Edward Underwood, Ph.D.
Executive Director

Edward Underwood, Ph.D., is the ideal person to serve as director of the University of Missouri-Kansas City’s new Institute for Urban Education (IUE).  With nearly 30 years experience in education, specifically focused on urban education and African American children, Underwood has served the educational needs of under-served Kansas City children throughout his career. Underwood was influential in the conceptualization and creation of the IUE as a member of the Curriculum Writing Committee, the IUE Executive Committee and the IUE Steering Committee.

He is the current chairman of the Higher Education Commission of the National Alliance of Black School Educators and president of the Kansas City chapter of the Alliance

He is an associate editor of the Journal of the National Alliance of Black School Educators.

Underwood received his bachelor’s degree and master’s degree from Pittsburg State University where he studied political science, history and education.  He was awarded his doctorate in Educational Administration and African American Studies in 1977 from the University of Cincinnati.

He came to UMKC in 1977 to serve as assistant provost, assistant professor of history and director of affirmative action. For 28 years, Underwood has been a leader in the School of Education; most recently as chairman and associate professor in the School’s Department of Urban Leadership and Policy Studies, he has provided academic leadership in the offering of masters, educational specialist and doctorate level programs to ensure program integrity and  collaboration with educational leaders, local school districts and surrounding communities.

Underwood has numerous grants, articles in publications and impressive presentations to his credit on a variety of issues related to urban school youth, including: closing the achievement gap; school-university collaboration; multicultural education; school desegregation; collective leadership; implications of the No Child Left Behind Act for urban schools; teaching resilience and prevention strategies for African American children; and preparing urban school leaders for challenges ahead.    

His professional affiliations and service have included: the Higher Education Commission of the National Alliance of Black School Educators, the Kansas City Alliance of Black School Educators, American Educational Research Assn., American Education Studies Assn., Association for the Study of African American Life and History, the National Education Policy Institute, the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education, and the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education – a member of both the State Accreditation Review Team and the Management Team for Academically Deficient Schools.

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