The Finkley Experience Bookstore

The Finkley Experience: A College Readiness Guide for First Generation Students & The Finkley Experience Workbook: Tracking Yourself from High School to College

$35.97

The Finkley Experience: A College Readiness Guide for First Generation Students is a book based off the life and experiences of Michael D. Finkley. Finkley came from a low-income, first-generation background. Along his professional journey, Finkley has been employed with various institutions in college admissions/enrollment management, career services, academic advising, and as an adjunct instructor; including: For-Profit Institutions, Private Institutions, Career-Focused Institutions, State Institutions, HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges/Universities), and Technical/Community Colleges.  With his experience, he is equipped to guide students through the college process. This book covers subjects from College F.I.T. to Is College Really for Me? Enjoy!

The Finkley Experience Workbook: Tracking Yourself from High School to College is a tracking guide to assist high school students from high school to college. This workbook includes the following: worksheets on time management and learning styles, checklists for grades 9th-12th, supporting college/career preparedness templates, and MORE!

The Finkley Experience: College/Career Readiness For Middle School Students

$14.99

Did you know you can start preparing for college while you are in middle school? Yes it is true! In this guide, you will be learning methods and strategies to assist with your very own personal, college goals. Exciting, right? You will learn how to prepare for high school, how to apply for scholarships, the research stage of college, and so MUCH MORE! Enjoy this educational ride because it is tailored just for you. 

The Finkley Experience: My First Year College Planner for First Generation Students

$24.99

This planner provides tips and advice for first generation students to be successful in their first year of college. Other information included in this planner includes inspirational quotes, calendars, and MORE! This makes a great gift for high school seniors transitioning to college.

Letters To Our Brothers: Words of Healing, Wisdom, and Encouragement

$14.99

Letters To Our Brothers: Words of Healing, Wisdom, and Encouragement introduces the world to 44 authentic Black Men who have shared words of perseverance, wisdom, hope, and achievement. The writings will cultivate a deeper sense of self-worth, build character, and set a standard of living for every black male, in whose hands it is placed. Letters To Our Brothers is a collection of letters written by Black Men to encourage, motivate, challenge and support other Black Men.

Black Men Belong: Navigating College with Purpose

$19.99

You belong in college—and you deserve support that helps you move forward with purpose. College brings opportunities, questions, and challenges. How do you find your community? Who can help you make informed decisions? How do you ask for support while staying true to yourself? In Black Men Belong: Navigating College with Purpose, Dr. Michael D. Finkley draws on his doctoral research and educational journey to explore the relationships, resources, and choices that shape the college experience for Black men.

Across fourteen chapters, readers discover practical perspectives on:

• Building community and finding meaningful mentorship. 

• Understanding identity and advocating for respectful support. 

• Asking for help and working with academic advisors. 

• Navigating setbacks, financial questions, and competing responsibilities. 

• Caring for well-being and leading without losing yourself. 

• Preparing for life after college and opening doors for others. 

Written for Black men entering, attending, or returning to college, this book also offers families, mentors, educators, and campus leaders a thoughtful look at how belonging develops through everyday actions and institutional support. Your questions deserve answers. Your identity deserves respect. Your future deserves informed choices and meaningful support.

HBCU Heritage Color, Discover, and Dream: A Coloring and Discovery Book 

$14.99

Big dreams. Bold colors. Black excellence.  Celebrate the history and possibilities of Historically Black Colleges and Universities with HBCU Heritage: Color, Discover & Dream by Dr. Michael D. Finkley.  This coloring and discovery book brings together 102 institution and campus profiles, pairing imaginative campus scenes with short historical facts. Readers can add their own colors, discover inspiring stories, and imagine where their educational journey could lead.

Inside, you’ll find: Campus-inspired coloring pages with outlined school names. Brief historical facts that make learning approachable. School locations organized by state or territory. Drawing and reflection activities that encourage curiosity and creativity. Helpful vocabulary and references for further discovery. This book makes a thoughtful gift and an engaging resource for families, classrooms, college readiness programs, and HBCU enthusiasts. Written by a 2011 alumnus of Allen University in Columbia, South Carolina, HBCU Heritage invites readers to celebrate a powerful educational legacy while making every page their own. Pick up your colors, explore the stories, and dream boldly.

The Expert of Me

$19.99

Who are you beyond your titles, achievements, and other people’s expectations? You may know how to meet everyone else’s needs while struggling to name your own. You may appear confident yet question your worth, your choices, or the direction of your life. In The Expert of Me, Dr. Michael D. Finkley invites you to understand yourself more honestly and connect that understanding with your Christian faith. Through Scripture, relevant psychological research, relatable fictional illustrations, and reflections from his own educational and professional journey, he explores how self-knowledge can shape everyday decisions. Across seventeen chapters, you will discover ways to: Recognize the stories and influences shaping your identity. Understand your emotions, values, needs, and recurring habits. Set thoughtful boundaries and build healthier relationships. Keep realistic promises to yourself and return after setbacks. Separate your worth from achievement, recognition, and comparison. Explore purpose and define success with faith and responsibility. Thoughtful closing reflections invite you to pause, pray, or use a personal journal. An optional thirty-day reading and action guide helps you carry the lessons into daily life. Becoming the expert of yourself means paying attention to your experience while remaining open to God, wise counsel, and continued learning. Begin with the life you have and take a faithful next step toward the person you are becoming.

You Are Right Where You Need To Be

$19.99

What if you are not behind—what if your present season still holds purpose?

In You Are Right Where You Need to Be: Finding Purpose, Peace, and Possibility in Your Present Season, Dr. Michael D. Finkley invites you to stop measuring your life against someone else’s timeline and begin recognizing the possibilities in your own.

With Christian faith woven throughout, this encouraging self-help book explores comparison, disappointment, identity, waiting, relationships, and the courage to begin again. Real-world stories, thoughtful reflections, Scripture, and practical exercises help you make peace with your present while taking meaningful steps toward your future.

Whether you feel overlooked, uncertain, or further from your dreams than you expected, these pages offer room to reflect, rebuild confidence, and move forward at your own pace.

You can be grateful for where you are and still grow toward the life you want.

INTRODUCTION TO PODCASTING 101: THE COMPLETE TEXTBOOK 2026 EDITION

Paperback $49.99 Hardcover $89.99

Turn Your Voice into a Podcast with Purpose, Quality, and Impact Introduction to Podcasting 101 is a practical, engaging guide for anyone ready to transform an idea into a meaningful podcast. Designed for students, educators, aspiring creators, entrepreneurs, community leaders, and working professionals, this textbook takes readers through the complete podcasting process—from discovering a powerful “why” to planning, recording, publishing, promoting, monetizing, and improving a show. Across 50 comprehensive chapters, readers will learn how to define a target audience, select an effective format, develop a memorable brand, conduct compelling interviews, write scripts, capture professional-quality audio and video, edit episodes, distribute content, understand analytics, protect intellectual property, pursue sponsorships, and use emerging technologies responsibly. Real-world podcast examples—including celebrity-led productions, independent creators, educational programs, nonprofit initiatives, and shows produced by everyday people—demonstrate that successful podcasting is not limited to famous personalities or large media companies. Key terms, practical activities, reflection questions, planning tools, case studies, and chapter exercises turn important concepts into skills readers can apply immediately. Current for 2026 and designed with the future of digital media in mind, Introduction to Podcasting 101 also examines video podcasting, social-media discovery, artificial intelligence, accessibility, ethics, audience trust, and sustainable content creation. Whether the goal is to educate, entertain, inspire, advocate, build a business, document history, strengthen a community, or begin a media career, this textbook provides a clear path from the first idea to the first episode—and beyond. Your story has value. Your voice has power. It is time to press record.

South Carolina Dual Enrollment Workbook: A Student and  Family Guide to College and Career Pathways Before High School Graduation

$19.99

South Carolina Dual Enrollment: A Student and Family Guide to College and Career Pathways Before High School Graduation helps students and families understand their options for earning college credit while still in high school. Written by Dr. Michael D. Finkley, this research-based guide focuses on South Carolina’s 16 technical colleges and gives equal attention to college transfer and career and workforce pathways. It explains how dual enrollment works, why opportunities differ by school and college, and what to check before choosing a course. Readers will find a comparison guide, a directory of the 16 technical-college service areas, and practical activities for assessing readiness, planning costs, selecting courses, exploring credentials and careers, and asking questions about transfer credit. Counselors and educators can also use its planning tools to support students and families. Whether you are considering your first college course or helping a student plan the next step, this guide will help you compare opportunities, ask informed questions, and build a path toward your  goals.

AI, WRITING & YOUR AUTHENTIC VOICE: A Student Workbook: Build Stronger Writers, Critical Thinkers, and Confident Communicators in the AI Era

$19.99

AI can generate a paragraph in seconds. But can it help you become a stronger writer without taking over your thinking or changing your voice? This 16-chapter workbook puts the writer first. You’ll explore your writing identity, develop ideas, build paragraphs and essays, research credible sources, and practice summarizing, paraphrasing, quoting, and citing. Then you’ll learn how to use generative AI with purpose: writing effective prompts, checking claims and citations, recognizing bias, and deciding when AI support helps—or gets in the way. Human-Only Zones give you space to think and write independently. AI Labs let you practice using technology responsibly. Reflection prompts, chapter checks, and a writer’s journal help you see your progress and make informed choices about your work. Designed for high school students, college students, and adult learners, AI, Writing & Your Authentic Voice can be used independently or in writing courses, first-year programs, summer bridge programs, and workshops. Your ideas matter. Your judgment matters. Let AI support your process while the final work remains yours.

Advising Students to the Finish Line: A Practical Guide to Academic Advising, Technology, Persistence, Retention, and Graduation — College Edition

$16.99

Academic advising is more than helping students choose classes. It is about helping students reach the finish line.

In Advising Students to the Finish Line: A Practical Guide to Academic Advising, Technology, Persistence, Retention, and Graduation — College Edition, Dr. Michael D. Finkley presents a practical, research-informed approach to supporting college students from their first semester through graduation.

Designed for academic advisors, student-success professionals, faculty advisors, administrators, and higher-education leaders, this guide examines how intentional advising can strengthen student persistence, improve retention, identify barriers earlier, and keep graduation at the center of the student experience.

Drawing on current research and real-world higher-education practice, Dr. Finkley explores the changing role of the academic advisor and demonstrates how human connection, proactive intervention, holistic support, data, technology, and artificial intelligence can work together to improve student outcomes.

Readers will discover strategies for building meaningful advisor-student relationships, identifying students who may need additional support, using early-alert systems effectively, connecting students with campus resources, supporting first-generation and diverse student populations, incorporating technology responsibly, and helping students maintain momentum from enrollment to completion.

The guide also introduces an Advising-to-Graduation Framework built around six stages:

Entry → Connection → Progress → Persistence → Completion → Transition

Rather than waiting until students experience academic difficulty or consider leaving college, this guide encourages institutions and advisors to create a culture in which support begins early, continues consistently, and evolves as students move through their college journey.

Whether you are a new academic advisor, an experienced student-success professional, a faculty advisor, or a higher-education leader seeking to strengthen your institution's advising practices, Advising Students to the Finish Line offers practical strategies you can begin using immediately.

Because successful advising is not simply about getting students registered for the next semester. It is about helping them graduate

STILL HERE: The History, Legacy, Culture, and Future of Historically Black Colleges and Universities

$54.99

Description: Still Here: The History, Legacy, Culture, and Future of Historically Black Colleges and Universities is a comprehensive, research-based textbook that brings the history of HBCUs to life through scholarship, institutional stories, primary sources, cultural history, and contemporary issues.

Beginning with Black educational efforts before Emancipation, the book traces the development of historically Black colleges and universities through Reconstruction, Jim Crow, the land-grant era, debates over industrial and liberal education, Black women’s leadership, faith traditions, professional education, the Divine Nine, athletics, marching bands, homecoming, the Black cultural renaissance, World War II, the Civil Rights Movement, desegregation, federal policy, popular culture, research, accreditation, institutional survival, and the future of HBCUs.

Rather than focusing only on a small group of well-known campuses, Still Here incorporates the histories of 146 active, closed, merged, reorganized, and historically Black institutions, highlighting the diversity of the HBCU experience across regions, missions, denominations, academic traditions, and institutional types.

Designed for students, educators, and readers interested in African American history and higher education, the textbook includes:

• Chapter-specific learning objectives and key terms

• Primary-source and visual history activities

• HBCU institutional spotlights and historical case studies

• Discussion and critical-thinking questions

• Research-based analysis supported by scholarly, archival, government, and institutional sources

• Coverage of the Divine Nine, student activism, HBCU culture, athletics, bands, and homecoming

• Contemporary discussions of enrollment, identity, research, funding, accreditation, closures, and institutional change

• A historical directory of 146 institutions

• Glossary, references, subject index, and source resources

Still Here examines HBCUs not as relics of segregation, but as evolving institutions that have shaped American education, leadership, culture, science, public service, and social change for generations.

For students discovering this history for the first time, alumni reconnecting with the larger HBCU story, or educators seeking a comprehensive classroom resource, Still Here asks an enduring question: How did institutions created in the face of exclusion survive, transform, and continue to matter?

TECHNICAL COLLEGE IS COLLEGE: Rethinking Community Colleges, Career and Technical Education, Workforce Preparation, and the American College Dream

$54.99

Technical College Is College challenges one of the most persistent assumptions in American education: that success after high school must begin with a traditional four-year university.

Community colleges, technical colleges, Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs, apprenticeships, dual enrollment, and workforce pathways are not lesser versions of higher education. They are essential parts of it.

In this research-based guide, Dr. Michael D. Finkley examines how technical and community colleges create pathways to skilled careers, transfer opportunities, industry credentials, economic mobility, and continued education. Drawing on current research, national data, real-world examples, career pathways, institutional case studies, and student-centered activities, the book gives readers a deeper understanding of how two-year institutions contribute to the American education and workforce system.

Readers will explore CTE, certificates and associate degrees, skilled careers, transfer pathways, apprenticeships, workforce development, first-generation college access, adult education, rural communities, affordability, student debt, return on investment, career readiness, and the changing relationship between education and employment.

The book also provides practical guidance for students and families deciding among educational pathways, counselors helping students prepare for life after high school, educators building stronger college and career readiness systems, employers seeking skilled talent, and college leaders working to strengthen student success.

At its core, Technical College Is College offers a simple but important message:

There is more than one legitimate pathway to becoming educated, skilled, employed, and successful.

The First Generation Coach: Research and Practice Textbook for College Access and Student Success

$34.99

Helping a first-generation student succeed begins with understanding their journey—and knowing how to support their next step.

In The First Generation Coach, Dr. Michael Finkley brings research and practical guidance together to help educators, mentors, advisors, and student support professionals build stronger coaching skills. As a first-generation student himself, Finkley centers the strengths, experiences, and aspirations students bring to college.

Across six chapters, readers explore first-generation student experiences, college systems, financial questions, effective coaching conversations, ethical boundaries, and strategies for persistence and follow-up. Illustrations, fictional student cases, key terms, and reflection questions connect the material to everyday practice.

Readers will learn to:

• Ask thoughtful questions and listen with purpose.

• Help students navigate unfamiliar college processes.

• Build student confidence, belonging, and independence.

• Connect students with appropriate campus resources.

• Develop clear action plans and meaningful follow-up.

Designed for The Finkley Experience’s First Generation Coach Training Program, this textbook also serves as a practical resource for school counselors, TRIO professionals, college access organizations, and community mentors.

Support the journey. Strengthen the connection. Help students move forward.

College Writing Made Simple

$59.99

College Writing Made Simple is a practical, research-based guide designed to help first-year college students become stronger, more confident, and more effective writers.

Rather than treating writing as a collection of complicated rules, Dr. Michael D. Finkley breaks the writing process into clear, manageable steps. Students learn how to read critically, develop ideas, construct effective paragraphs and essays, build strong thesis statements, conduct academic research, evaluate information, integrate sources, document research ethically, revise their work, and develop an authentic academic voice.

Created for first-year composition courses, the textbook combines scholarly research with accessible explanations, real-world examples, guided practice, model writing, knowledge checks, discussion questions, reading responses, chapter-specific activities, and practical writing tools.

Students will explore:

• Critical reading and critical thinking

• The college writing process

• Purpose, audience, and rhetorical situations

• Paragraph development and essay organization

• Personal, informative, argumentative, and analytical writing

• Research questions and information literacy

• Evaluating scholarly and digital sources

• Quoting, paraphrasing, summarizing, and synthesizing

• MLA and APA documentation

• Academic integrity and ethical source use

• Grammar, style, clarity, and academic voice

• Revision, editing, and peer review

• Artificial intelligence and responsible academic writing

• Strategies for transferring writing skills 

With an emphasis on practical instruction, research-based strategies, accessibility, and student success, College Writing Made Simple is designed for students at varying levels of writing experience—including first-generation and multilingual college writers.

More than a textbook, it is a guide students can continue using throughout college, their careers, and beyond.

Research Writing Made Simple: A Practical Guide to Research, Argument, Sources, and Success in Second-Year College English

$54.99

Research Writing Made Simple: A Practical Guide to Research, Argument, Sources, and Success in Second-Year College English is a comprehensive, student-centered guide designed to help college students become confident researchers, critical thinkers, and academic writers.

Written for second-year college English and research-writing courses, this textbook takes students step by step through the entire research process—from developing a meaningful research question to locating credible sources, evaluating evidence, building arguments, synthesizing research, using MLA and APA documentation, and completing a polished academic research paper.

Rather than treating research as a complicated process reserved for advanced scholars, Research Writing Made Simple presents research in clear, practical language students can understand and apply. Real-world examples reflect the experiences of students from urban, rural, suburban, online, community college, technical college, and university settings, as well as working adults and students balancing school with family and employment responsibilities.

Students learn how to distinguish credible information from misinformation, evaluate scholarly and digital sources, read academic research strategically, paraphrase and summarize effectively, avoid plagiarism, develop evidence-based claims, address counterarguments, and participate in academic conversations.

The textbook also addresses one of the most important issues facing today's college students: artificial intelligence. Students are introduced to ethical and responsible uses of generative AI, AI hallucinations, source verification, academic integrity, authorship, bias, and strategies for maintaining their authentic writing voice.

Throughout the book, students follow realistic research projects as they develop from broad topics into focused questions, annotated bibliographies, research proposals, synthesis matrices, outlines, drafts, revisions, and final papers. Worked examples demonstrate the difference between weak, developing, and strong research writing so students can see how effective academic writing is actually created.

Features include:

• Step-by-step instruction through the complete research process
• Scholarly research and APA-style in-text citations
• Real-world research examples and scenarios
• Defined key terms in every chapter
• Research-in-your-major connections
• MLA and APA citation guidance
• Annotated bibliography, research proposal, and literature review models
• Complete sample MLA and APA research papers
• Source-evaluation and misinformation activities
• AI ethics and academic-integrity scenarios
• Research project checkpoints
• Knowledge checks and chapter review questions

Whether students are preparing for future coursework, entering the workforce, transferring to a four-year institution, or continuing into graduate study, Research Writing Made Simple demonstrates that successful research begins not with knowing every answer, but with learning how to ask meaningful questions, evaluate evidence, and communicate what the evidence reveals.

Research does not have to be intimidating. It can be learned—and it can be made simple.

Jayvion's Big HBCU Dream 

$12.99

Mom attended Allen University. Dad attended Morris Brown College. Now Jayvion dreams of attending an HBCU—but how will he choose?

Join Jayvion and his loving family as he explores college traditions, asks big questions, and discovers that honoring his family’s legacy leaves room for dreams of his own.

This colorful children’s book celebrates Black family love, HBCU pride, and the joy of discovering where you belong. Includes HBCU facts, discussion questions, creative activities, and a “My HBCU Dream” certificate.

Perfect for ages 5–9, family reading time, classrooms, and gifts for young dreamers.

Big dreams begin with belonging.

College Starts Here: A Pre-Dual Enrollment Course for High School Students

$59.99

College Starts Here: A Pre-Dual Enrollment Course for High School Students helps students prepare for college expectations before their first dual enrollment class. Through realistic scenarios, worked examples, and practical activities, readers practice managing time, communicating with instructors, selecting courses, exploring careers, using AI responsibly, and understanding college costs.

With guidance on wellbeing, financial literacy, career pathways, and workforce readiness, students build a portfolio and develop a thoughtful plan for their next academic step.

Your First Year at a Two Year College

$54.99

Begin college with purpose—and a plan.

Your First Year at a Two Year College by Dr. Michael D. Finkley helps community and technical college students navigate college expectations, build effective learning habits, and make informed decisions about their future.

This practical student edition explores academic advising, time management, financial choices, responsible AI use, wellbeing, career exploration, and transfer preparation. Readiness assessments, realistic examples, reusable worksheets, and guided activities help students apply what they learn.

Whether entering college directly from high school or returning after time away, students can use this book to ask better questions, connect with support, and build a meaningful first-year success portfolio.

HBCU Word Search Book

$12.99

Explore the history, culture, and legacy of historically Black colleges and universities with HBCU Word Search Book by Dr. Michael D. Finkley.

This educational activity book combines word-search fun with opportunities to discover HBCU institutions, founding pioneers, mascots, mottos, inspiring graduates, and celebrated traditions.

Inside you’ll find:

• 40 puzzles, each featuring 15 search terms

• Three difficulty levels

• 40 sourced “Did You Know?” facts

• Complete highlighted answer keys

• Reflection prompts and college exploration activities

Discover topics including the Greensboro Four, the Divine Nine, campus life, and college success. Designed for ages 12 and older, this book offers engaging activities for students, families, educators, HBCU alumni, and anyone curious about Black college heritage.

Career Ready (College Edition)

$36.99

Career Ready College Edition helps students connect college learning with professional opportunity. Dr. Michael D. Finkley guides readers through career exploration, campus career services, resumes, networking, interviews, responsible AI use, and the transition into professional life.

Research, documented career experiences, practical activities, and reusable worksheets help students recognize their strengths, demonstrate their skills, and prepare for meaningful work