April 2020
DELIGHTED SOUL
Letter from the Editor
It seems I don’t even need to give background on our world’s currently reality. Well, while we’re staying home, many people have pledged to use this circumstance as a time for self improvement. In the comfort of your home, away from distractions, my prayer is that you would hear God speak to you in several areas of your life. For this issue, we’ve pulled together all of the career profiles from the last year of the magazine. We hope that you are inspired by at least one of these strong and brilliant young women to create new goals and chase your dreams. This season, and even the one after it, are so unpredictable, let us hold on to everything we know to be true about our God, His Word, and the women that we are now and hope to be in the future.
Jasmine Powell
Table of Contents
3 NURSING: Nikashia Franklin January 2019
4 BUSINESS: Aysha Welch February 2019 5 EDUCATION: Eboni Jenerette July 2019 6 ACADEMIA/COMMUNICATION: Asha Winfield April 2019 8 COMMUNICATION: Taylor Turner May 2019 10 ENTREPRENEURSHIP/ARTS: Jazzella McKeel August 2019 11 PHARMACY: Tyler Kiles January/February 2020 A magazine for young women in pursuit of deeper relationship with Jesus.
NURSING
Nikashia Franklin
Name Nikashia Franklin (@darlingnik1908) Hometown Houston, TX Baby! (in my Beyonce voice lol) Education High School: Eisenhower High School c/o 2002 Undergraduate: Texas Christian University x 3 years & HBU for Nursing School c/o 2008 (BSN) Post-Grad: UT Health Science Center Master of Science in Nursing Leadership and Administration c/o 2018 Professional Employer: Texas Children’s Hospital Position: Nurse Manager in NICU 4 (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit) I’ve been a NICU nurse for over 11 years, and a Nurse Manager for the last 5.
What do you love most about your current job?
It’s probably what most people hate about middle management: more responsibility. I love the fact that I get to go to the executives and advocate on behalf of my front line staff, the babies and their families. Jokingly, I like to say that I used to be a nurse, and now I’m a firefighter. I get the opportunity to put out (and prevent when possible) any fires that may come up in the process of trying to heal sick children.
One of the most monumental things is a culmination of experiences, rather than just one. Parents having to bury their children is outside of the natural order of things, What is one whether their baby is 30 minutes old or 30 years old. Unfortunately, during my tenure, I have of the most experienced this more than my fair share of times. Having said that, I have learned to find the monumental collateral beauty in these experiences and capitalize on every opportunity I can to pray for and experiences with the families during such trying times. In addition, I have a new appreciation for the little things in life. There’s nothing more humbling than to see a mommy and daddy that just want on your to be able to take a baby home, and it definitely puts everyday life into perspective. The things journey? that used to matter don’t, and the things that money can’t buy (peace, joy, quality time with friends and family, etc)…those things matter most. Dealing with sick and dying infants can definitely create moral distress and lead to burnout, but I pray- A LOT! I have over 400 nurses that want access to me 24-7, AND my work email comes straight to my phone. In order to not get burned out, I had to learn to create How do you boundaries. My phone goes on Do Not Disturb automatically at 9P and stays on until 5A. This public knowledge, and I made sure to explain to them why. They know, in an emergency, avoid getting is they can contact me anytime. But, this helps them remember what a true emergency looks burned out? like. I also have a few adult relaxation coloring books. Because I am a tad bit of a perfectionist, me focusing on the piece that I’m coloring takes my mind away from anything else. Finally, I have the sweetest 6-year-old dog who I love to pieces. If things get too tough that my usual methods of stress relief aren’t working, cuddling with her always does! If I can at all help it, I do not work on Sundays. This gives me the chance to serve and worship at church—I lead the prayer team—as well as the opportunity to visit my family. I How do talk to my sisters every day via phone or text, and call my parents every night before I call it a you balance night. Church and family keep me grounded, and they are the two things that I am not willing your work, to sacrifice for the sake of work. Now, a social life is another thing lol. During grad school, my time was spent sparingly doing social things. But, my tribe is an amazing group of women church, and social who see to it that I get a good bit of balance in. My small group from church, work wives, best friends, sisters, and sorority sisters all love and support me beyond measure. Spending time duties? with any combination of these people is always refilling and fulfilling for me. After all, you can’t pour from an empty cup, right?
What is your ultimate career goal?
This is a tricky question. I don’t have a “goal” in mind, per se, but I do know that I want to have a global impact. I have a heart for people, especially the disenfranchised. And I want to be able to marry my skill set with my passion and change the world! I’m not sure what that looks like now, but I will keep praying about it. I don’t want to go anywhere He wouldn’t have me go, or do anything He wouldn’t have me do, but I ask that He do in me everything He has ever wanted to do in a woman!
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BUSINESS
Aysha Welch
Name
Aysha Davisia Welch (@ayshalikethecontinent)
Hometown
DeSoto, TX
Education High School: DeSoto High School c/o 2009 Undergraduate: The University of Texas at Austin, Bachelor of Business Administration in Management Information Systems c/o 2013 Professional Employer: Alight Solutions Position: Workday Configuration Manager How long? Almost 8 years
What do you love most about your job?
I love that every day is a challenge. It is satisfying when a client presents me with a problem and I’m able to arrive at a solution through creativity and thoughtfulness. I enjoy that no two days are the same. I genuinely learn something new every day. The work that I do requires a few certifications so I’m glad to know that it takes a skill set to accomplish my work. The people that I work with are a rewarding part of my job as well. We are collaborative and have a nice balance of work and fun in the office so I enjoy working in that type of environment. I also love the flexibility. I work from home twice a week so it’s nice to be able to work anywhere I can use my laptop.
What is one of the most monumental experiences on your journey?
Becoming a people manager has been one of the most monumental. As a millennial, it has been a challenge to earn the respect of older colleagues, but I have achieved this through my work. I am at a point in my career where I am the subject matter expert in a few areas. Since I did not want to be complacent in my work, I thought becoming a manager would be a new challenge that allowed me to mentor and excel others’ careers. I spoke with my manager in mid-2018 and by August 2018, I was officially a manager of 3 direct reports.
How do you avoid getting burned out?
I devote myself to my personal interests such as playing drums, completing escape rooms, and diving into one of the numerous TV shows I watch. When I log off from work, I do not think about work again until the next day. Having clear separation between work and my personal life allows me to fully enjoy my personal interests without burning myself out.
How do you balance your work, church, and social duties? What is your ultimate career goal?
I leave work at work. If I’m not logged into my work laptop, then I’m not thinking about work. On weekday evenings, I tend to stick to a schedule and Sunday is devoted to serving at my church. Thankfully, I’ve been able to create this balance that reduces the risk of stress.
My ultimate career goal is ever changing. At the beginning of my career at Alight, my goal was to be the CEO of a company someday. Now, I want to reach a senior level if I’m still at Alight while pursuing my personal interests, whether that’s opening an escape room or making a living off of drumming.
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EDUCATION
Eboni Jenerette
Name
Eboni Jenerette (@e.jenerette), 2018-2019 Spring ISD Secondary Teacher of the Year
Hometown
El Paso, Texas
Education
High School: Carl Wunsche Senior High/Dekaney High (Home Campus). 2010 Graduate.
Undergraduate: Sam Houston State University. December 2014 Graduate. Interdisciplinary Studies: Grades (4-8) - Social Studies/English
Graduate: Lamar University. In Progress. Administration and Principal Certification
Professional
Employer: Twin Creeks Middle School Position: American History Teacher/History Department Chair How long? 5 years I currently teach American History through 1877 (Colonial area through the Civil War and Reconstruction). I love teaching “both sides of the story.” When I say both sides, I mean just that. Teaching students that Thomas Jefferson wrote the published draft of the What do Declaration of Independence, as well as the original draft that couldn’t be published because you love it stated slaves were equal men. Rosa Parks went down in history for being the first black most about person that didn’t give up her seat on the bus, but the dark skinned/teen mom, Claudette your current Colvin, was the actual person that did not give up her seat to a white person. The Texas program? Essential Knowledge and Skills are what we are mandated to teach for standardized testing purposes. However, teaching my students information they likely will NEVER learn in their common day history class and them thinking it’s sooooo cool brings me joy like no other!
What is one of the most monumental experiences on your journey?
Tough one! One of the most monumental experiences of my career was speaking at the 2016 Spring ISD District-wide convocation. I attended the 2015 convocation and was delighted to see students encouraging educators as they prepared to begin the upcoming school year. Students expressed their goals and shared their learning desires with all 4,000 disctrict employees. I proclaimed that one day I would speak at that amazing event, sharing my gratitude with all of my teachers and colleagues who assisted me along the way. To my surprise, the very next year, I did just that!
How do you avoid getting burned out?
In the past, I’ve had a bad habit of putting too much on my plate. I found myself failing to find balance. I’ve never felt burned out, but it was at the hand of me failing to put my best foot forward. Over the summer, I prayed, prepared, and planned for how to balance my life this school year.
How do you balance your work, church, and social duties?
Being a teacher, I plan for the upcoming week during the current week. All lesson plans are completed by Thursdays and all materials are prepared on Fridays. Saturday mornings are for praise dance practice and other ministry events, Saturday evenings are for family/friends/fun though I often just want rest. Sundays are for church and preparing for the new week. My life often seems like a boring revolving clock, but for now, it’s all good.
My ultimate career goal is to create my own nonprofit for children with a focus on
What is your overall self-advancement. Knowledge, self-image, and mental and physical health are all things I struggled with throughout my life. These are also the main issues I see my students ultimate career goal? deal with in their everyday life. I would like to teach adolescents how to address these issues and put them in connection with people who may help them when needed.
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ACADEMIA/COMMUNICATION
Asha Winfield
Name
Asha S. Winfield, M.A. (@ashawinfield)
Hometown
Beaumont, TX also known as Big Money Texas
Education High School: Clifton J. Ozen Magnet High School in Beaumont, TX. Class 2008. Undergraduate: Lamar University in Beaumont, TX. December 2012 Graduate. Major: Communications with an emphasis in Film Studies and a minor in Sociology. Graduate (Master of Arts): University of Houston - Main in Houston, TX. May 2015. Major: Communication with concentration in Speech/Organizational Communication and a minor in Mass Communication. Graduate (Ph.D): Texas A&M University - College Station, TX. Prosp. Graduation: 2021. Major: Communications focusing on Media, Culture and Identity. Current research interests include representations of Black individuals and groups in media (television, film and news) and how that has affected audiences, Black and non-Black; how does storytelling, whether in the media or in society, such as those told through life histories and oral tradition methods affect group identities and self-image. Professional Employer: Texas A&M University Position: Graduate Research Assistant & Instructor How long? 2017-Present Employer: Lamar University Position: Adjunct Instructor How long? 2015-Present Employer: University of Houston - Main Position: Teaching Assistant How long? Fall 2014-Spring 2015
What do you love most about your current program?
I love that my program exceeded my expectations in so many ways. When I first thought about getting a Ph.D, I was filled with fear and self-doubt, more than I will ever be able to explain. Because it was different from what I, or anyone close to me, had ever desired, it took someone from the outside to pull me into my destiny. Actually, it took several people who were very different from me encouraging me to see bigger, hope bigger and to trust what I was feeling, but what I couldn’t identify. I fought with the question of whether my desire was for more education, or for more validation that I was doing purpose right in my life. Upon starting my program I was connected with scholars on campus and visiting scholars from across the nation in ways that I would never have been able to experience if I had not taken a leap. I found support like never before in this place. I found joy. I found purpose and another step in the right direction, with each step connecting me to another person and another opportunity.
What is one of the most monumental experiences on your journey?
With so many experiences to choose from, how do I choose just one? My first semester in graduate school as a doctoral student, I found many sleepless nights, and some trouble in learning a new place with so much to balance. I thought that I had a pretty good grip of it by December 2017. If I could just make it through semester one, then I was successful in my eyes and deserved to be there. I remember one morning working on my last 25-page final paper in the library. I was focused and really in my zone. Determined to get the job done. When I looked on Facebook...I received a message that my 41-year-old cousin had passed away from her bout with breast cancer. I felt tears fall from my face without permission, in front of that screen and all those people. Did I have time to mourn when the expectation was to produce and prove? Did I have time to weep
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in between scholarly line and verse? I took time to pray, and with tears in eyes and sickness in my belly, I went back to work questioning what that moment was supposed to teach me, not knowing that nine days later, I would experience a similar tragedy. This time it was an What is one early morning, just days after settling my grief about my cousin. My father paused to tell of the most me before breakfast that, “Your mother’s mama passed away last night.” I had just got home a day before with plans to go visit with my sick grandmother with my sick mother. The monumental only heaviness of guilt and pain was a load I couldn’t shoulder alone. We went into funeral mode experiences and business to take care of matters that I didn’t take time to grieve for hours until I was in the car speaking with my aunt, who had literally just lost her daughter (my cousin) and now on your her sister (my grandmother), about how we would lean on each other and God for strength. journey? broke. I broke for hours in the car, sitting next to my books and papers. I was determined Continued. Ifrom that moment on that I would dedicate my studies to those two women who I had seen fight for life in an excellent and elegant way. I found that if I can live through that kind of loss and still produce, then I can produce, period. I’ve lived through a lot since coming here. Still living and still producing. I think we are all still learning because balance is something different for everyone. Balance is a factor in the burn out. Where there is one, the other is probably absent. More recently, I force myself to do something I enjoy -- just for me and not attached to work in How do you any way. Break before you starting breaking! If that means a staycation or a media off day avoid getting or week, then so be it. Also, giving myself permission to say NO and not feel guilty about it burned out? has been key for me. If I don’t look out for Asha, who will? I have to take care of this body, because I’m the only one who has to suffer if I don’t. Burnout is not fun! But surrounding myself with people who are motivated and focused also helps me. Taking advice from others who are also learning balance helps.
How do you balance your work, church, and social duties?
Learning that, in this season, my responsibilities have to be different was key. Back home, I was involved in everything (local, district, state and some national) because I care about people. I care about helping folks with the tools, talents and resources that I was blessed with while I could. But I can’t help folks if I am not also taking care of self. I heard people say put God first, and all these things will be added unto you. But I had to learn what that meant on my own. How could I put Him first in this transition period, or in my new season where I am at a new church in a new city and at a new school? The first way was being okay with letting go of all of those positions I held, though I loved the work I was able to do. It allowed for others to step up and out in God and it didn’t take anything from me or from what I had done. Next, was putting things in their proper place in my schedule. I love a good planner, but I need to stick to plans. If I believe God brought me to this place and blessed me with all these blessings, then it’s imperative for me do the work I signed up to do. Thats my prority now. In between studying and researching, I made time to volunteer with kids. Sunday mornings are for the Lord, period. When coursework is done, I can make it to other programs more regularly, but until then, my personal relationship, prayer time and readings are where I find my strength. In the meantime, I’ve been blessed by God to be connected with people at every corner, place and organization in this new season. While the recursive relationship of encouragement happens between me and others often, I found that to be a ministry in itself. Not in the traditional sense, but once I took the limits off of where and when God could use me, I found myself having more conversations, and giving more “church hugs” than I did when I was back home. The people needed me and I needed them -- as much as I could give. That was my balance.
Ultimately, who can say?! I could say one thing one day and the within the next six months, the Lord could burst this cocoon open and this butterfly will fly somewhere But I can tell you where my heart is: I hope to teach where the students need Dr. Asha What is your else. Winfield, not just anyone. I want to research and produce film projects while connected to ultimate a great university. I would love to work at an HBCU, but I don’t know where the Lord will career goal? have me to go. I hope to take the limits off of Him -- it doesn’t just have to be Texas either! I truly just want to walk in my purpose and help those around me do the same thing because so many people on this journey played a role in me getting where I am.
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COMMUNICATION
Taylor Turner Name
Taylor Turner, M.A. (@itstater)
Hometown
Missouri City, TX
Education
High School: L.V. Hightower High School in Missouri City, TX. 2011 Graduate.
Undergraduate (Bachelor of Science): The University of Texas at Austin. May 2015 Graduate. Major: Communication Studies. Graduate (Master of Arts): American University in Washington, D.C. May 2019 Graduate. Major: Producing Film, Television, & Video. Professional Employer: The Washington Post Position: Video Producer, Digital travel initiative How long? April 2017-Present Employer: Alexandria City Public Schools Position: Substitute Teacher How long? Spring 2016-Present Employer: ABC News Position: Production Associate How long? September 2015-March 2017 Employer: ESPN Position: Production Associate How long? August 2014- May 2015 Employer: Comcast Cable Corporation Position: Emma Bowen Foundation Scholar How long? June 2011-July 2014 Employer: The New York Times Student Journalism Institute Position: Video Journalist How long? May 2014-June 2014 Employer: C-SPAN Position: International Programming How long? January 2014-April 2014 Employer: KVR News Position: Online Producer How long? September 2011-August 2013 Employer: The Houston Press Position: Video Journalist How long? September 2010-May 2011
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Every day presents a new challenge, a new project, a new opportunity! Prior to my promotion, I would come in every morning at 6 a.m. before anyone got here and not know what to expect. I was in charge of setting the team’s coverage plan for the day. From reading analytics to see what stories people were reading to searching the Internet for gems, there were surprises around each corner. Some mornings were heart-wrenching covering natural or terror attacks. Other mornings brought immense joy with everyday people What do you disasters exemplifying extraordinary acts of kindness. My job reminded me every day that I am human. love most A human who is capable of making mistakes and laughing until I cry. about your My job is a blessing. It’s a place that allows me to combine my calling with things current job? I love. I have covered Politics, Entertainment, and food. I was recently promoted to video producer for our new digital travel initiative. I am excited to take on this new position that highlights something I love and do often - travel. In this new role, I am working to diversify the travel experience, making travel more accessible for communities of color and highlight our stories. It is such a blessing to be able to do this on a platform that is widely recognized, highly respected and has such a broad reach. Imagine the audience it will impact.
What is one of the most monumental experiences on your journey?
I have not taken this journey alone. God has placed people in my life that have made this experience even sweeter. The support of my family has been endless. I have known what I wanted to do in life career-wise since I was 8 years old. Never once did anyone in my family ever discourage me. My family reads every article I write and watches every video I shoot, edit or produce. They are my biggest support system. In the workforce, even during my years of interning, God has always surrounded me with wise counsel whom I can consult for career advice, and go to for a laugh, hug, cry or some office tea.
Phew child, the events in the news cycle can be draining. DRAINING, okay. However, I am surrounded by a strong village of coworkers who remind me of the importance of How do you self-care and community. The community piece has been one of the highlights of my job. avoid getting I never feel alone at work and my community empowers me to walk with my head held burned out? high every day at work. No matter what challenges I may face, mistakes I may make, or new opportunities that I earn, my community supports me and keeps me grounded. We are friends. We are a family. Working in news means that you do not have a typical 8-hour day or Monday through Friday work schedule. You can sometimes work 11 to 13 hour days, work on weekends and not have days off, so time management is important. I believe in having a balanced life where my job, although I love it, does not consume me. I belong to Grace Covenant Church in Washington, D.C., where I am the hospitality leader. I also plan social events for my friends How do you balance and volunteer bi-weekly at Martha’s Table, a non-profit organization that supports women and in D.C., and works to increase access to healthy food. Additionally, I am active with your work, families Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. I rely heavily on my phone calendar to remain balanced. church, I also schedule time to talk to my family daily and my friends back home in Texas. The best and social piece of advice I received in regards to time management was from my older sorority sister duties? Tyler Kiles, who said, “Block off your time for certain activities and get as much done as you can during that time.” I also think it is important to schedule time for yourself, eat well and SLEEP in order to remain balanced. I take one “Taylor day” per month to do whatever it is I want to do and only what I want to do. To ensure I get a good night’s rest, I put my phone on Do Not Disturb after 9:30 p.m. and wake up at a set time every day. Keeping myself in a routine helps me stay focused and efficient. Within the next year, I would like to take on a part-time adjunct faculty position teaching university students how to be video journalists. Helping mold the next generation of storytellers, particularly journalist of color, is something near to my heart. I will continue to work full-time in video. My 5-year goal is to transition into a management role where I work What is your in project planning and development creating short-form video stories for both digital and ultimate television platforms. The video topics will range from food to travel, social issues and identity career goal? politics. I will continue in an adjunct position during this time as well. My 10-year plan is to transition into a full-time tenure-track faculty position. I cannot wait to take my students on study abroad trips and domestic study away trips. UPDATE: Since this issue was published, Taylor has started her teaching career at Howard University.
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ENTREPRENEURSHIP/ARTS
Jazzella McKeel
Name
Jazzella McKeel (@jazzellamckeel)
Hometown
Houston, Texas
Current City
Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas
Education High School: Martin High School. 2006 Graduate. Undergraduate: University of North Texas. 2011 Graduate. Bachelor of Fine Arts, Photography. Bachelor of Fine Arts, Visual Art Studies. Professional Employer: Jazzella McKeel Photography Position: Owner and Creative Branding and Lifestyle Photographer How long? 2+ years, full-time What I love most about my job is that I have the freedom to do exactly what God tells me to do, when He tells me to do it. He is my CEO. He is the one that makes the plans and He gives me the wisdom to follow what He tells me to do. Being a full-time What do entrepreneur is difficult...very difficult. However, the amazing thing about it is that I am you love able to use the gifts God has given me on a daily basis, on my own terms. I love putting most about everything on the line in order to produce something amazing from just a vision or a thought. Also, as a Creative Branding and Lifestyle Photographer, I love meeting with your current clients to hear about the vision that God has given them. I find great pleasure in knowing program? that it is my job to help them carry out that vision by creating dope visuals that will connect them to their target audience. I GET to do that! I love it!
What is one of the most monumental experiences on your journey?
One of the most monumental experiences on my journey happened in October 2018. I had been a full-time entrepreneur for a little over a year and I thought I was getting the hang of this whole entrepreneurship thing. In October 2018, I was only at home for 12 days out of that month. God had set it up for me to have a major speaking engagement in Atlanta, then I was flown out to work with a high profile client in Los Angeles. I ended the month by getting flown to Orlando to work with my client and a famous motivational speaker. It’s almost like God allowed me to have a sneak peek into my future. During that time I knew that I had to pay close attention to what He wanted me to learn. He wanted to show me the systems that I needed to put into place in my business in order to be able to live that life on a consistent basis. God has a beautiful way of teaching us. I won’t forget those phenomenal experiences as I grow my business.
How do you avoid getting burned out?
I believe when you are truly doing what you love, you don’t have to get burned out. I also believe that it is important to implement stress management strategies. Mental health is so very important. I utilize a morning routine that sets me up for success every single morning. If we start to take our lives one day at a time and make sure we have amazing days, we can look up and see that we have created an amazing life. Also, I go to therapy. I actually started therapy when I was on the verge of burnout; how to successfully deal with people is one of the hardest lessons I had to learn. I love that my therapist is a Christian as well. We talk about spiritual and practical ways to succeed at life and business in order to avoid burnout.
How do you balance your work, church, and social duties?
One practical way that I balance work, church, and social responsibilities is staying true to my calendar. If it’s not on my calendar, it’s not happening. Through the years I have also learned the power of saying no. Only God can be everywhere at once. Not me. Lol. I do my best to make everything work. I put me, my mental health, and my family as a priority. At the end of the day, that’s all I can do: my best.
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What is your ultimate career goal?
My ultimate career goal is to be connected with the people that God has assigned me to. I have to reach those people. They are waiting on me. Your people are waiting on you. We reach our people by doing what God tells us to do on our jobs, in our churches, and in our everyday life. I encourage you to live a life where God can always use you. He uses me through my photography business, my blog, Jazzella’s Closet, and the other business ventures that He will have me to do. Allowing God to use me by blessing others is always the ultimate goal.
PHARMACY
Tyler Kiles Name Tyler Marie Kiles, Pharm.D. BC-ADM (@tkdaisy6) Hometown
Arlington, TX
Current City
Memphis, TN
Education High School: James W. Martin High School, 2008. Undergraduate: The University of Texas at Austin, 2012. Graduate: The University of Houston College of Pharmacy, 2016. Professional Employer: The University of Tennessee Health Science Center College of Pharmacy Position: Assistant Professor, Clinical Coordinator of PGY1 Community-based Residency Program How long? September 2019 - Present Employer: The University of Houston College of Pharmacy Position: Post-Doctoral Academic Fellow How long? August 2018 - July 2019 Employer: Kroger Pharmacy Position: Assistant Pharmacy Manager How long? July 2017 - July 2018 Employer: Mercer University College of Pharmacy and Rite Aid Pharmacy Position: PGY1 Community-based Resident, Adjunct Assistant Clinical Professor How long? July 2016 - July 2017
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What do you love most about your current job?
I love that it gives me the opportunity to keep learning! I’ve always been a nerd, and soon after I started working full-time, I realized that my intellectual curiosity wasn’t being stimulated as much anymore. I love that in this work, not only do I get to teach students (who ask the hardest questions), but I get to keep asking my own questions and have the resources to find and/or create the answers.
What is one of the most monumental experiences in your journey?
One of the most monumental experiences on my journey was one day, my first year of pharmacy school, when my professor pulled me aside as I was walking down the hallway and convinced me to participate in a school-wide patient-counseling competition. Mind you, I had never once spoken to a real (or fake for that matter) patient, we had only learned about the concept in class a few months prior. She told me that I should go for it, and that I would be a natural! I was nervous as all get-out, but when I got in the room with the patient, everything went surprisingly smoothly, and I ended up placing in the top 10 for competition – out of the entire school! I doubt my professor even remembers this moment, but it was a game changer for me. It confirmed that this pharmacy thing was what I was supposed to be doing, it encouraged me to challenge myself throughout my career, and it inspired me to want to instill that confidence in others – to make little black girls like me feel seen and valued in this professional school space that often doesn’t provide that.
How do you avoid getting burned out?
This is still something I struggle with, but I have learned to do a lot of ‘checking in’ with myself. If I learned anything in my residency training, it was how to recognize the signs of the edge. I know what it looks like when I’m over the edge (I call it “zombie face-sunken eyes and cheeks,” which often comes with irrational anger at everything, high blood pressure, and fuzzy thoughts). But reflection on ‘how did I get here…again’ helped me make some changes. I now know that I cannot function without sleep – sleep is my escape, my restoration, my best friend. But I also know that when I start to feel restless even after I’ve slept, that it’s time to slow down. 2 Timothy 1:7 says “God hath... given us the spirit…of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” When my mind is in a tizzy, I know it is not of the Lord, and I need to get myself back on track. I know now to go watch a sermon or go play outside, or call a friend, or just take a moment to meditate.
I still kick it old school with a paper planner. It is color-coded, with stickie notes! It never leaves my side. At some point I realized that I had to physically schedule myself How do you downtime! Like a real adult! I highlight social events in Pink, and I do my best to make sure that there is something Pink at least every 2 weeks for my sanity. I highlight the balance your work, church, big projects/presentations/due dates in Blue, so that I can see those coming and plan accordingly. I’ve had to recognize that my priorities may shift from one day/week/ and social season to another – that I may have to grind hard this week so that I can relax the next, responsibilities? or vice versa. I’ve always been a person who wants to have it all, but I have learned that I can’t have it all together all the time.
What is your ultimate career goal?
The job I want, I’m pretty sure doesn’t exist…yet– but my ultimate career goal is to enable pharmacists to significantly impact the health of communities of color. I know that pharmacists have so much knowledge about diseases and medications and can be an invaluable resource to the communities they serve. I want to study, develop, and implement ways to change how minority communities in particular interact with community pharmacists in order to provide these underserved communities with better healthcare. What that looks like for me may require additional research training (such as an MPH or a PhD), but in the meantime, it means teaching my students valuable skills and providing them opportunities to connect with the community. I aim to inspire their passions and harness their energy to implement and ultimately share successful innovative ideas.
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