Embodying Black feminist epistemology to make green grass grow: The transition from administrator to academic for a Black woman in student affairs.

Abstract

This Scholarly Personal Narrative (SPN) builds on McCluskey-Titus and Cawthon's (2004) use of the "grass is always greener on the other side of the fence" metaphor to explore the experiences of a Black American woman faculty member transitioning from her role as a student affairs administrator to a full-time, tenure-earning faculty member. Specifically, I recount how my positionality as a Black feminist scholarpracademic was essential in successfully navigating the administrator-to-academic transition from one predominantly white institution (PWI) to another. Derived from a deductive thematic analysis grounded in Collins' (2000) Black feminist epistemology and relying on metaphors related to greener grass, I present several narratives that illuminate my experiences transitioning from administrator to academic and offer strategies that may be useful to Black women considering or in the midst similar transitions.

Black women faculty and administrators leveraging Black feminist consciousness to enhance the experiences of postsecondary college students

“…In addition, student affairs faculty and professionals engaged in assessment, evaluation, and research may also wish to rely more heavily on critical cultural theories in their conceptualization of studies, choice of methodologies, collection and analysis of data, and dissemination of findings. This approach is consistent with West's (2021, 2023b) reconceptualization of the scholar‐practitioner as scholar‐pracademic —a critically engaged researcher with a great mixture of administrative and academic talent.…”

“…Four specific epistemological criteria challenge not only taken‐for‐granted assumptions about what is known, but also critique hegemonic assumptions underpinning the construction of knowledge (Collins, 2000). More specifically and related to the current study, West (2021) discussed her embodiment of Collins’ (2000) BFT epistemology to survive and thrive during the transition from administrator to academic using the following considerations: (1) using lived experience as a criterion for credibility, (2) relying on dialogue in the knowledge validation process, (3) embodying an ethic of care to assess confidence in claims, and (4) demonstrating personal congruence as a test of trustworthiness ( see West, 2021 for a discussion of each epistemological consideration ). In the present study, I used my rearticulation of Collins’ (2000) BFT tenets and epistemological criteria (West, 2019, 2021) to inform data collection and to analyze the resulting data.…”

“…Black feminist thought (BFT) has been cited as an effective epistemological strategy embodied by Black women faculty to survive and thrive in the academy (Garrett et al, 2022;Gray-Nicolas & Miles Nash, 2021;Porter et al, 2020Porter et al, , 2023West, 2021West, , 2023b. Beyond BFT's role in promoting personal well-being and professional success among Black women in higher education, West (2019) postulated this culturally responsive theory could also be leveraged to advance more culturally responsive practices among college faculty and administrators.…”

Shining the light: Black women thriving in graduate school

“…Similarly, they can include Black women graduate students in research, teaching, or other career development opportunities that support their personal career aspirations (Phelps‐Ward, 2020). These efforts have been shown to directly and dramatically alter and positively affect the career trajectories, professional success, and personal well‐being of Black women graduate students (West, 2022). Actively teaching, mentoring, advising, and socializing Black women graduate students ensures they are positioned for success (Bertrand Jones et al., 2013; Bertrand Jones et al., 2020; Matthews, 2020).…”

Is history repeating itself? A black woman faculty member's journey in a higher education and student affairs graduate preparation program

“…With limited numbers of Black women advancing in student affairs administrative positions and a consistent increase in Black women pursuing advanced degrees (West, 2020), perhaps Black women are “crossing over” to the faculty space for a better professional experience. West (2021) discusses her transition from administrator to faculty member, citing a clearer path for advancement and job security as some of the advantages of tenure track faculty life—luxuries not afforded Black women student affairs administrators.…”