In this episode, Alexis Weatherspoon, a 2022 John Smart Summer Scholar intern, spoke with Ajamu Webster, a professional engineer and president of Du Bois Consultants. Ajamu started his own structural and civil engineering firm in 1988, and has volunteered countless hours to serve Black students and the Black community through his firm. With the majority of civic professionalism research focusing on education professionals shaping the community, there has been an argument that “professionalism” is inaccessible to other communities, thus giving them less agency to solve systemic injustices. What happens when professionals within the community take on the responsibility to promote civic engagement and create a “third space” that allows for unlearning, critical consciousness, and exposure to different career outcomes? Ajamu shares his personal and professional experiences while starting his career as an engineer.

Episode 39: "It Takes A Village: Civic Professionalism in the 816" with Ajamu Webster

In this episode of the Varying Viewpoints podcast series, guest host and Visiting Scholar Bianca Neal invited Shetay Ashford-Hanserd, Chair and Associate Professor in the Department of Organization, Workforce, and Leadership Studies at Texas State University, to talk about her journey in impacting diversity and cultural wealth of STEM academics. Inspired and encouraged by the successful women in her life, Shetay aims to foster a more diverse, inclusive, and supportive environment for students and scholars of color –  especially Black and Latina women. She sheds light on the need to broaden the participation of women of color and historically underrepresented groups in the U.S. P-20 (preschool, K-12, undergraduate, graduate) STEM (science, technology, engineering, entrepreneurship, mathematics) and Computing (STEM+C) workforce ecosystem.

Episode 51: "Supporting and Uplifting Women of Color in STEM Education" with Shetay Ashford-Hanserd

The Samuel DeWitt Proctor Institute for Leadership, Equity, and Justice is proud to present the “Varying Viewpoints” podcast. Our podcast series highlights recent and relevant work of emerging and established scholars and provides an engaging way to share innovative scholarship that focuses on diversifying leadership, enhancing equity, and fostering justice in higher education.

Episode 51: "Supporting and Uplifting Women of Color in STEM Education" with Shetay Ashford-Hanserd

Samuel DeWitt Proctor Institute

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