Rhonda Ragsdale is an Associate Professor of History at Lone Star College - North Harris, and a PhD candidate at Rice University concentrating on the fields of Southern History, African American History, and Sociology. The advisor for Professor Ragsdale's dissertation project is Dr. John B. Boles, the William P. Hobby Professor of History at Rice University and editor of the Journal of Southern History. The working title of her dissertation is "Black Towns of the United States: 1700s-1900s."
Professor Ragsdale completed her undergraduate work at Texas Woman's University, where she graduated with honors. Professor Ragsdale continued her academic career at the University of North Texas where she received a Master of Science degree, culminating with her thesis "A Place to Call Home: A Study of the Self-Segregated Community of Tatums, Oklahoma: 1894-1970."
After receiving a full fellowship award from Rice University, Professor Ragsdale completed coursework, received a Master of Arts degree, and passed comprehensive examinations in the summer of 2007. Her ongoing studies include a certificate from the Center for the Study of Women, Gender, and Sexualities, which will be presented upon completion of her PhD.
Prior to embarking on her academic career, Professor Ragsdale worked in sales and marketing for Computer Options and the Los Angeles Times; after which she moved into corporate level training at Harris Publishing in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Professor Ragsdale then served as a training manager and regional vice-president for Pre-Paid Legal Services. Combined, these employment experiences have given her a deep breadth of knowledge of the publishing industry as well as top level management of a multi-million dollar, publicly held company.
Since entering academics, Professor Ragsdale has gained experience as a teacher of children with emotional and behavioral disabilities in addition to educating other teachers in the best methods available to allow these students to reach their fullest potential. After entering graduate school, she blended previous experience with academia in her position as an assitant editor and fact checker for the Journal of Southern History as well as in her role as a research assistant for Dr. John B. Boles. Professor Ragsdale has published several articles in mass market and specialized academic publications