David Staten

Dr. David Staten serves as Associate Provost for Academic Affairs and Professor in the Rehabilitation Counseling Program at South Carolina State University.

His educational background includes:

• Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice (1992, South Carolina State University)
• Master of Arts in Rehabilitation (1994, South Carolina State University)
• Ph.D. in Rehabilitation Counselor Education (University of Iowa)

Dr. Staten's research examines racial identity development among minorities with disabilities, health orientations of African American college students, and health disparities in disabled minority populations. His work bridges rehabilitation counseling, disability studies, and public health to address systemic inequities in healthcare access and educational outcomes for marginalized communities. This interdisciplinary approach reveals critical intersections between race, disability status, and institutional barriers.

With over 18 years of administrative leadership as program director and department chair, Dr. Staten has secured more than $20 million in external funding from the Rehabilitation Services Administration, National Institute on Disability, Independent Living and Rehabilitation Research, and US Department of Education. His mentorship has propelled students into successful careers across rehabilitation counseling and higher education administration.

Dr. Staten made history as the first African American man to lead the American Rehabilitation Counseling Association and served as president of the Orangeburg Morning Rotary Club.