by Bertin M. Louis Jr.
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The novel coronavirus pandemic has radically altered our everyday lives. Daily aspects of our lives in the United States changed dramatically starting in 2020 as the virus infected 30 million-plus people in the United States and claimed over 555,000 lives at present. And these changes also extend to higher education.
In my previous HigherEdJobs essay, I discussed what one must consider when navigating this radically altered academic terrain if one was considering a move from one academic institution to another. In this essay, I offer three tips about the importance of mentoring as a key strategy for navigating higher education. This essay is for those of you who are committed to finding and securing a higher education position, growing within that position, and succeeding in it.
Move Away from the Yoda Model
When I was a graduate student in the Anthropology department at Washington University in Saint Louis (Wash U), my doctoral advisor was Dr. John Bowen, an erudite and accomplished professor of cultural anthropology. Whenever I had questions about almost anything regarding academia (approaches to writing my dissertation, turning my dissertation into a book, how to navigate the academic job market), I always went to Dr. Bowen. In other words, he was my Yoda — the sagacious character from Star Wars who trained Jedi and used The Force to help defeat the Empire.
As my path from searching for a cultural anthropology position changed to securing a lecturer position in the Africana Studies program at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UTK) in 2008, I continued to ask John, and only John, for advice about navigating the job market as I increasingly became more interested in securing a tenure-track position related to Black Studies. In one of our communications, he recommended that if I wanted one of these positions, the logical move would be to ask other Black Studies faculty for recommendations instead of drawing recommendations solely from my dissertation committee. Based on this advice I approached my boss at that time, Dr. Wornie Reed, the former director of UTK Africana Studies, for a recommendation. That request grew into an excellent relationship with a new mentor who helped me co-author my first peer-reviewed publication which became influential in Black Studies at the time.
Dr. Bowen’s advice helped me realize that while I appreciated and depended on him, I needed to move away from relying solely on him for all the advice I needed in order to navigate a sector of academia he was unfamiliar with and I was just getting to know. In other words, I needed to move away from the Yoda model of mentoring.
There will be times when you get the advice that you need from one mentor and times where you do not get what you are looking for from that same mentor. The point is that you cannot rely on just one wise and experienced person to answer all the questions you may have. You must branch out and talk to others to help you navigate academic terrain. This can be achieved by reaching out to others and drawing from mentoring resources.
Reaching Out to Others
In 2010 I was fortunate to secure a tenure-track position as a joint hire between the Anthropology department and the Africana Studies program at UTK. As I was determined to move from being an assistant professor to becoming an associate professor and earning tenure, I found that I would need more advice from others who successfully earned tenure and could offer other advice. In 2016, I was invited back to Wash U to talk on a panel as well as participate in a conference of previous Chancellor’s Fellows, a program designed to increase racial diversity in the professoriate. During this weekend, I connected with a previous Chancellor’s Fellow at the conference by the name of Dr. Gary “Hoov” Hoover, a full professor of economics who is currently the director of the Murphy Institute at Tulane University. Since then, I draw on advice from Hoov which helps me deftly navigate my moves from academic position to academic position. Had I not reached out to him, and others, throughout my time in higher education, I would not be where I am today. I encourage you to do the same and to reach out to others to help get you where you want to go.
If the thought of reaching out to others in person fills you with dread and fear, there are other ways to make connections. While some professors can be strange, tacky, and mean, many are approachable and considerate. Sending an introductory email to a fellow academic whose work you admire might be an opening to discussing more, which includes mentoring advice.
Drawing from Mentoring Resources — ABA and ASALH
There are also efforts created by scholarly organizations which help academics access the mentoring they are looking for. The Association of Black Anthropologists (ABA), a section of the American Anthropological Association (AAA), holds mentoring events at annual AAA meetings as does the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH).
I remember one particular year at the AAAs Dr. Riché Barnes, a co-founder of the ABA’s mentoring program and current ABA president, organized a mentoring circle which included Dr. Johnetta Cole, cultural anthropologist and the first African-American woman president of the illustrious Spelman College. Dr. Cole offered sage advice that evening. In particular, her comment about creating a network of mentors that you can draw from depending on the questions and guidance you need has stuck with me for years. I also recently participated in ASALH’s inaugural Felix Armfield Mentor Minutes where I was paired with two graduate students and offered them advice about the academic job market and other advice describing how to navigate higher education.
I hope these tips help as you progress within academia. If you benefit from the commentary you’ve just read, be sure to share it with others and also offer your own advice when appropriate. If you are a graduate student who is reading this, also remember to push for mentoring efforts within your own academic departments.
In the meantime, please be sure to follow the 4 “W”s to get the coronavirus pandemic under control: wear a mask, wash your hands, watch your distance, and wait your turn for a COVID-19 vaccine.
