BE HISTORIC
About the Association of Pan-African Doctoral Scholars, Inc.
OUR MISSION
APADS is a non-profit organization dedicated to the academic success and professional development of Pan-African doctoral students and scholars. We grow our community by investing in the people who advance it — across educational research, corporate settings, and beyond.
OUR PURPOSE
APADS exists to advocate for persons of African descent pursuing higher education. We support graduate students and scholars through scholarships, mutual aid, mentorship, and professional development — ensuring that Pan-African voices thrive at every level of academic and professional life.
OUR STORY
APADS was never meant to be just a program; it was designed to be a home.
Founded in 1981 by Drs. Nelle Becker-Slaton, Sandra Cox, and Marion Maddox, APADS began as a support group for Pan-African students navigating the doctoral process. Incorporated as a non-profit in 1994, the organization has grown into a global network of scholars spanning the Americas, the Caribbean, Africa, and beyond.
The doctoral journey is not only academic — it is deeply personal, often isolating, and requires more than information to succeed. It requires structure, guidance, and a community that understands the path. Through mentoring, networking, and critical engagement with institutional practices, APADS has guided scholars from uncertainty to completion for more than four decades.
Today, APADS operates as a global intellectual home — integrating mentorship, milestone-driven learning, and practical tools into a cohesive system of progress. The journey is structured, and completion is within reach.
OUR FOUNDERS
Dr. Marion Maddox,
Dr. Nelle Becker-Slaton, and Dr. Sandra Cox
Brunch USC; November 12, 2006
In 1981, while studying at Claremont Graduate School, Nelle Becker-Slaton noticed that far too many Pan-African students were leaving doctoral programs before finishing. She joined with classmates Marion Maddox and Sandra Cox to form what would become the Association of Pan-African Doctoral Scholars.
For more than fifteen years, Becker-Slaton led the organization, growing it from a single meeting at her home into a structured network of support. In 1994, APADS received its non-profit status — formalizing a mission that had already changed lives.
What began as three women determined to solve a problem has become a global institution.
