Howard University Dean Gracie Lawson-Borders on Pipeline, Retention and Media Partnerships

Among a stellar class of professionals Dean LawsonBorders shared a unique perspective given her background as a journalist before ascending to her current role as Dean of Howard39s School of Communications Having excelled in our nation39s newsrooms Dean LawsonBorders offered a frontline perspective on the challenges of diversity There was little time wasted as she waded into the deep end to highlight how crucial organizational retention is when discussing diversityquotI have about 40 years in some combination as a journalist reporter editor and now academia We see people hired but then they plateau and you don39t retain them You see this in media advertising and even PR People won39t stay in an organization if they don39t feel they can grow and have success If nothing is happening it is going to take a different kind of movementquot commented the DeanThat quotdifferent kind of movementquot is directly in line with the mission of quotThe Meccaquot Howard University has been the preeminent training ground for the best and brightest in the African American community Service and duty are in Howard39s DNA from its founding as part of the Freedmen39s Bureau during the shortlived Reconstruction era to the ascension of Senator Kamala Harris as the Vice Presidential Democratic nominee quotOne of the things that we do at Howard in our school is we set the bar that you39re going to be successful and excellence is the expectationquot says LawsonBorders quotWe want you to leave here career ready We want to push and expose you and expand the opportunities you havequotThe strong academic grounding cited by Dean LawsonBorders is in direct opposition to the pipeline myth that is still far too prevalent in industry conversations about diversity LawsonBorders punctures that myth and links the pipeline mythology to the hard work of retention quotIf you get a candidate who comes out of Howard and they39re doing great in business what practices can we identify and formalize within the industry and organizations to ensure we39re doing the best job to bring other people along When it comes to diverse talent don39t tell me the pipeline isn39t there Where we have a gap is retentionquotThe siloed approach to knowledge and expertise that has maintained a gated wall between academia and industry is a wellestablished roadblock in addressing diversity challenges The Media Education Summit was convened to promote just how vital the connective tissue is between industry and academia As much as academia prepares and supplies talent to the industry there is still ample room to establish a more fluid relationshipquotIntentionality implies a purposeful strategy beyond internships it means you39re working to engage in partnerships with usquot says LawsonBorders The takeaway is that a businessasusual mentality that supplies internships to a few students but doesn39t build strategic links to academia amp8211both students and faculty amp8211 is not likely to forge new solutions New solutions that depend on talent run the risk of remaining hidden as long as we don39t have the systems to spot opportunities and nurture vibrant partnershipsLawsonBorders says quotthere are opportunities for us to partner in ways that will benefit these young people in their future organizations We all need to be creative and to use our imagination Some opportunities are hidden in plain sight We are gifted with wonderful resources that are right in front of us We need to use them betterquotAddressing diversity is not the singular domain of either academia or the connected media industry Any effective remedy to the impact that the stunning lack of diversity has had on media efficacy has to be addressed collectively by all stakeholders A luminary like Dean LawsonBorders sharing prescient insights during the Media Education Summit is living proof that crossfunctional expertise is the way forwardAlso readblacklist10039s Kai Wright on the State of Ad Industry Diversity Advances by Ainsley AndradequotLet39s Not Be Afraid to Take Some Risksquot amp8212 Higher Education Is Ready to Innovate to Save Media by Oriana SchwindtAcademics Invite Media Community to Partner on Advancing Diversity Retention by Jeff MinskyWatch the full conversationClick the social buttons to share this story with colleagues and friendsThe opinions expressed here are the author39s views and do not necessarily represent the views of MediaVillagecomMyersBizNet

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Howard University Dean Gracie Lawson-Borders on Pipeline, Retention and Media Partnerships

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Philip McKenzie

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