Ep. 121: Dr. Lauren Mims
Lauren_Mims_Headshot1.jpeg
Lauren_Mims_Headshot1.jpeg
Dr. Lauren Mims
Ph.D. in Educational Psychology, University of Virginia
As a graduate student, it’s easy to become fixated on a rigid set of expectations, especially when it concerns what one’s academic trajectory should look like. In today’s episode, we speak with Dr. Lauren Mims who has learned to accept that the academic path is often unpredictable, even in the face of the most dedicated planning. During her doctoral degree, she seized an unexpected opportunity, taking time off to work in the White House. During that time she served as the Assistant Director of the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for African Americans for the Obama administration. Dr. Mims is currently an Assistant Professor of Educational Psychology at Ball State University in Indiana and received her doctorate in Educational Psychology from the University of Virginia. Her research promotes the well-being and development of Black students, with a particular focus on Black girls and girlhood. In our discussion, we talked with Dr. Mims about her dissertation and how she came to choose her focus. She shares how surprised she was to find herself at a University in the Midwest and explains that she had based her decision on the fact that they actively celebrated Black scholars and their work, rather than simply tolerating them. We delve into her most recent endeavors which focus on Black families. Dr. Mims shares her exciting collaboration with Because Of Them We Can: the creation of a special box, the contents of which facilitate high-quality learning experiences for Black parents and their children. Tune in today for a fascinating and life-affirming discussion with Dr. Mims on all this and much more! We are sure you will find the conversation every bit as inspiring and thought-provoking as we did!
Connect with Dr. Lauren Mims on LaurenMims.com, LinkedIn, and Twitter.
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Mentioned in the Show:
Why Are All The Black Kids Sitting Together In The Cafeteria?
White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for African Americans
Key Points From This Episode:
Why Dr. Mims chose to study joy, despite being encouraged to go in a different direction.
Reframing joy as a form of resistance that can be observed and studied.
How Dr. Mims ended up in the Midwest and what she has learned about the unpredictability of one’s journey in academia.
Why Dr. Mims chose a university that celebrates Black scholars and their work, despite it being situated in a more rural location and far from her family.
How Dr. Mims became interested in studying Black girlhood and psychology.
Dr. Mims talks about the ‘othering’ she observed in child development classes when it concerned Black girlhood.
Dr. Mims’s revelation that learning isn’t confined to an institution, but that children learn from their parents daily.
Dr. Mims talks about some of the projects she has been working on since finishing her dissertation: Locating the Everyday Magic, and Joy in the Box.
How the Because Of Them We Can Box is facilitating special, high-quality learning experiences for Black parents and their children.
How the return to school after COVID offers a potential opportunity for changing our education system.
Dr. Mims talks about her time working for the Obama administration and how it intersected with her graduate education.
Dr. Mims shares her advice for doctoral students who want to affect change with their work.
The significance of being celebrated rather than just tolerated.
The value of reaching out to folks who are doing work similar to yours.
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The Cohort Sistas Podcast brings to life the stories, struggles, and successes of Black women with doctoral degrees and their lives beyond the degree. If you are a Black woman interested in joining the Cohort Sistas community, sign up to do so here, and if you are looking for more information on how to support or partner with Cohort Sistas, please visit our partnerships page. Find us on Twitter and Instagram, and don’t forget to follow The Cohort Sistas Podcast, rate the show, and leave us a quick review.
