Student Affairs NOW Shaking the Table: Survival and Healing Amongst Identity Center Practitioners
Nov 26, 2025
Dr. Jonathan A. McElderry is the Dean of Student Inclusive Excellence and an advocate for marginalized students, while Dra. Stephanie Hernandez-Rivera is a Puerto Rican educator focused on equity and inclusion. They discuss the urgent need to 'shake the table' in higher education by centering identity practitioners, especially amidst anti-DEI sentiments. The conversation touches on themes of survival, healing through storytelling, and the importance of documenting practitioner experiences for future generations. They also preview their next volume and emphasize the need for self-care and solidarity in their work.
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Roots In The 2015 Mizzou Protests
- Jonathan and Stephanie met during the 2015 Concerned Student 1950 protests and later co-authored scholarship about that experience.
- Their firsthand administrative silence during media attention motivated them to tell their story in academic form.
Why Center Practitioners Now
- The book centers practitioners because DEI work faces increasing political and institutional attacks.
- Amplifying practitioner stories documents how identity centers act as refuges and lifelines for marginalized students.
A Dissertation Defense During Protest
- During the Mizzou protests Jonathan defended his dissertation with about 70 students present supporting him.
- That moment became a lasting symbol of mentorship and mutual care between staff and students.
