He chose to study philosophy at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and went on to pursue his doctoral degree at the University of Massachusetts - Amherst .
A son of a coal miner , Hooker was the first in his family to attend college .
Hooker chose to study philosophy at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and went on to pursue Hooker 's doctoral degree at the University of Massachusetts - Amherst .
A son of a coal miner , Hooker was the first in his family to attend college .