SHIELD.ED:
A Leadership Institute for Black Women in Higher Education
Are you a Black woman in higher education who has experienced emotional fatigue, physical exhaustion, or burnout?
As an administrator, have you experienced bias, microaggressions, bullying, or sabotage from colleagues and leadership?
Do you long for the support of other Black women leaders whom you can turn to when navigating challenges with people, policies, and programmatic structures?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, you could be a perfect fit for Shield.ed: A Leadership Institute for Black Women in Higher Education.
WHY SHOULD I JOIN THIS PROGRAM?
The burden that Black women in higher education carry is rarely recognized by the outside world. Yet, you likely know well the toll of navigating racially motivated unconscious and overt bias and discrimination in higher education.
Perhaps you are one of the few—if not the only—Black women in your college or university’s administration where you frequently find yourself forced to explain your viewpoint or experience to colleagues.
You likely feel exhausted if not outright overwhelmed by the challenges of the current higher education environment. This exhaustion may have led you to feel like nobody in your institution is listening or addressing your concerns.
What if there was a space where you could clarify how to pursue your career development and achieve success based on your own metrics? A community where you could find meaningful mentorship and professional development and the chance to connect with established Black women who share your experience. A place you can turn to for growth opportunities and discover a roadmap for a career path to emulate.
Imagine a brain trust of smart, fellow Black women in higher education to turn to when navigating challenges, with whom you could connect over your shared experiences and goals for the future? This is what SHIELD.ED is designed to provide.
Delivered as an 8-month, virtual experience for a curated cohort of Black women in faculty and administrative roles, participants in Shield.ed will:
What is SHIELD.ED?
Dedicated to fostering a nurturing and supportive community for Black women leaders in higher education, Shield.ed is a leadership institute that equips its participants with the knowledge, skills, resources, and community to excel in their professional journeys.
Dr. June Parks and Yohlunda Mosley are committed to addressing and disrupting the challenges faced by Black women in higher education. By combining insights into institutional structures, leadership dynamics, and systemic challenges with a nuanced understanding of the emotional and mental well-being of Black women, their unique partnership creates innovative solutions that address both the external barriers and the internal struggles faced by Black women in higher education.
Through a comprehensive approach that integrates professional development and counseling, with mental health development infused into every aspect of programming, June and Yohlunda strive to create an environment that uplifts Black women and ensures their success without compromising their well-being.
They cultivate a safe space where Black women can pursue their leadership development, build strategic connections with fellow Black female administrators and faculty members, reconnect to their passion for education, nurture their authentic voice and thought leadership, and advance higher education.
WHO SHOULD JOIN
Black women administrators and faculty members who are mid to senior-level leaders in higher education who are craving a nurturing, supportive environment.
While Shield.ed is intended for Black women working in higher education institutions, we recognize that Black women who work in higher education adjacent spaces may experience similar situations in their careers. We also welcome you to this community of uplifting and learning.
For Black women who work in other industries, we plan to create programming to address your specific needs of Black women in future sessions that are being developed.
WHAT'S INCLUDED
TOTAL VALUE
$7,500 (based on similar executive leadership development programs)
WHAT IS YOUR INVESTMENT?
$3,500 for the inaugural cohort
ABOUT YOUR FACILITATORS
Yohlunda Mosley, M.A., is an educator, mentor, and survivor who has spent 30 years in the field of higher education. Her experiences as an undergraduate unexpectedly shifted her career to pursue a calling to serve as a support system and advocate for underrepresented, underserved, and marginalized students.
Along her journey, she quickly discovered her own need for support, as she repeatedly dealt with career sabotage, subtle and overt racial microaggressions, and bullying from colleagues and leadership. While these attacks would fail to stall her career progression, and she would ultimately serve as Vice Chancellor of Enrollment Management & Student Affairs at Purdue University Northwest, she made the decision to step away from higher education for a year to prioritize her physical health, emotional wellness, and the needs of her family. Shield.ed embodies Yohlunda’s testimony, encouragement, and advice to Black women in higher education and is how she aims to provide them with affirmation and solace as they navigate their careers to achieve personal wholeness.
Yohlunda earned her Master of Arts degree in higher education administration from The University of Iowa. She serves as Director of the Transfer Center and Services at Madison Area Technical College, a position that caters to her passion for working at an access-driven institution committed to providing a pathway to post-secondary education for diverse students.
June Parks, Ph.D. is a licensed clinical psychologist, higher education consultant, lecturer, keynote speaker, and youth empowerment expert. With over 20 years of experience in child psychology and trauma, she works to heighten student well-being and shows other professionals how to do the same while never losing sight of their personal and professional wellness.
June also understands the dynamics and misconceptions that keep students and workplace leaders—particularly those from underrepresented communities—struggling to find their voice and navigate challenging situations without sacrificing their well-being so they can successfully move through and grow from these experiences.
June has been featured in webinars, podcasts, and panels, and spoken for groups including the University of Chicago, Loyola University Chicago, NASPA - Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education, the Association for University and College Counseling Center Directors, the Michigan College Access Network, the National Child Traumatic Stress Network, and the Changing Higher Ed Podcast. She is also the creator of the successful Identify the Why workshop, which enhances adolescents’ social and emotional learning. June earned her doctorate from Northwestern University and has taught masters and doctoral-level students at the University of Chicago and the Chicago School of Professional Psychology.