Allen J. Bryson

A native of Chicago Illinois, Allen J. Bryson came to UIC in 2005 after five years of service with the Ronald E. McNair Scholars Program at the University of Chicago. Allen has committed his professional life to helping students of color in higher education. For the past fifteen years he as helped hundreds of students matriculate from college into stellar graduate & professional programs throughout the country. He currently serves UIC in the Graduate College as the Program Coordinator for the Summer Research Opportunities Program, where he continues that mission. He also serves on the Chancellors Committee on the Status of Blacks as well as the Black Male Leadership Group (BMLG). With the BMLG, he works directly with the Mentoring Initiative for Tradition & Excellence with young African American males at UIC-College Prep high school.

Aside from his duties at UIC, Allen J. Bryson is an author, poet, spoken-word artist, motivational speaker, and educational specialist.  He has been writing and performing spoken-word and delivering speeches for over ten years. He has shared the stage with speakers such as Harry Belafonte, Les Brown, Danny Glover,Def Poetry Jam’s Blaq Ice, & Red Storm; Def Poetry Jam Co-Founder Bruce George, and Minister Louis Farrakhan. He has opened up for celebrities such as BET’s Bruce-Bruce, the legendary Last Poets, and performed at numerous conferences, concerts and cultural shows.  In addition, he was featured at the National Rainbow Push Conference and the Operation Push morning broadcast with the Reverend Jessie Jackson, which was seen in over 45 countries; including over ten million viewers in South Africa.  He is the author of two books, Sleeping with My Eyes Open (2004) and The Ministry of Motivation (2008).

Bryson holds a Communications Bachelors degree and an Educational Masters degree both from the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign.  He has an impressive tenure of delivering motivational speeches, and keynote commencement addresses. He also offers academic and cultural development seminars at churches, professional conferences, high schools and universities throughout the country.  He has been described as a Vessel of Victory, an Instrument of Inspiration, and an Agent of Advancement.His mission is to write, inspire, elevate, educate heal and empower. His life’s slogan is WALK IN VICTORY!