Two faculty members of Vanderbilt Peabody College of education and human development were honored at the Tennessee State Capitol on April 13, 2026. Chezare A. Warren and Bryson McGuire were recognized as Black Male Educator Honorees by the Tennessee General Assembly. The honor celebrates their leadership in education and their impact on the lives of students and communities across Tennessee.
House Minority Floor Leader Torrey C. Harris, representative of Shelby County, invited Warren and McGuire to the Capitol, where they were recognized on the floor of the House of Representatives.
A former secondary math teacher and school administrator from Chicago, Warren is associate professor of leadership, policy and organizations and principal investigator of The Possibilities Project, a research-practice-policy collaborative committed to improving Black students' well-being in education. He recently launched a study, supported by a $75,000 grant from the Spencer Foundation, examining Black youth's contributions to launching Nashville's Office of Youth Safety, one of a few city government-initiatives in the United States established to take an evidence-based approach to community safety and reduce youth interactions with the criminal justice system.
McGuire is a lecturer in leadership, policy and organizations and serves as assistant director of teaching development and initiatives at AdvancED, Vanderbilt University's hub for teaching excellence and educational innovation. A former K-12 teacher and school leader-including roles as assistant principal and principal-McGuire now partners with faculty across disciplines to design engaging, inclusive and evidence-based learning environments. As an educational consultant, he has created dynamic learning environments and enhanced teaching effectiveness and student achievement. He is the author of Coloring Outside of the Lines. His most recent publication, Unapologetically Here, released this year and available at the Vanderbilt Bookstore, reflects on his commitment to education, identity, and impact.
