\u201cDr. Mosupyoe consistently practices transformative<\/p>\n
![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/dr-boatamo-ati-mosupyoe-3.18.26-ap-10web.jpg\")
\nBlack Honors College Dean Boatamo “Dr. Ati” Mosupyoe. (Sacramento State\/Andrea Price)<\/p>\n
leadership and an unwavering commitment to advancing education equity,\u201d President Luke Wood said. \u201cShe demonstrates every day why she was more than deserving of this prestigious recognition.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe ensures that everyone feels valued and heard. Her strong vision and uncompromising record of service have made her a role model and inspiration to everyone on campus.\u201d<\/p>\n
During her 23 years at Sacramento State, Mosupyoe has pushed for more diversity among students and faculty as well as curriculum, while working tirelessly to increase graduation rates.<\/p>\n
\u201cDr. Ati calls us her pride,\u201d BHC student Naomi Thrower said. \u201cWe can see the dedication she pours into us. She believes in us and wants us to succeed, and we know she will help us do anything we can to become the courageous leaders of tomorrow.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mosupyoe was born in South Africa, the third of six children. Her parents named her Boatamo, meaning \u201cmany girls,\u201d but everyone called her Ati for short.<\/p>\n
She grew up under Apartheid, an oppressive, legalized system of segregation.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe land was taken away from the indigenous people,\u201d Mosupyoe said. \u201cBlack people like me were not allowed to vote. We were not allowed to go to certain bathrooms, and parks were always for white people.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere was segregation in schools, hospitals, even graveyards.\u201d<\/p>\n
In school, Mosupyoe learned skills like sewing, cooking, and cleaning.<\/p>\n
\u201cAll the time my mom would say to us, especially the girls, \u2018I don\u2019t want you to end up working for white people. I want you to get your education,\u2019\u201d Mosupyoe said.<\/p>\n
And she did, first earning her teacher\u2019s diploma from Batswana Training College then bachelor\u2019s degrees from University of the North and University of South Africa.<\/p>\n
Mosupyoe was married and pregnant with her third child when her husband and three-year-old son were killed on the same day.<\/p>\n
Months later, she left South Africa with an infant and toddler, settling in California, where she went to UC Berkeley to pursue her master\u2019s degree and PhD in social cultural anthropology.<\/p>\n
\u201cThen South Africa became free,\u201d she said. \u201cI stayed in the U.S. instead of going back home. My two girls grew up here. But the struggle was not in vain.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mosupyoe said it was \u201cubuntu\u201d that brought her to Sac State.<\/p>\n
Although she had offers to teach at seven California colleges and universities, Mosupyoe chose to become a Hornet due to the kindness of Anne Thomas, who corrected a typo in her presentation and reprinted it.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe stayed for my presentation because she said it was powerful, and she said I was funny. Then she walked me to my car and gave me a hug,\u201d Mosupyoe said. \u201cI knew this was where I wanted to be.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis was the type of ubuntu, humanity, that attracted me.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mosupyoe rose quickly through academia. She started at Sac State in 2004 as an assistant Ethnic<\/p>\n
Studies professor, and by 2007 she was director of Pan African Studies.<\/p>\n
She also served as head of the Cooper-Woodson College Enhancement Program, where she worked on the recruitment, retention, and graduation of Black students. In 2011, Mosupyoe was named chair of the Ethnic Studies Department, the first woman to take on the role in 25 years.<\/p>\n
\u201cI saw how students struggled for classes,\u201d Mosupyoe said. \u201cWhen I was an assistant professor, there\u2019d be a long line of students in the corridor trying to come and sign up for my classes.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn all these capacities, I saw how students needed classes.\u201d<\/p>\n
She co-led Hornet Launch to pre-enroll first-time students, ensuring the classes they took counted towards their degrees to ensure they graduated in four years.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen you know about the history, the contributions, the cultures of anybody, it makes you understand people better. It makes you able to interact with people better.\u00a0It helps everybody to build a better world.\u201d — Black Honors College Dean Boatamo Mosupyoe<\/p>\n
Mosupyoe promoted diversity and Ethnic Studies at a time when it was under attack. She served on the Chancellor\u2019s Task Force on the Advancement of Ethnic Studies, clearly defining the discipline as the study of the historical struggles of the Asian American, Native American, African American, and Latinx communities.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Ultimately, her efforts led to the passage of AB 1460, establishing Ethnic Studies as a graduation requirement for all CSU students.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen you know about the history, the contributions, the cultures of anybody, it makes you understand people better. It makes you able to interact with people better,\u201d Mosupyoe said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt helps everybody to build a better world.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mosupyoe\u2019s daughter died suddenly while she was still working on the task force.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve had students come to me with tears in their eyes saying they don\u2019t see themselves represented in their classes. I would say to them, \u2018You\u2019re in my class now. You will be represented,\u2019\u201d Mosupyoe said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen I think about the success of my work for Ethnic Studies, I dedicate that to my daughter.\u201d<\/p>\n
In February 2024, Wood asked her to lead a new college that would be like a Historically Black College and University (HBCU) on the West Coast, the first of its kind in the country.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was elated, because I knew the Black Honors College was going to make a difference,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
The Black Honors College (BHC) was designed to offer a rigorous, co-curricular experience for any student interested in Black history, culture, and contributions. Open to all majors, BHC students take their general education courses together in classes of 30 or less.<\/p>\n
Students also participate in internships, mentorships, research opportunities as well as creative arts programs, and live together in campus housing.<\/p>\n
In its second year, the Black Honors College already has more than 500 students enrolled.<\/p>\n
\u201cI want it to grow, and I want to continue to serve the students and make their experience meaningful,\u201d Mosupyoe said. \u201cI\u2019ve been at Sac State more than 20 years. I stayed because there are wonderful people here.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mosupyoe triumphed through Apartheid and tragedy, finding meaning and purpose in her life\u2019s work as well as joy shopping and getting her nails done with her eight-year-old granddaughter.<\/p>\n
\u201cI also love Disneyland,\u201d she said. \u201cI go every year.\u201d<\/p>\n
![\"Three](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/dr-ati-with-family-ap-4.3.26-web-1.jpg\")
\nBlack Honors College Dean Boatamo “Dr. Ati” Mosupyoe with her granddaughter, Naledi Maro, and daughter Palesa Mosupyoe. (Sacramento State\/Andrea Price)<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
About Jennifer K. Morita<\/p>\n
Jennifer K. Morita joined Sacramento State in 2022. A former newspaper reporter for the Sacramento Bee, she spent several years juggling freelance writing with being a mom. When she isn\u2019t chauffeuring her two daughters, she enjoys reading mysteries, experimenting with recipes, and Zumba.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"By Jennifer K. Morita April 09, 2026 Boatamo Mosupyoe grew up in a place and time when the…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":262985,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[32],"tags":[121,123,122],"class_list":["post-262984","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-sacramento","tag-sacramento","tag-sacramento-headlines","tag-sacramento-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/262984","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=262984"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/262984\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/262985"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=262984"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=262984"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=262984"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}