera and South Korean TV. Dr. Perry’s counsel on topics ranging from education to supporting families has been sought out by Bishop TD Jakes, Iyanla Vanzant, and Oprah, as well as by governors and leaders of industry. He is the author of five books, including his best-selling “Push Has Come to Shove: Getting Our Kids the Education They Deserve – Even if it Means Picking a Fight.”

Dr. Steve Perry is focused on making a difference in the lives of those for whom opportunity is scarce.