Riverside City College Honors Ajené Wilcoxson, D.Min., with Inaugural Equity-Minded Teaching Award

Riverside City College (RCC) proudly recognized Ajené Wilcoxson, MBA, D.Min., retired professor of Business and Entrepreneurship, during its Fall 2025 FLEX event on August 21. Wilcoxson was honored with the inaugural Dr. Oliver Thompson Award for Excellence in Equity-Minded Teaching and Learning, a distinction named after his late friend and colleague, Oliver Thompson.

The award was presented by Professors, Star Taylor and Miguel Reed. In his remarks, Reed reflected on his personal journey, sharing how he first knew Wilcoxson as a student at RCC. He emphasized the joy, mentorship, and inspiration that Wilcoxson brought to his students, which helped shape him as an educator and leader.

Surrounded by former colleagues and students—many of whom are now educators themselves—Wilcoxson expressed how meaningful the recognition was to him as equity is at the forefront of his career. 

Throughout his career, Wilcoxson championed equity-minded teaching practices, ensuring that students from all backgrounds had the tools and support needed to succeed. In accepting the award, he reminded the audience that this work is ongoing: “There is still much to do, and it will take all of us here, together to carry this forward.”

Wilcoxson earned an MBA in Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations from California Baptist University and a D.Min. in Multifaith/Interspiritual Theology from New York Theological Seminary. His career at RCC was marked by an unwavering dedication to student success, mentorship, and equity in education.

The Dr. Oliver Thompson Award for Excellence in Equity-Minded Teaching and Learning will continue to recognize educators who embody the values of inclusive, student-centered teaching, ensuring that Thompson’s and Wilcoxson’s legacy of equity lives on at RCC.