Dr. Michael D. Anthony

Precedent is the Enemy of Equity

As a senior leader within the community college sector of higher education, I am constantly challenged by the notion of creating a “precedent” when trying to serve students. Our students are very different from one another. They each have unique challenges, backgrounds, levels of preparation, barriers, and goals. Creating solutions for them to be successfulContinue reading “Precedent is the Enemy of Equity”

Privilege and Perspective

It warrants repeating that traveling, even within your own community, is vital to developing a more caring an empathetic mindset. It allows you to appreciate what you have, how little you know, and how much good there is in the world. As I wait to board my flight to Vienna, Austria (country #2 on myContinue reading “Privilege and Perspective”

Heading East

I can’t believe it’s been over a year since I last blogged. I’m going to do better. I find my blog let’s me make my thinking explicit: as much for myself as anyone else. It also serves as an important record of observations and experiences in my life. With that, I wanted to use myContinue reading “Heading East”

Finding Harmony

A friend and colleague said to me at a recent professional conference that she doesn’t believe in work-life balance, rather she looks for work-life harmony. If that didn’t capture exactly what I’ve been trying to say to students and other colleagues for so long, I don’t know what could! This is not a new concept,Continue reading “Finding Harmony”

The Power of My Black Hand

When I was an undergraduate at NC State University, I was a counselor for the African American Symposium, a per-orientation experience welcoming new undergrads to NC State and helping them get a strong positive start as an African American scholar. I hate I didn’t attend as a freshman myself. There is a poem by LanceContinue reading “The Power of My Black Hand”

Here Are Your Flowers

There is an old gospel song that says: “Give me my flowers while I yet live; so that I can see the beauty they bring. Speak kind words to me while I can hear them; so that I can hear the comfort they bring.” It is a touching song that laments how we often waitContinue reading “Here Are Your Flowers”

The Push Back

I don’t know about other leaders, managers, or supervisors out there, but I love to be challenged by members of my team. I call that “pushing back,” and I can think of no better way to come to really good decisions, while increasing satisfaction in our work. I do my best work with the peopleContinue reading “The Push Back”

Go and Do

As the world is continually made smaller through social media, I find some of us are lulled into thinking we “know” people and things because we read a post about it. Or that we are somehow worldly because we have a few friends in international places. My challenge for you is to go further inContinue reading “Go and Do”

Finding Your Genius

“Everybody is a genius. But, if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will spend its whole life believing that it is stupid.” – Einstein This quote (and that picture) gives me chills. We are nearing the end of the first month of a new year. Students are settling intoContinue reading “Finding Your Genius”

Give Grace

Tom Matson wrote in his book, “UNFROZEN: A Father’s Reflections on a Brain Tumor Journey:” Grace: a word and associated actions I’ve never been able to comprehend. I don’t think our minds can fully grasp grace. I know many people could define grace differently, but for me, I see it as receiving love when we don’tContinue reading “Give Grace”