Shatoya Black, '13, M.S. '15, Ed.D. '20, Turns Adversity Into Purpose
By Tony Scott

Shatoya Black, '13, M.S. '15, Ed.D. '20, credits TRIO program and Center for Black Studies at NIU with helping her navigate the college experience. (Photo credit: Shatoya Black)

Shatoya Black's journey to higher education did not begin with a carefully mapped plan. It began with survival.
 

Before moving to DeKalb, Black, ’13, M.S. ’15, Ed.D. ’20, experienced a period of profound hardship marked by housing instability and the loss of nearly everything she owned. At the time, college was not her primary focus. She was trying to rebuild her life.

Yet even amid uncertainty, Black held onto the belief that her circumstances did not have to determine her future.

A turning point came when she learned she was approved for a low-income apartment at University Village in DeKalb.

"I had previously applied, and when that call came, it changed the direction of our lives," she said. "My daughter and I moved to DeKalb, and for the first time after everything we had experienced, we had a stable place to call home again."

What may have appeared to be a simple housing opportunity became something much greater.

"After losing nearly everything, having a place to live in University Village gave me the stability to rebuild," she said. "Over time, NIU became more than a university I attended; it became part of the environment where I found support, strengthened my voice, clarified my purpose and developed relationships that helped me feel that I belonged."

Throughout her time at NIU, Black found support through faculty, classmates, mentors and programs that helped her develop a sense of belonging. She credits experiences in TRIO, student leadership, the Center for Black Studies, graduate assistantships and the Diversifying Faculty in Illinois Fellowship with helping shape her path.

In fact, she continued to work with TRIO programs into her career, creating a full-circle moment. 

"I went from being a TRIO student to becoming a TRIO Advisor, then a TRIO Student Support Services Director, and eventually serving as president of the Illinois TRIO Association," she said. "That progression was deeply personal for me. I went from needing someone to help me understand and navigate the system to becoming the person responsible for helping other first-generation students navigate it. I once needed someone to help create a pathway for me. Eventually, I became someone creating pathways for others."

With that foundation in place, Black began an educational journey that would transform her life. Each degree earned, however, represented far more than academic achievement.

"Every milestone reflected persistence, sacrifice, recalculation, and the decision to continue moving forward even when the complete path was not visible," she said.
 

Mentors and professional networks helped Black build confidence, expand her leadership capacity, and understand how educational support programs can change the trajectory of individuals, families and communities.

NIU also helped prepare her for opportunities she never expected.

While pursuing doctoral studies, Black developed expertise in adult learning, leadership, program development, qualitative research and systems thinking. More importantly, she learned how to connect lived experience with scholarship and practical solutions.

Those skills ultimately opened doors beyond traditional higher education roles.

As a first-generation college student, transfer student and nontraditional learner, Black learned firsthand that success in higher education requires more than intelligence and determination. Students also need stability, mentorship, resources and a community willing to help them navigate unfamiliar systems.

Equally important was the diversity of perspectives she encountered on campus.

Growing up in Chicago Housing Authority's Stateway Gardens community and later rebuilding her life in DeKalb gave Black a unique perspective. Interacting with people from different backgrounds reinforced her belief that effective leadership requires listening deeply and understanding the varied barriers and strengths people bring with them.

That perspective continues to influence her work today.

Today, Black is a full-time entrepreneur, higher education and workforce development strategist, author, speaker and social entrepreneur. She is the founder and CEO of Legacy Life Navigators LLC, where she develops leadership training, workforce readiness initiatives, professional development programs, and student success strategies for educational institutions, nonprofit organizations, government agencies and community partners.

She is also the founder and executive director of Unique I.M.P.A.C.T. (Individuals Making Plans And Changing Together), a nonprofit dedicated to creating college, career, leadership, workforce development and experiential learning opportunities for first-generation students, families and communities.

In addition, she authored the three-book L.E.G.A.C.Y. Series and created The L.E.G.A.C.Y. System, a framework designed to help individuals connect personal purpose with educational, professional and life navigation strategies.

Today, Black encourages students to pair ambition with information. She urges them to seek mentorship early, build relationships across campus, pursue leadership opportunities and fully utilize available resources. She also emphasizes the importance of financial literacy and understanding the long-term implications of educational borrowing.

Above all, she reminds students not to mistake unfamiliarity for inability.

"You may be the first in your family to navigate college," she said, "but that does not mean you are unprepared, undeserving or incapable of succeeding."

NIU is also a place where her daughter grew up as Black was navigating her higher education journey. She looks back on that time and shared with pride that she was working at Illinois State University when her daughter gained her own college degree from ISU in 2025, and she was able to present her daughter's degree to her on the commencement stage.

"She became my 'Huskie baby,' growing up alongside me as I navigated college as a nontraditional, first-generation student and single mother," Black said. "She watched the entire journey unfold. She saw people help care for her so I could attend class. She experienced the College Parents Group with me. She watched me study, work, persist, and continue earning degree after degree. In many ways, we grew up in higher education together."

Looking back, Black sees NIU as more than the institution where she earned her degrees. It was the place where she strengthened her voice, expanded her scholarship, found community and transformed personal adversity into a platform for service and impact.

Her story is proof that beginnings do not define destinations.

This is just one example of how NIU prepares students for impactful careers. Discover how NIU is fortifying our future at niuforward.com.