New Scholarship Carries on Legacy of Prof. Boris Ricks
This article was originally published at CSUN Newsroom.
Contribute to the Dr. Boris Ricks Leadership Scholarship.
The bond was instant between Renford Reese andCSUN political science associate professor Boris Ricks since their first days as Ph.D. students at USC. Ricks and Reese found they both played football. They both were proud members of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc, a historically African American fraternity. They both made careers in political science on CSU campuses, studying current affairs and American institutions with the goal of advancing social justice.
When Ricks died suddenly on Sept. 5, Reese, a political science professor at Cal Poly Pomona, knew he wanted to do something to further his friend’s legacy and to honor a 32-year friendship bond. So, he started a scholarship at CSUN in Ricks’ name, intended for students from any major who, like Ricks, are leaders on campus and in their communities.
Reese hopes students will follow in Ricks’ footsteps and understand the power of his story.
“Dr. Ricks grew up in South Central Los Angeles, he cared deeply about issues in the community and became of one the greatest advocates for South Central Los Angeles,” Reese said. “If we can magnify Dr. Ricks’ story, maybe people who learn about his trajectory will be inspired and want to be like him.”
About the Scholarship
Last week, Reese donated $25,000 to start a new scholarship in memory of Ricks. He hopes the gift will encourage people to contribute to a CSUN Funder crowdfunding campaign to amplify the impact of the scholarship.
With Reese’s gift, five students each year will receive a $1,000 scholarship. As more donors contribute to the Funder, the number of students helped each year will grow.
There’s no GPA requirement to receive the scholarship — Reese wants selected students to be leaders on campus and committed to community service.
“It’s to honor the spirit of Dr. Ricks, who was a leader in so many ways — he was a leader in the community, and he was a leader on campus,” Reese said. “Students have to demonstrate their leadership capacity on campus and in the community.”
‘Intangible Capacity of Greatness’
Ricks, who served on CSUN’s faculty since 2008, was a brilliant scholar, with expertise in urban politics and racial and ethnic politics. He was a tireless and beloved mentor, inspiring thousands of students in the Department of Political Science and beyond.
He served on many commissions dedicated to empowering his community, including the recent L.A. Governance Reform Project, a team of researchers and leaders who proposed significant reforms to the Los Angeles City Council.
“Nobody that I know of was more connected to the ‘haves’ and ‘have nots’ of Black Los Angeles, and if you knew Dr. Ricks, you liked him,” Reese said. “If you really knew him, you loved him.”
Ricks was a respected political commentator, offering accessible analysis on local television, in print, and on various other outlets. Reese recalled Ricks’ appearance on ABC-LA to discuss the 2020 Democratic National Convention, when Ricks compared many speakers to “plain toast,” but said a night’s lineup that included former president Barack Obama and then-vice presidential nominee Kamala Harris was more promising.
“You’re probably tonight going to see it hit out the ballpark, using a baseball analogy,” Ricks said.
Ricks was recognizable on campus with his signature bow ties — his vast wardrobe featured many colorful ties, shirts and jackets. The attention to detail evident in his appearance also manifested outwardly, Reese said — Ricks could remember names and personal details that helped him connect and have substantial conversations with the people he met. It’s a quality Reese hopes to inspire in scholarship recipients.
“It’s difficult to be as dynamic as Dr. Ricks when you’re 21, 22 years old, but the idea is to be diplomatic, someone who believes in equity, a person who believes fundamentally in humanity and who sees everyone — even those who are invisible to others — to me, that’s the intangible capacity of greatness that is hard to quantify,” Reese said. “That was Dr. Ricks.”
Inspiring Tomorrow’s Leaders
Yan Searcy, dean of CSUN’s College of Social and Behavorial Sciences, reflected on how the scholarship will honor Ricks’ legacy.
“The loss of Dr. Ricks has me thinking regularly about two things — the importance of people and the importance of education,” Searcy said. “Dr. Ricks impacted community, family, friends, students. The fact that longtime friend and colleague Dr. Renford Reese immediately reached out to us to share this gift to honor Dr. Ricks reflects those important elements. It is a testament to how Dr. Ricks lived his life of impacting people through the duality of education and relation.
“We will do our best in honoring the legacy of Dr. Ricks,” Searcy continued. “We know that many have reached out to ask what they can do to help honor Dr. Ricks. Well, this fund provides an opportunity to further his legacy by continuing to support students who reflect leadership and commitment to community. I simply am inspired and excited.”
To contribute to the Dr. Boris Ricks Leadership Scholarship, please visit the CSUN Funder campaign page or contact Tracy Baum, Director of Development, College of Social and Behavioral Sciences at 818 677-7129 or tracy.baum@csun.edu.