Response: I Wish I knew then, what I know now: How to Build a Communal Pipeline

In their essay, “Prepared to Lead: Black Women for Faculty and Administrative Careers Through Graduate School,” Jennifer M. Johnson, Tykeia N. Robinson, Candice Staples, and Nina Daoud pose a question that, if seriously considered, can help provide guidance to graduate students at critical junctures in their career: “Specifically, this study is guided by the following question: ‘What experiences as graduate students in the academy facilitate or diminish interest in pursuing an academic career?’” As I look back on my career, I admit that I enjoyed the experience I had when I was a graduate student at Louisiana State University (LSU). I was not expecting it. In fact, I find it hard to believe, even today. But to be sure, I benefited greatly from the community that provided me with the tools to establish and reach my career goals. My goal here is to share what I learned, with hopes that these lessons will encourage and empower readers in pursuit of an academic career.