Alumni Stories | Auburn Magazine | Black Alumni

Higher Ed, Higher Calling

Sydney Freeman Jr.’s love of people led him to a prestigious U.N. fellowship and a life dedicated to helping others.

Sydney Freeman speaking at Fellowship of African Descent

When Sydney Freeman was an undergraduate at Oakwood University, a historically Black institution in Huntsville, Ala., he had the opportunity to shadow the college president. What he saw during that experience left a permanent impression. Freeman decided he, too, wanted someday to lead an institution of higher learning.

“I saw that Dr. [Delbert] Baker not only had a vision but was able to execute that vision,” Freeman recently reflected. Baker’s example set Freeman on the career path he now travels today.

Freeman, a first-generation college student, earned his master’s and doctoral degrees in higher education administration from Auburn and went on to teach at the University of Idaho. In the process, he became the first African American male faculty member to attain full professorship there. In November 2024, he traveled to Geneva, Switzerland, as a Fellow of the U.N. Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights—one of 10 chosen from more than 1000 applicants to the month-long program, and the sole Fellow from the U.S.

Currently Freeman serves on Auburn’s College of Education External Board of Advisors. His personal and professional accomplishments reflect the focus of his life’s work: to empower the Black community.

In the following interview with Auburn Magazine, Freeman describes his sense of purpose, what he gained from his Auburn experience, and what he learned as a U.N. Fellow.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Auburn Magazine: Once you had shadowed the president, Delbert Baker, at Oakwood University, how did you figure out what your next step was, professionally?

Sydney Freeman: After shadowing our president, I started asking if there were programs that prepare you for higher-education leadership—and I found out you could actually get a degree in the field. I thought that was amazing! Then I learned that both Auburn and the University of Alabama had such programs. Auburn took a chance on me—my undergraduate GPA probably wasn’t technically high enough for a graduate program—and I finished my master’s degree in just over a year.

Frances Kochan, the College of Education’s dean at the time, encouraged me to continue toward my Ph.D. and offered me a graduate assistantship. I finished my dissertation in two and a half years.

AM: What did you gain from your educational experience at Auburn?

SF: I like to say that Oakwood solidified my sense of Black identity, while Auburn shaped me into a scholar. Having studied at an HBCU [Historically Black College or University], I was able to go into Auburn, a predominantly white institution, and know who I was. At Auburn, I learned how to do rigorous research and position myself for future leadership. Dean Kochan, in particular, invested in me. I was blessed to have her as a mentor.

AM: How is the work you’re doing at Idaho preparing you to become president of a higher-ed institution?

SF: Overall, my time at Idaho has been about strategically building the right toolkit—both the technical expertise and a platform for advocacy—to eventually transition into a college presidency. I’m grateful for the chance to hone these capabilities in a context where my voice and efforts can have a meaningful impact.

AM: What do you find exciting about your role there?

SF: What I like most is that I’m able to directly shape the next generation of leaders through my teaching and mentorship. This also aligns with my passion for empowering the Black community, and I really enjoy the way in which I’ve been able to really influence changes related to racial justice—not only on campus, but also within the state of Idaho.

AM: What did you learn as a U.N. Fellow?

SF: My project for the fellowship focused on reparations for Black Americans. I also studied how the U.N. can better assist with building the capacity and infrastructure of Black-led nonprofits, to support their activism and advocacy.

I learned that you need stamina to do this kind of work. I say that because whenever you’re pushing for the advancement of human rights, civil rights, you’re going to move three steps forward, and then at times, you’re going to be shoved two steps back. You must have stamina, and you need to partner with people—you can’t do it all by yourself.

Additionally, I learned the importance of sharing my story. In my case, I went from New Jersey to Alabama and got my graduate degrees, and then to Idaho. Why would I go to Idaho? Because Black people live in rural areas too, and I have been able to share my experience of coming from predominantly Black schools and then working at primarily white schools.

I was extremely grateful for the U.N. opportunity. Connecting it back to Auburn—a lot of the work we do seems to be on a primarily local level, like in Montgomery or Auburn. But actually, we’re part of a global environment, and the lessons we learn from doing local work can be applied to the bigger global stage.

AM: Given your age, this is a long look forward. But what do you want your legacy to be?

SF: I want people to know I love God and I love people. I love people, and that’s the core of it—I fight on behalf of Black folks. That is my particular call.

By Shelley Wunder-Smith ’96