Supporting Black Women in CEPSE

Who did you work with (college administrators, key stakeholders, offices on campus, etc.) and what was their role in your project?

I was one of eight women, PhD students, who authored the letter listed here:

Madison Allen
Joi Claiborne
Andryce Clinkscales
Adrianna E. Crossing
Briana Green
Brooke Harris-Thomas
Lindsay Poole
Briana J. Williams

We met and worked with various people in CEPSE including several faculty members, Program Directors from Scholy psych and EPET. Department Chair Carey Roseth was instrumental in our working for change. We worked with other student groups including EPET Allies for Change and in other capacities in the EPET townhall meetings with Jen Schmidt. We also met with Dr. Terah Chambers in her capacity as the Associate Dean for Equity and Inclusion.
How did you manage relationships with key stakeholders in your college to achieve your project goals?

We outlined our disappointments and goals in our open letter to CEPSE and were open to meeting with anyone who wanted to discuss the letter and its aim. We scheduled regular meetings with Dr. Roseth and others to check in on progress.

What has been the impact of your project? Who was your target audience and what difference did your project make for them?

We supported the efforts of our department to create real and lasting change in CEPSE that supported BIPOC students and dismantled barriers to our education. Changes that have already occurred relates to admissions requirements and student representation.

If someone were to continue your work in the future, what advice would you have for them?

My advice to anyone doing this work is to take care of themselves and always stand up for your values and beliefs. People will try to wrap your efforts in red tape and make you feel that you have done the wrong thing by pointing out injustice. You haven’t. This work is uncomfortable. Get used to that. This work means dismantling places of comfort.

How did this work contribute to your personal leadership development?

I was able to be a part of a team of women who cared about more than just themselves. We wanted change for everyone. We started out with just conversations and bonding, but we developed into a group of Black leaders without putting one person over the other. We support every effort of every person, small or large.