
FELLOW
DONNELL BUTLER
DIRECTORY | FELLOW PROFILE

DONNELL BUTLER
TITLE
Founder and President
ORGANIZATION
Opportunity College
BIOGRAPHY
Dr. Donnell Butler is the Founder and President of Opportunity College. In partnership with public high schools, career pathway programs, and innovative universities, Opportunity College began piloting programs in summer 2021 to develop an affordable, career-connected, student-centered, online, postsecondary model that accelerates first-generation, low-income students into purpose-filled lives and upward mobility. Donnell has over 15 years of research and practice experience in identifying and enhancing individual capabilities and institutional actions that improve college student access and success. Most recently, he served as the senior associate dean for Planning and Analysis of Student Outcomes at Franklin & Marshall College (F&M). AT F&M, he facilitated integration of college activities that improve student access, transition, and success. Before F&M, he directed research and development of background survey questionnaires for the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) at Educational Testing Services (ETS). Previously, he served as an American Education Research Association (AERA) post-doctoral fellow for the College Ambition Program at Michigan State University; project director for the Campus Life in America Student Survey, and evaluation specialist for the Princeton University Preparatory Program. He earned his BA in business administration and sociology from F&M and his Ph.D. in sociology from Princeton University.