Dr. Andrew Howard Nichols, who was senior director of higher education research and data analytics at education nonprofit The Education Trust, has died.
Joining Ed Trust in 2014, Nichols was known for his social justice and equity work, particularly for under-served students.
Some of his research focused on debunking of Affirmative Action myths and an analysis of Pell Grant graduation rates and the national completion gap.
In 2020, while suffering from cancer, he published his final research project, “Segregation Forever?: The Continued Underrepresentation of Black and Latino Undergraduates at the Nation’s 101 Most Selective Public Colleges and Universities.”
“Drew never ceased advocating for equity in college access, affordability, and completion for Black and Latino students, and students from low-income backgrounds,” said Wil Del Pilar, vice president of higher education policy and practice at Ed Trust.
Nichols earned a Ph.D. in higher education from Pennsylvania State University, a master’s degree from the University of Southern California and a bachelor’s from Vanderbilt University.