As I reflect on my time as a Dean in a small organization dedicated to educating future teachers and school leaders, I’m struck by the experiences that have shaped my tenure. Over the last five years, including the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic, I have navigated obstacles and celebrated milestones that have forged growth in my leadership skills and stretched my understanding of success to also include compassion and empathy.
Transitioning from Michigan, where I served as a Department Chair, to California to take on the role of Dean brought unique challenges and growth opportunities. This move wasn’t just a step up in my career, but a leap into a new educational culture, with distinct regulations and expectations for teacher and leader preparation.
Adapting to California’s specific educational standards and policies was crucial from the outset, demanding a strategic and adaptable approach to meet state requirements and drive innovation within our programs. Additionally, California’s emphasis on social justice and community engagement in teacher preparation added complexity to the role, requiring a deeper understanding of local needs and a commitment to broader societal change.
This transition enriched my leadership with fresh perspectives on preparing educators for a dynamic environment. It underscored the importance of adaptability and cultural awareness, solidifying my commitment to advancing educational excellence and equity.
Then, when I thought I was ready to have an impact, COVID-19 hit! It amplified the challenges, pushing me to redefine the essence of effective leadership and community engagement in times of crisis.
The transition to remote learning was our immediate challenge, demanding quick adaptation to ensure our students’ educational journey remained uninterrupted. This period underscored the importance of flexibility, empathy, and resilience. We were navigating uncharted waters, yet our collective commitment to our students’ success and our social justice mission remained strong. And during that time, we were also going through program accreditation, which could have been a disaster, but ended up bringing our organization to a higher level of quality.
Advancing our organization’s vision in these times has been a multifaceted endeavor. We have made significant strides in integrating social justice themes across our curriculum, ensuring that our students are prepared academically and are also equipped to be changemakers. This included creating new programs, enhancing existing ones, and securing funding to support our initiatives, particularly those aimed at addressing educational equity.
Our focus on community engagement has led to impactful partnerships with local schools and social justice organizations, enabling us to extend our reach and influence beyond our immediate academic setting. These collaborations have not only enriched our students’ learning experiences but have also allowed us to contribute to a broader dialogue.
The journey has not been without its hurdles. Balancing the demands of academic leadership with the pursuit of our social justice goals has required constant negotiation and compromise. Resource constraints have often forced difficult decisions, yet many times these very challenges have opened doors to innovation and more strategic outcomes. At other times, self-doubt also showed up uninvited, particularly after major successes, leaving me to ponder what challenges lay ahead.
Reflecting on the past five years, I am grateful. Witnessing the profound dedication of our faculty and staff, who have gone above and beyond to support students, has been one of the best parts of the job. Resilience and creativity have been the cornerstone of our successes, reminding me of the power of a shared vision.
As I look to the future, I am hopeful. I envision a future where more individuals from minoritized communities ascend to similar positions of leadership in higher education, bringing a wealth of experiences that shape our departments and programs in impactful ways. Our backgrounds influence how we allocate funds, what we emphasize in our curricula, and the voices we uplift within our campuses. My hope is that the journey of every academic leader, informed by their unique experiences, continues to evolve with an ever-greater emphasis on inclusivity, innovation, and inspiration.
I will see you next week!
Roque Neto 