Meet Preston J. Edwards Jr. of Diversity Recruitment Partners in Memorial City Center

Today we’d like to introduce you to Preston J. Edwards Jr.

Preston, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I’ve been in the publishing business for almost 25 years. I started out working for my father, the publisher of THE BLACK COLLEGIAN Magazine, as a sales representative. I talked with school district advertisers who were saying they would like to see our publication focus more on career opportunities for teachers.

So, I decided to publish a magazine that would give readers (college grads) career information on becoming teachers and showcase those schools that were committed to hiring teachers of color.

What started out as a special section in THE BLACK COLLEGIAN Magazine blossomed into a stand-alone publication with TEACHERS OF COLOR MAGAZINE in spring 2006 – and now continues as DIVERSITY in Ed Magazine.

Along the way, we’ve also created an online job board, Virtual Teacher Recruitment Fair, and online accredited professional development courses and webinars.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
One big advantage was my background in the business. When problems arose, I could call on mentors and people I trusted. Every day is something of a challenge, but having that previous experience is huge.

Diversity Recruitment Partners – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
Our company is focused on helping prospective job-seeking teachers of diverse backgrounds find great career opportunities. When someone picks up our magazine, they get the sense that teaching is a wonderful and rewarding profession and that the advertising schools and districts have openings for them.

We are very proud that schools have made hires and that teachers are working in the supportive classroom environments because of our magazine. When it comes to diversity, there’s no one doing what we are doing, and we know that teacher diversity is an important component of education. There are many job boards and even a few diversity job boards, but we focus on teaching and that’s where we stand apart.

What is “success” or “successful” for you?
My goal is to be profitable and enjoy what we’re doing. I’m grateful for the opportunity to do something that is fulfilling and meaningful and that helps passionate educators find great places to work.

Contact Info:

• Address: 12808 Queensbury Ln., Suite 332E, Houston, TX 77024
• Website: http://www.diversityined.com
• Phone: (281) 265-2473
• Email: [email protected]
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Diversityined/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/Diversity_In_Ed

Image Credit:
Marsha Hudson

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