Her Story
About Leslie
I am an assistant professor at East Texas A&M University in the Higher Education and Learning Technologies Department, where I have the privilege of teaching graduate students at the master's and doctoral level. I've been in education for nearly 14 years, starting from when I was teaching during my undergraduate years. My role is to educate working-class students who are coming back to school on knowledge they can apply within their current professions, whether that's student affairs, consulting, community college level, or even in vice president or vice chancellor roles. I teach them about the history of higher education, where higher education is going, different methods and approaches to understanding research, so they're not only knowledgeable about the many different variations and contexts of higher education, but they can also put it towards practice where they are. A lot of my research is based off my lived experiences. I focus on racial equity within higher education, and a large part of my work centers on minority-serving institutions. I'm a graduate of an HBCU myself, so a lot of my work stems from that experience. My next career goal is to become tenured in the next few years, securing my role and moving to associate professorship, and then continuing to expand my research agenda as I work toward becoming a full professor.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Leslie
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success literally to God, because my journey has not been my own. If you would have asked me 10 years ago what I wanted to do, it would not be what I'm doing right now, but I also know that God has intentionally chose me to make a difference in the environment that He has me in. I'm blessed to be in my position and have it tied to my purpose, because when you know your purpose, you have to understand that oftentimes God will give us a purpose and it will not be intertwined with the career we have. I'm so thankful that my purpose is intertwined with the career that I have, because it's like double dipping. I get to live out my purpose in the environment that He placed me in intentionally. For a long time, I just felt like I was supposed to do something else, and I couldn't really understand what He was doing, but now, on the other side of things, I'm just so blessed to know that He never left me. Even on my worst days, I'm still like, oh, I'm good, because I still have that reassurance of, like, I'll be fine, because I know who has me. I've seen worse, trust me, I've seen worse, and I'm just really thankful that I get to live out my purpose through what I do on a daily basis.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
My mom always tells me, don't worry about where you fit in, because the right place will make room for you. This advice has been so important to me because I believe you don't have to change who you are to fit the environment that you're in. Every environment, whether it's a Fortune 500 company or a higher education entity, what makes it beautiful is the diversity that's represented within. Many of us hold several identities - we're sisters, we're partners, we're friends, we're advocates, and the list goes on. I would hate for us to go into a room and all of those identities be hidden because we don't know where we fit in. The right place will make room for you, so don't lose your spark, don't lose who you are.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I would say don't lose yourself, because sometimes individuals might assume that you have to change who you are to fit the environment that you're in. I argue you don't, and that's what makes the environment beautiful. Every environment, whether it's a Fortune 500 company or a higher education entity, what makes it beautiful is the diversity that's represented within. My advice to anyone entering the field, but more specifically a woman or even a woman of color, is don't lose your spark, don't lose who you are. Many of us hold several identities - we're sisters, we're partners, we're friends, we're advocates, and the list goes on. I would hate for us to go into a room and all of those identities be hidden because we don't know where we fit in. My mom always tells me, don't worry about where you fit in, because the right place will make room for you.
04What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Understanding the seasons of your life is incredibly important to me. I believe that once you understand the seasons of your life, you will also understand the seasons in relation to balance. There are seasons of your life that are going to require more out of you, and so balance may look a little different. You may have to be more of a professor in this season than you are a sister. Being able to advocate for yourself and understanding the people around you and the dynamic around you, and letting them know what this season of my life requires, is crucial. I set strict boundaries for myself, more or less for other people, because I think the people in my life are always going to be who they are in my life. Being strategic about how I balance and knowing what is required within each season can contribute not only to your well-being, but also to your success. Family is also a huge value for me. I love family, and anything family, I am there. I tell people all the time, one day I'm gonna be old and gray, and I want to look back on my life and still be able to say, oh my gosh, yeah, I did that. I want those experiences to tell, not really things to show for. I want to be able to talk about the experiences I had.
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