John South

Biography

John South is a 4th year PhD student in the program and received his MPA from FIU as well. His dissertation is focused on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) training at the local government level, with particular focus on implementing effective DEI training for the public sector. He is part of FIU’s Boynton Beach DEI training research team and is grateful to be able to connect research from this project to his dissertation.  John is hoping to follow in the footsteps of his academic mentors and become a professor after graduation. He also has an MA in religion and is interested in conducting future research on the impact that religious beliefs in America have on state and local policy.  

John is an avid hiker and spends his free time with his family enjoying local scenic nature trails. After retiring from the military, he hiked most of the Appalachian Trail. He is a certified personal training and scuba dive instructor.