When Dr. Whitney Perkins stood to introduce herself to a group of 19 other communicative disorder program directors at the Lisa Scott Leadership Academy in Orlando, Fla., in April, it was not lost on her that she was one of just two Black participants.
“This is a very fulfilling career so for 90 applicants nationwide to apply was extraordinary to me,” Perkins told the Mississippi Free Press. “I think a lot of people don’t realize that less than 4% of speech-language pathologists are Black or African American.”
As graduate program director for Jackson State University’s Department of Communicative Disorders, a role she has held since 2022, Perkins leads one of only 10 historically Black college and university programs of its kind and the only one in Mississippi. She was the only faculty member from an HBCU to be selected for this year’s academy.
“In Mississippi, JSU is the only HBCU that offers an undergraduate degree in communicative disorders and a master’s degree in speech-language pathology,” JSU Associate Provost for Academic Affairs Dr. Brandi Newkirk-Turner, who is also a faculty member in the Department of Communicative Disorders, told the Mississippi Free Press. “Our program is significant in that it has produced the most Black or African American master-level speech-language pathologists in the state.”
Perkins is passionate about leading a program that produces quality speech-language professionals. She holds a bachelor’s in speech and hearing sciences from the University of Southern Mississippi as well as master’s degrees in deaf education and communicative disorders. The certified speech-language pathologist also holds a doctorate in early childhood education.
Her varied work experience encompasses nursing homes, pediatric outpatient facilities and the Jackson Public School District. Those experiences drive her in her goal to ensure that the program she oversees is a model for speech-language programs across the United States.
“One of the things that impressed me most about Dr. Perkins is her desire to continue to make the Jackson State graduate program the best,” Newkirk-Turner said. “We pride ourselves in believing that we offer the best graduate programs in Mississippi at an HBCU and among the best in the country. She bought into that vision and has really carried that on. She is very thoughtful about that and the different ways that she approaches the program for the students.”
‘Camaraderie in the Academy’
Perkins’ acceptance in the prestigious Lisa Scott Leadership Academy was an opportunity to help her further develop those skills by exploring and understanding more about herself as a leader and by learning more regarding faculty recruitment and retention, time management, cutting-edge research and other effective practices.
“We have a really good mission and vision in place where we mold minds, we challenge lives and change lives for the better,” Perkins said. “Our program is pre-professional, and I think our program is one of the best in the state as far as preparing students for the workforce in specialized pathology.”
“I think we are more of a clinical program so our students leave here with the best clinical experiences,” she continued. “This academy has helped me to try to continue to build our mission and our vision in this program.”
She now has a cohort of other program directors with whom she can collaborate. The network allows her to bring in ideas and new information from other leaders around the country.
“When I was in those sessions, I really thought about the changes in higher education,” Perkins said. “I think that some of the things that I endured in my first administrative year as a chair, there was no textbook or handbook that I could go to to say, ‘If this occurs, then you should do xyz.’”
“Having those experiences in this leadership academy gave me some invaluable guidance for other people who are program directors,” she explained. “Sitting there listening to similar stories that other program directors were going through across the nation gave me a sense of comradery in the academy. I’m grateful for that collaboration and networking with people.”
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