Advertise on podcast: Varying Viewpoints

This episode of the “Varying Viewpoints” podcast features a candid “Keeping It Real Dialogue” about Black Women in academic leadership at elite research universities with Wanda J. Blanchett, current Special Advisor to the Chancellor and University Professor, former Dean of the Rutgers Graduate School of Education, and Former Interim Executive Vice-Chancellor for Academic Affairs and Provost, Rutgers University-New Brunswick. Blanchett spent 20 years in academic leadership and is committed to helping Black women break through the “concrete ceiling” of academic leadership at research universities. Listen as we discuss the current state of Black women in academic leadership at multiple levels of higher education. The challenges they face along the way and how we can support them on their academic leadership journey.

Returning with a new episode from the HBCU Homecoming Series, Leslie Ekpe interviews Jermaine Whirl, President of Savannah State University, about his perspectives on HBCU homecomings. Ekpe and Whirl discuss the importance of homecomings and their role at HBCUs and beyond. Listen as they discuss the significance of homecoming for students and alumni, the different programming, and how organizations like Nike and Home Depot are giving back to HBCU students.

The Samuel DeWitt Proctor Institute for Leadership, Equity, and Justice is proud to present another episode of the “Varying Viewpoints” podcast. In an interview led by Harvey Long, 2026 John Smartt Summer Scholar, and featuring Marlee S. Bunch, Senior Research Associate with the Samuel DeWitt Proctor Institute for Leadership, Equity & Justice at Rutgers University, they discuss her latest book, Unlearning the Hush. Drawing on the rich tradition of Black memory work, the book features oral histories of Black women educators who taught in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, before and after school desegregation. Together, they explore the power of memory, storytelling, and oral history to preserve hidden histories and deepen our understanding of Black educational experiences. Listen as they discuss the importance of oral history and Black memory work in documenting and preserving the lived experiences of Black educators.

The Samuel DeWitt Proctor Institute for Leadership, Equity, and Justice is proud to present another episode of the “Varying Viewpoints” podcast. In an interview led by Monica Hernandez, 2026 John Smartt Summer Scholar, featuring Mario Vela, Assistant Vice Provost and Executive Director at the University of Texas at San Antonio’s University Career Center, they explore the role of Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs) in building workforce pathways for students. Through a discussion of organizational strategies, career readiness, and employer partnerships, they highlight how HSIs are positioned to support the career development of Latinx students and how they access the labor market. Listen as they examine the organizational strategies and practices that HSIs employ (or can employ) to support job-market readiness, particularly for first-generation Latinx students who largely attend these institutions.

The Samuel DeWitt Proctor Institute for Leadership, Equity, and Justice is proud to present another episode of the “Varying Viewpoints” podcast. This episode explores how institutions that serve large undergraduate populations, and often those who fall into historically marginalized categories, strengthen their research enterprises. In an interview led by Kailyn Gilliam, 2026 John Smartt Summer Scholar, featuring Sherine Obare, the Vice Chancellor for Research and Engagement at UNC Greensboro (UNCG), they discuss Obare’s efforts to cultivate research capacity at an institution with nearly 75% undergraduate enrollment and close to 50% Pell-eligible students, while maintaining focus on the institution’s student-centered missions. Obare approaches this work as a faculty-researcher, a mentor, a former dean of an institutional partnership between two different Minority Serving Institutions, and as the Director of Broadening Participation for a National Science Foundation convergence-research center. Her extensive experience in this space enables her to offer an expert perspective on the components of a successful institutional research environment, including faculty development, student engagement, and strategic partnerships. The most distinctive element of institutions like UNCG is their focus on undergraduate students; therefore, this podcast focuses on the role of undergraduate research opportunities as a bridge to develop student potential and achieve institutional goals. Listen as this episode celebrates the uniqueness of student-centered institutions and the significant contributions they bring toward the area of broadening participation in research experiences for all students, especially those historically-excluded. Through an open and honest conversation, this episode uncovers the realities, in both the successes and the opportunities for growth, around building research infrastructure from a current higher-education research administrator.

In this episode of Varying Viewpoints, Leslie Ekpe sits down with 3 ELEVATE fellows from this year’s cohort to engage in dialogue about their experiences during the ELEVATE program, in which early-career MSI faculty discussed the challenges, opportunities, and resources involved in navigating their tenure-track journeys.  Listen as they discuss the opportunities the program offers fellows and their individual future academic goals.

In this episode of Varying Viewpoints, we sit down with Kira Matthews—known as “Kira the Bold”—to talk about what it really takes to turn ideas into opportunities. Kira is a UK-based coach and speaker who has built her work around helping people move past self-doubt to learn how to pitch themselves with clarity and confidence. Whether that’s pitching for brand partnerships or building thriving businesses online. Her fun, high-vibe energy is a hallmark of her practical, results-focused approach to coaching, which uses mindset tools with real-life and business applications. Listen as we discuss how to pitch your ideas with confidence and make the most of the resources available to you.

Historically Black Colleges and Universities have long been essential to producing Black scholars and leaders yet they continue to face an uneven playing field when it comes to recruiting and keeping faculty. Today, HBCUs often hire professors trained at large research universities, while their own graduates are less likely to land those same kinds of positions. This gap raises real questions about fairness, opportunity, and what it takes for HBCUs to grow and thrive in a system that wasn't always designed with them in mind. In this episode, we discuss findings from The Pipeline Paradox, a national study of faculty hiring and placement at research-intensive HBCUs. The research reveals a striking pattern in how academic careers are shaped and who gets to move up. The conversation explores why these patterns matter and what leaders and policymakers can do to change them. While this research focuses specifically on HBCUs, its implications reach across higher education. When institutions that serve the most underrepresented communities are strengthened, the entire academic ecosystem benefits. Listen for data-driven insights on faculty hiring, honest conversations about structural barriers in academia, and practical steps that institutional leaders and policymakers can take to build stronger, more equitable faculty pipelines now and in the years ahead.

The mental health system is still falling short for many people. Despite years of diversity efforts, too many communities of color continue to be underserved, misunderstood, and overlooked. Outdated assumptions about what "normal" or "objective" care looks like have gone unchallenged for too long and the gap between what institutions promise and what people actually experience has never been clearer. In this episode, we spoke with Norman H. Kim about his recent anthology, Anti Blackness and the Stories of Authentic Allies (Oxford University Press, 2024), which examines how the myth of clinical "neutrality" and so-called color-blind practice can reinforce anti-Blackness and other structural inequities in mental health. As the inaugural DEI Officer at Columbia University's Center for Practice Innovations, Kim brings together research and lived experience to illuminate what liberation-informed, culturally responsive care looks like in real clinical and institutional settings. Listen for a candid examination of what authentic allyship looks like in practice, tools for shifting clinical language and decision-making toward justice-rooted approaches.

The contemporary workplace in 2026 is defined by disruption, recalibration, and the lasting aftershocks of the COVID-19 pandemic. Hybrid and remote work models, evolving conversations about inclusion, rapid technological advancement, and growing organizational distrust have fundamentally reshaped how we lead, live, and work. While moments of progress have emerged, recent trends reveal setbacks, performative practices, and widening gaps in advancement, raising urgent questions about leadership, power, and performance in uncertain times.  In this episode, we spoke with Joanna Jenkins and Marybeth Gasman about their latest research report, “Reimagining Leadership Through Self-Advocacy Networks and Feedback,” which explores how power operates in professional settings and where leadership systems fall short. Revealing strategies from the three critical levers for growth and advancement: self-advocacy, strategic networks, and feedback. These areas emerged as essential tools for building influence, cultivating meaningful relationships, and creating environments where talent can thrive and inclusive leadership can advance. While this work centers on the experiences of women of color, the insights are widely applicable. When workplaces design systems that support those most marginalized, organizations become healthier, more creative, and more effective for everyone. Listen for individual strategies for advancement, tools for more collaborative professional relationships, and a collective blueprint for reimagining leadership and organizational culture in 2026 and the years ahead.

In this episode, we speak with Musu Davis, author of Black and Smart (Rutgers University Press), to discuss strategies for supporting Black women’s success in college. Drawing from her book and professional experience, Davis explores how families, students, and university leaders can work together to recognize talent, foster belonging, and dismantle barriers that often hinder achievement in higher education. The conversation highlights the unique challenges Black women face in campus life—ranging from underrepresentation in leadership to navigating stereotypes—while offering practical, research-informed approaches to create inclusive environments where brilliance thrives. Listen as we examine what it takes to move from potential to power and why intentional support systems are critical for equity, leadership development, and institutional excellence, especially for Black women in college.

In this episode, we speak with Erjia Yan (Drexel University), Robert Palmer (Howard University), and Chaoqun Ni (University of Wisconsin–Madison) to discuss their upcoming research brief on the challenges HBCUs face in recruiting and retaining faculty. They highlight the 8% decline of faculty at HBCUs between 2013 and 2022, despite the national numbers rising. The podcast explores the reasons why they leave, citing low pay, heavy workloads, limited research support, and bureaucratic hurdles, particularly when Predominantly White Institutions offer better salaries, lighter teaching loads, and stronger infrastructure. Despite the downsides, many remain deeply committed to HBCUs’ mission of educating marginalized students, strengthening the black community, and fostering close connections with colleagues and learners. Listen as we discuss the faculty retention issues at HBCUs and their implications for educational equity and institutional sustainability.

African American males face significant challenges in pursuing quality education, often encountering systemic barriers that result in disparities in academic achievement, economic opportunities, and social outcomes. From high suspension and dropout rates to underrepresentation in gifted programs, the traditional education system frequently overlooks their potential. In this episode, we speak with Kenneth Jones, author of "African American Males & Video Games" and explore how video games serve as more than just entertainment—they offer a method to motivate and enhance the engagement of academic growth and development, a mental escape, and a source of resilience. Through the voices of four African American male college students, we delve into their experiences navigating education, the impact of negative media portrayals, and how gaming provides a sense of community, competition, and creativity. Listen as we discuss intersection of education, gaming culture, and social equity, challenging stereotypes and highlighting innovative ways to support Black male success in the classroom and beyond.

In this episode, our JSSS 2025 Scholar, Victoria Parker, spoke with Anne Edwards, Director of Purdue University’s Black Cultural Center, about navigating the higher education landscape while dealing with uncertainty. Anne shares her journey from the hospitality industry to academia. Describes how she managed personal and professional challenges during her transition. She also provides guidance for professionals as they navigate through higher education. Learn about career transitions in higher education and gain advice on navigating uncertainty.

In conversation with a first-generation Latinx scholar, this episode centers on how identity, culture, and care shape mentorship and research, and how this pushes back against academic norms not built with us in mind. In this episode, Lupita Romo, JSSS 2025 Scholar, and Sergio González, Assistant Professor of Higher Education at the University of Pittsburgh, reflect on what it means to bring one’s full self into academic spaces, create counterspaces that center identity and belonging, and hold space for care. They discuss how mentorship and research become acts of resistance and healing, how scholars navigate tensions while staying grounded in community values, and what possibilities exist when we center joy and cultural reclamation in our work. This episode is an invitation to reimagine the university as a place of transformation, where counterspaces are not just for surviving but for thriving. Learn how scholars of minoritized identities are creating intentional counterspaces that affirm student identity and challenge traditional academic spaces.