Dr. Michael C. Williams-Scurlock

Citizenship, Scholarship, Leadership...Every Day, By Example.

Hotep, which means peace...welcome to my home page. I'm glad that you made it this far and I hope that you'll stick around long enough to get to know just a little bit more about me and my life. After all, these days, relationships that begin in cyberspace are often the most real, vivid, and long-lasting--and maybe that will be true of us.

My Background

Well, where should I begin? I was born in the Midwest in a small town that you probably never have heard of...Chicago.
I grew up during the 1970s and 1980s on Chicago's south side in a world filled with Jheri Curls, Big Wheels,
and watching Kung-Fu flicks and Speed Racer on Channel 44.
I attended Holy Angels Catholic School which made international news when our pastor Fr. George Clements became the first priest to adopt a child. This was made into one of those Sunday night, cheesy made-for-TV movies in the 80s starring Lou Gossett, Jr. and Malcolm-Jamal Warner.
In 1983, I enrolled at Kenwood Academy during those formative high school years. It was a time of purple Member's Only jackets, break dancing, and frequent weekend excursions to Evergreen Plaza. After four years of this I was finally ready for college where the real fun begins...but that's another website.

What college to attend...this was the question in 1987. Budget constraints dictated a state institution. Personal restraints dictated moving away from Chicago. After a lot of soul searching and my mom refusing to allow me to attend the #1 state "party" school at the time (Southern Illinois University at Carbondale), I made my decision. I was ready to see the world and experience all it had to offer...
so I moved to Macomb, IL
a town with with more cows and corn than people.
I attended Western Illinois University for undergraduate studies
("studies"...a term I use loosely) which were some of the best six years of my life.

With an undergraduate record that suggested that most of my learning took place outside the classroom, I managed, with excellent recommendations, writing samples, and interviews to attend the University of Illinois at Springfield for graduate school. This was one of the best decisions of my life. In addition to receiving an inspired education from brilliant, passionate faculty, I also met some great people and found a great job.
For over two years, I served as the Special Projects Coordinator for the Office of Minority Student Affairs
where I made some great contacts and good friends, especially the late Director, Terri R. Jackson, who gave me the freedom to grow and accept challenges and instilled in me a commitment to serving others. Te-Te, you are truly missed.
This experience led me to return to Western Illinois University to take a position as
Director of Ethnic Student Outreach and Retention . I eventually went on to work for Big Brothers Big Sisters, Morehouse College, and Nevada Ballet Theatre .

Several years ago, I returned to school to pursue a doctorate from Regent University. In 2005, after several years of study and hypertension, I completed a Ph.D. in Organizational Leadership in Education. Until recently I served as Director of Education & Outreach for Nevada Ballet Theatre in Las Vegas until I returned to the Midwest to accept a position as Director of Upward Bound Pre-College Program for the University of Wisconsin Colleges. I am also an organizational consultant, specializing in strategic planning, team-building, and conflict intervention. So as you can see, with a litle faith and tenacity anyone can recover from misspent youth.
And, before we go any further, in case you ARE my big break (not that I'm looking to get hired, but just in case), here's my curriculum vita.

Oh yeah, I am currently crushing on Nicole Scherzinger from The Pussycat Dolls, so if anyone knows her, hook a brother up...cuz I do wish my girlfriend was hot like her(although I am not above being "upgraded" by Beyonce).

My Interests

I guess that the best--and fastest--way to really get to know me
is by discovering what I like. So here goes . . .
I like to travel, music, reading and I am still involved with my fraternity, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.

My Favorites...

I would like to share some of my favorite things, memories, and experiences so far. Some reflections are sentimental and heartfelt while others are irreverant...you decide which are which.

My Top 10 Books of All Time	My Top 10 Movies of All Time	My Top 10 Albums of All Time	My Top 10 Music Videos of All Time
Gone Fishin' Walter Mosely	The Godfather Trilogy (An offer you can't refuse...)	Legend Bob Marley & The Wailers	Remember the Time Michael Jackson
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings Maya Angelou	Forrest Gump (Stupid is as studid does.)	Songs in the Key of Life Stevie Wonder	Thriller Michael Jackson
What Looks Like Crazy on an Ordinary Day Pearl Cleage	Silence of the Lambs (What the hell are fava beans anyway?)	What's Going On Marvin Gaye	Supa Dupa Fly (The Rain) Missy "Misdemeanor" Elliott
In Cold Blood Truman Capote	The Color Purple (You sho' is ugly...)	Tapestry Carole King	Everything is Everything Lauryn Hill
The Outsiders S.E. Hinton	Malcolm X (I am Malcolm X.)	Blood Sugar Sex Magic Red Hot Chili Peppers	What's It Gonna Be Busta Rhymes & Janet Jackson
To Kill a Mockingbird Harper Lee	Sixth Sense (I see dead people...)	Purple Rain Prince & The Revolution	What They Do The Roots
The Bluest Eye Toni Morrison	Hoop Dreams (Reality check...)	The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill Lauryn Hill	Virtual Insanity Jamariquai
Native Son Richard Wright	The Usual Suspects (I am Keyser S�ze...)	Sign O' The Times Prince	Weapon of Choice Fatboy Slim
One Flew Over the Cukoo's Nest Ken Kesey	Crash (You think you know who you are. You have no idea.)	Stillmatic Nas	Scream Michael & Janet Jackson
Life on the Color Line: The True Story of a White Boy Who Discovered He Was Black Dr. Gregory Howard Williams	The Star Wars Trilogy (Who knew that two honey buns strapped to the side of a woman's head could be sexy?)	Off the Wall Michael Jackson	Sweet Dreams (are Made of These) Eurhythmics
Miracle's Boys Jacqueline Woodson	The Indiana Jones Trilogy (Proof that the third time is the charm)	The Soul Sessions Joss Stone	Rockit Herbie Hancock

 

My Nickel Lists In No Particular Order�
Top 5 ACTORS	Top 5 ACTRESSES	Top 5 MOVIE SONGS	Top 5 MOVIE VILLIANS
Morgan Freeman	Angela Basset	Love & Basketball This Woman's Work (Unplugged) Maxwell	Batman The Joker Jack Nicholson
Al Pacino	Emma Thompson	Let's Do It Again Let's Do It Again The Staple Singers	Training Day Alonzo Harris Denzel Washington
Robert DeNiro	Katherine Hepburn	Say Anything In Your Eyes Peter Gabriel	Usual Suspects Kaiser Sose Kevin Spacey
Jack Nicholson	Meryl Streep	Last American Virgin Oh No The Commodores	Star Wars Trilogy Darth Vader James Earl Jones (Voice)
Tom Hanks	Shirley MacLaine	Sparkle Hooked on a Feeling Sister & The Sisters (Lonette McKee & Irene Cara)	Superman II General Zod Terrence Stamp
Most Underrated Ed Harris	Most Underrated Regina King	Most Underrated The Thomas Crown Affair Sinnerman Nina Simone	Most Underrated Doubt Sister Aloyious Beauvier Meryl Streep

 

 

 

 

 

Things a Man Should Have Before He Turns 30
In no particular order

A personal belief in and a relationship with God.

Something to live for.

Something you are willing to die for.

Knowledge that you can not still eat anything you want without consequences.

An active savings account.

A real suit.

A good friend.

The ability to recognize and commit to a healthy relationship.

A mentor.

A mentee.

An attainable long-term goal.

At least one recipe that you have mastered.

At least one pair of shoes that doesn't have rubber soles.

A favorite book.

A favorite author.

Someone who will miss you when you're gone.

An active membership in at least one organization that provides service to the community.

Computer literacy.

Self-control.

Knowledge of a personal talent that you can do better than anyone else you know.

A credit card that is not at it's limit.

Gainful employment.

A degree or specialized trade.

A voter's registration card.

A story or secret from your misspent youth that can come back to haunt you when you have kids of your own.

Things a Man Should Do Before He Dies...

Date an older woman.

Date a younger woman.

Have your heart broken in a 1000 little pieces--remember how it felt and don't do that shit to someone else.

Stand up to someone you know can kick your ass.

Actively participate in a social rally or cause.

Read everything by your favorite author.

Storm into your boss' office and, without another job lined up, tell them that they can go to hell and take the job with him. Then go home and try to pay your bills with your self-righteous indignation. If this works, let me know how, because I apparently didn't do it right.

Fast for a week and reflect that there are many out there who did this without a choice.

Gain as much weight as possible then try to participate in any rigorous activity and record the event. Review the video and get a good look at how you looked and remember how you felt doubled over, wheezing...you fat, sloppy bastard!

Go up to the best looking women at a party and give her your best game.

Fly first class.

Play with a child.

Test drive a car you know that you can't afford. After taking up the salesperson's entire day with a lot of stupid questions and high-pressured negotiations, declare, "Thanks, but I think I'm going to keep my car." Payback's a bitch!

Let someone else take all the credit.

Pay off your credit card.

Tell the truth when you are better off lying.

Make a toast at a wedding.

Make love to a woman from another country.

Be on television.

Sit courtside, ringside, on the 50, or front-row/center and then, afterward, bogart your way into the locker room, dressing room, back stage, or the private after-party. Everyone should get to play "Big Willie" at least once before they die.

Smoke a Cuban cigar...just because you're not supposed to have them.

Look up a long-lost friend, then remember why they were lost in the first place.

Call the person you think you've most wronged and apologize.

Give a panhandler a 100 bucks.

Take a vacation without a camera.

Be the life of the party.

Have something custom-made.

Eat a cheesesteak in Philly, buffalo wings in Buffalo, and clam chowder in Boston...drink a Manhattan in Manhattan, Jamaican Rum in Jamaica, and a frozen Bellini in New Orleans (just trust me on that last one).

Blow a whole paycheck and have absolutely nothing to show for it.

Repair something on your own.

Buy a hat...not a baseball cap, fisherman's hat, or Kangol but a real, grown man's hat.

Help a stranger.

Get a professional manicure and pedicure.

Test your manhood and come through it with a whole new definition of what it means to be a man.

Wash a woman's feet.

Read the Bible cover to cover.

Entertain the notion that there is indeed a Heaven and hell and treat people accordingly.

To be continued...

Links to My Favorite Sites

Another way to really get to know someone - especially someone who spends
as much time on the Internet as I do - is to learn their favorite sites:

Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.	TV Episode Guides	Wikipedia
TV Guide On-Line	Internet Movie Database	Vibe Magazine On-Line
Entertainment	AllMusic Guide	Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., Eta Eta Chapter

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This page last updated on April 13, 2009.

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