Honoring Dr. Rose

RPA was founded in 2021 by college professor, Dr. Nicole Richards Diop, in honor of her late mother, Dr. Rose Helen Merrell. Before passing away from pancreatic cancer in August 2020, Dr. Rose was an educational trailblazer, who served communities in New York, Pennsylvania, Jamaica, and the Navajo Nation. With the help of an impressive and passionate team, Dr. Nicole aims to expand her mother’s powerful educational legacy to Africa. RPA is led and supported by college faculty, coordinators, and former RPA program attendees.

In Loving Memory

Dr. Nicole Richards Diop (she/her)

Founder & Executive Director

Dr. Richards Diop is Founder and Executive Director of RPA. She holds a BA in English Literature from the University of Pennsylvania, an MA in African American Studies from Columbia University, and a Ph.D. in American Studies and Ethnicity from the University of Southern California.