Clarence McFerren II, Ed.D.

Dr. Clarence McFerren II (Dr. Mac J) is an Assistant Professor of Performing Arts Education in the School of Theatre & Dance at Texas Tech University. His research centers on Black male teacher retention, belonging, and identity in K–12 schools, with a specialized emphasis on developing and sustaining pathways for dance and theatre educators. Using qualitative, narrative, and arts-based methodologies, he investigates how representation, mentorship, and performing-arts pedagogies shape teacher preparation and persistence.

His scholarship bridges teacher identity development, belonging, and justice-centered performing arts education, a framework that decolonizes traditional norms in dance and theatre by foregrounding equity, culture, and identity in classroom and creative practice. His work also explores arts-based approaches to wellness and mental health, informed by his TEDx Talk, Mental Liberation Through Dance. Across his scholarship and public writing, Dr. McFerren contributes to national conversations on identity, belonging, wellness, and the future of performing arts teacher education.

Before joining Texas Tech, Dr. McFerren taught every grade from preschool through 12th grade and later at the undergraduate and graduate levels. His teaching and leadership experience spans urban public and charter schools in Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. He has served as a PK–12 teacher, athletic coach, district administrator, and Assistant Director of the Teacher Preparation Program at the University of California, Merced. A former U.S. Army finance specialist and trained paratrooper, as well as a Division I collegiate athlete, he brings a deep commitment to discipline, community, and transformative educational practice.

His current work includes preparing performing arts teachers, developing arts-based retention frameworks, fostering interdisciplinary connections between the arts and athletics, and implementing restorative, identity-affirming pedagogy. He also serves on the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (AACTE) Programmatic Advisory Committee on Educator Diversity (PACED), 2026–2029, contributing to national efforts to strengthen equity and representation across educator preparation.

Education 

• Ed.D., Education Leadership: Teaching & Learning in Higher Education – Alverno College 
• C.A.G.S., Educational Leadership: School Administration – Cambridge College 
• M.A., Performing Arts: Dance Education – American University 
• Graduate Certificate, Arts Management – American University 
• B.S., Mass Communication: Radio/TV Broadcasting – Middle Tennessee State University 

Professional Certificates & Executive Education 

• Certificate, Leverage Diversity and Inclusion for Organizational Excellence – Stanford Graduate School of Business (Executive Education) 
• Advanced Restorative Justice Training – Restorative Justice Center, University of California, Berkeley  

Professional Certifications

• Mental Health First Aid Certification (Youth) 
• USA Track & Field Level II Certified Coach (Sprints, Hurdles, Relays) 

Research Interests

• Black male teacher retention, belonging, and identity 
• Performing arts teacher preparation (theatre and dance) 
• Arts-based pedagogy and classroom facilitation 
• Teacher identity development and representation 
• Arts-integrated wellness, mental health, and community engagement 

Selected Publications

• McFerren, C. II (2025). Relationships Matter: Leadership and Belonging through the Eyes of Black Male Teachers. In K. Kemp-Graham & S. Pruitt (Eds.), Interrupters, Visionaries, Champions and Legends: School Leader Evocative Autoethnographies of Resilience, Grit, Adversity, Failure and Success of Leading Public Schools in the 21st Century (pp. 159–174). International Council of Professors of Educational Leadership (ICPEL) Publishing.  

Awards & Honors

• Best Storyteller – Texas Tech University Research Slam (2025) 
• Staff Excellence Award for Equity, Justice, and Inclusive Excellence – University of California, Merced (2025) 

Professional Service

• Programmatic Advisory Committee on Educator Diversity (PACED), American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (AACTE), 2026–2029 

Media & Public Scholarship

• Op-ed: He Was the Church’s Golden Boy — And My Domestic Abuser (Pride Magazine, 2025) 
• TEDx Talk – Mental Liberation Through Dance (2019)