Sam Prater

Founder

Born and raised in Detroit, MI. Sam is the 12th born of 14 children. After dropping out of high school at age 16 and attending community college where he earned his high school diploma at age 23, Sam went on to earn his bachelor’s degree at Central Michigan University (FireUp Chips!), a master’s degree from Fordham University (Go Rams!), and completing his doctorate in Educational Leadership and Policy from California State University, Northridge (Go Matadors!). With nearly 13 years of experience in higher education as a student affairs practitioner, most of his career has been built in Housing & Residential Education.

Sam is passionate about fostering student success in the context of housing and has developed a keen sense of the critically important growth & development that occurs at the intersection of living in communities where students also learn.