Live at Five: Finding Your Purpose

Jerri Harner Author

05/01/2020 Added

23 Plays

Description

D&I Live at 5 is a living room conversation about how diversity and cultural perspectives shape life decisions and higher education. This particular discussion will focus on having purpose, hosted by Marco Barker, vice chancellor for diversity and inclusion at UNL with special guest Karnell McConnell-Black, vice president for student affairs and dean of students at Westminster College, Salt Lake City. This session welcomes students to early-career professionals who are exploring purpose through these uncertain times. The topic is inspired by Katrina Ruth’s article, 7 Steps to Living Your Life With Purpose

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[00:00:12.580]Good afternoon
[00:00:15.400]My name is dr
[00:00:17.109]Marco Barker and I serve as vice chancellor for diversity inclusion and
[00:00:22.119]associate professor of practice at the University of nebraska-lincoln and my pronouns are he/him and his
[00:00:30.550]We want to welcome you to
[00:00:32.710]DNI live at five and this particular topic is on finding your purpose
[00:00:38.079]And so the Lava five is really meant to be a living room
[00:00:43.300]conversation if you will and an opportunity to discuss how we think about
[00:00:48.070]Diversity and cultural perspectives and how those perspectives certainly shape our life decisions and even shaping higher education
[00:00:55.899]This particular topic on finding your purpose actually
[00:00:59.680]Derived from an Instagram post of today's guest. So I'm looking forward to having dialogue with dr
[00:01:07.090]McConnell black a
[00:01:09.100]Few technical items. So on the bottom of your zoom screen, there is a question and answer button
[00:01:15.479]We invite you to submit questions throughout today's
[00:01:18.790]segment and
[00:01:20.080]The questions will be monitored by our own Jerry Horner is that clip assistant in the office of diversity inclusion at UNL?
[00:01:28.930]additionally today's
[00:01:30.549]Webinar is being clad as being closed captioned
[00:01:33.509]And so for those who wish to use that option again at the bottom of your screen
[00:01:37.960]There is a button titled CC you may select that to be able to actually see the closed captions of today's seminar
[00:01:47.200]This notion of finding your purpose
[00:01:50.200]Really came from a sense of being thoughtful and mindful about what's happening today
[00:01:55.409]so we know that we are in the midst of a global pandemic and sometimes it
[00:01:59.469]Certainly is providing a shift in a way that we do our work the way we learn the way we interact and so we are
[00:02:06.430]Finding new and interesting ways to do that. It's also a time of uncertainty
[00:02:11.530]We know that there are many things that are happening with people's work
[00:02:14.819]For example that individuals are finding themselves furloughed or out of work
[00:02:19.620]In other cases people are finding themselves as in central employees
[00:02:23.189]So whether it's in the health care industry or safety or security
[00:02:27.879]Or even service industry they're having to be on the front lines. And so we certainly applaud them for the efforts and what they're doing
[00:02:34.930]What we do know is is that this causes a time for us to hopefully find an opportunity to stop and reflect
[00:02:43.599]This topic was further inspired by Katrina's roots article the seven steps to living your life with purpose and so
[00:02:51.909]We'll talk a little bit about that a little later in today's segment. I have with me. Dr. Cornel McCullough black
[00:02:59.230]Carnell is joining our conversation
[00:03:01.299]He's a dear friend and colleague who I had the chance to work with at Westminster College. And so I've come to
[00:03:08.109]Adore and admire and certainly be inspired by dr. McComb ablack and so I'll read a little bit about his form a while
[00:03:14.459]I know him personally a little bit about his formal background. So Carnell is the vice president for student life and dean of students
[00:03:22.599]At Westminster College, he has over eleven years of experience in higher in higher education
[00:03:28.540]Westminster College is located in Salt Lake City, Utah
[00:03:32.319]Carnell is a proud son of Dallas
[00:03:34.769]Texas from the south and he earned his bachelor's degree in communications and his master's degree in higher education
[00:03:41.859]from Loyola University, Chicago
[00:03:44.729]he has since recently he defended his doctorate and so we're so excited for him and he earned that from the University of Utah and
[00:03:52.840]Education leadership and policy. I'm Carnell is super active. He's involved locally in Salt Lake City
[00:03:58.150]He's certainly engaged in national and regional boards
[00:04:02.409]Additionally, I would just say that karnilla someone who I think is creative and innovative caring thoughtful
[00:04:09.909]Certainly as a vice president of student affairs. He is student-centered, but I think what's really most
[00:04:16.269]Important is that Carnall is also people centered
[00:04:19.349]And so that's why I think it's so great to have him part of today's panel
[00:04:23.110]and Carnales pronouns are he/him and here so as you're thinking about your
[00:04:27.870]You can use those pronouns or certainly refer to us both by name as a reminder
[00:04:32.850]You may again submit questions throughout today's
[00:04:35.949]Segment using the question and answer button located at the bottom of your zoom screen
[00:04:41.889]With that said I first want to say Carnell. Thank you so much for agreeing to be a part of today's conversation
[00:04:47.949]Thank You Marco
[00:04:54.310]I'm excited. Absolutely. I'll try not to during this segment to sort of turn this way
[00:05:08.949]So so thrilled to have you here today
[00:05:12.070]You know, we've been talking a bit about this, right?
[00:05:14.610]So you posted a video of yourself on Instagram just reflecting about what's happening right now
[00:05:21.729]How do we move forward?
[00:05:22.860]How do we think about what the future holds so for you Carnall when you think about finding purpose what really?
[00:05:30.130]Resonates with you or really sticks out to you around that term finding your own purpose
[00:05:34.690]you know, I think for me finding purpose I
[00:05:39.220]Mean it starts actually with just even my own upbringing really, but when I think about, you know finding purpose
[00:05:47.560]Its centered for me
[00:05:50.590]The crossroads of
[00:05:54.490]Upbringing, but also the things that I'm just most passionate about most excited about and I think part of that is around people
[00:06:00.789]helping people, you know, I grew up in the inner city of Dallas and you know,
[00:06:07.139]it was definitely a challenging time and I saw lots of
[00:06:11.590]Folks that look like me
[00:06:14.110]doing things that I don't think well, you know would be
[00:06:17.800]The path that would be you know, the most successful and so I was like, how can I help you know change the trajectory
[00:06:26.830]for young black men in our communities and
[00:06:30.130]so for me that was kind of what started this whole journey for me of what what is finding my passion because I'm you know,
[00:06:35.760]I thought wasn't being attorney and do the
[00:06:38.740]new law school all that good stuff
[00:06:41.640]But I realized when I was in college, I was like actually there's another opportunity
[00:06:45.420]There was a different way to think I don't really want to be behind a desk all day long and want to you know
[00:06:50.850]Just feel like I'm doing all this research and not really making a true impact and so for me
[00:06:55.500]It was also about making an impact
[00:06:59.140]Particularly for marginalized students and even more so more directly put
[00:07:04.600]black men black young in and so
[00:07:07.360]You know for me again that passion stems from me seeing that in my upbringing
[00:07:11.920]But then also knowing that I could actually have an impact and help help folks
[00:07:15.940]Navigate what it meant to be in higher education because again, I was that person who fell there first in of college
[00:07:21.300]so I was like
[00:07:22.780]Maybe this isn't the right
[00:07:28.030]People, you know to help me and to help guide you through some of these things like I can do that
[00:07:32.880]I can do that and we need it. Yeah, absolutely, you know, this ideal about purpose is really tricky, right?
[00:07:39.720]And I know we had a number of people submit questions and hopefully we'll try to get to some of those
[00:07:43.480]Questions that were pre submitted but this idea about you know, as you were talking
[00:07:49.090]What we are meant to do
[00:07:51.640]Versus what we need to do, right? So
[00:07:54.040]Understanding you that sometimes like what we need to do is have a job and take care of ourselves and it's sort of this pathway
[00:07:59.920]That's lit forth or be again having our mind our future career
[00:08:03.840]So, you know everyone always asks, you know
[00:08:06.180]What do you want to be when you grow up?
[00:08:07.270]And so we have these notions about in our future career. Then there's a certain pathway that we have to find. You know, it's interesting
[00:08:15.730]Katrina roof talks about thinking about purpose as this sense of our calling
[00:08:21.610]this sense of she sort of refers to it gets super deep, but but refers to it as our
[00:08:27.280]Sole purpose right like so this idea about this real desire and you certainly spoke about that
[00:08:33.160]You know when I think about our our own upbringing I know that we share some
[00:08:36.849]Sort of overlap and some of the green rice though being black men from the South raised in a single-parent household
[00:08:44.380]Certainly first generation. My father attended college. My mother did not him. So his whole ideal about navigating a new
[00:08:52.569]Space without having all the answers and knowing exactly how all how all of that works
[00:08:58.199]So when I think about Carnell mokona black cried first-generation
[00:09:02.920]college student who's now senior administrator on the President's Council
[00:09:08.500]On the cabinet being a part of making really senior level decisions for an institution
[00:09:17.170]Did you know so when did you go from attorney to there's new pathway?
[00:09:21.879]How does look new path and then your purpose around when to give better? Where do they intersect or overlap? Did it collide?
[00:09:37.240]Because I never imagined that I would be
[00:09:41.170]At this place in my career and I call it a career because you know
[00:09:45.360]Some people talk about jobs and something talked about careers and for me careers connected to this idea around passion and vocation and calling
[00:09:51.699]And I think for me when I was in school, I went to Loyola Chicago
[00:09:54.939]Yeah, it's a Jesuit
[00:09:57.430]institution and one of the things that were really ingrained even in the
[00:10:01.870]liberal arts of the education there was like thinking about reflecting and what is what is purpose and finding passion and and
[00:10:10.000]Connecting with other folks and looking at humanity and and all of that and so I think for me
[00:10:15.699]The beginning point was really college for me to really say, okay
[00:10:19.110]Here's the connection because I thought I'm still gonna be an attorney in college. Like that's that was the thing
[00:10:22.680]I was like that woman, you know, it was this place of like I want to help my family
[00:10:26.610]I want to get them out of poverty
[00:10:28.560]You know
[00:10:28.980]I wanna I want to make sure that my mom is in a good place and you know for me being an attorney
[00:10:34.839]Growing up was like, oh it's equated with this
[00:10:38.350]Sense of statue and status but also like money at the end of it cuz you like you got to you want to survive
[00:10:44.139]And not just on SMAP you want to like look comfortably?
[00:10:47.319]and so I was like, oh attorneys are good at that then I was like
[00:10:50.939]Maybe I'll be a doctor and they all wanted to write. Yes
[00:10:57.879]I think again there was that point in cause where I had one of the lowest points and I think in my life
[00:11:03.579]where I
[00:11:04.720]Go back to I was like, oh I was top tiered and caught in my class
[00:11:07.800]I you know
[00:11:08.760]I was I
[00:11:09.790]She's mighty
[00:11:10.600]President and I got to college and I thought I knew the college thing and then I had some moments of like is this really?
[00:11:16.410]The right thing I went to and worked in a law firm as well
[00:11:19.540]And so I realized after one summer after after my first year of college
[00:11:24.870]I went back and worked at this law firm that I had worked for was in high school and
[00:11:29.320]I was doing legal assistance stuff when I was in Hollis research
[00:11:31.860]I was like, where are the people that I'm supposed to be helping because I don't feel like I'm helping mean I
[00:11:37.120]Didn't feel right and feel good
[00:11:40.210]But then I was like, you know what this whole idea around, you know
[00:11:44.590]part of me kind of in that moment threw away this
[00:11:48.730]Dialogue or this inside voice around. Okay. I have to be asked to make all this money in order to be successful
[00:11:54.220]And so I really reframe the way that I thought about my educational journey
[00:11:59.050]But then also the way that I was intersecting that educational journey with what I wanted to do and how to impact
[00:12:05.530]the world and even more so in my community
[00:12:08.470]And one of the things that is so funny
[00:12:10.470]I always come back to you is that to whom much is given much is expected
[00:12:13.690]And by my advisor that I had her name was Linda Lydia and she was my in double AC P advisor. Yeah, and
[00:12:21.310]every
[00:12:22.510]Every moment and every time I just continue to think about to who much is given much is expected
[00:12:26.650]And so I have all these opportunities
[00:12:29.020]throughout my career and even throughout college and
[00:12:32.020]Things of that nature that there's a responsibility that I feel like I have to give back to my community
[00:12:37.480]Because it's not just about me being successful. It's about the whole community being successful
[00:12:43.720]And so that that kind of resonated with this piece to for me around what what is passion what is vocation? What is calling?
[00:12:50.880]There's a release of responsibility
[00:12:52.510]I feel there's a responsibility for me especially as a black male to be able to help other black in be
[00:12:58.480]Successful in whatever way that looks like and and everyone has a different path
[00:13:02.760]Everyone has a different journey higher education may not be the thing for them
[00:13:06.210]But if I can provide some words of wisdom or some advice or guidance about how I approach things and and navigated life
[00:13:14.350]Like that's to me that's good
[00:13:16.570]That's a great place to be
[00:13:18.190]Not just in the sense of like every every person has to go to higher ed or even person has to go to college
[00:13:23.480]That's not necessarily the piece because I my brother didn't go to college so
[00:13:28.740]We know brother, you know the brother. I'm not the one that has passed on the college
[00:13:32.450]so and I said
[00:13:33.590]My brother is very successful still and then so I can think through some of those experiences that I that I can't say
[00:13:40.730]Those are people's passions - they're there
[00:13:44.490]In spirit, they they are doing all these wonderful cool things and they're living and they're happy
[00:13:51.960]That they're happy with what they're doing
[00:13:55.650]Absolutely, and yes you were talking to Cornell you this
[00:13:59.820]Notion about the the the purpose and the pathway, right?
[00:14:04.190]And we talked a lot about that your path could look very different
[00:14:08.820]Didn't write other people's path and there was one of the pre-submitted question was sort of getting at what's the purpose of higher?
[00:14:15.120]Education and when is it important and part of it is you know
[00:14:18.020]Once you identify what the purpose like what your calling is
[00:14:22.290]There there could be a number of different pathways right where you may or may not include higher education. I think certainly as
[00:14:29.880]individuals who are employed by sadducees higher education
[00:14:32.750]we certainly recognized the power and the opportunities that education provides but
[00:14:38.310]going to whether it's a two-year or four-year institution may not be
[00:14:44.040]the path for you
[00:14:45.170]Right, and there's a number of things that are driving that you might think back to so like you you were thinking attorney, right?
[00:14:50.150]I with the College of me and an engineer, you know
[00:14:54.320]And I did engineering that you discovered your sort of crossroad allure early on earlier in the night
[00:14:59.190]I was an engineer and I finished college and went right into an
[00:15:05.520]Engineering job. It paid great
[00:15:07.580]You know sometimes our paths are also distributing
[00:15:10.440]our own need for safety and security and so
[00:15:13.710]sometimes paying a be like it's part of like I know that I want to be able to do this and so
[00:15:18.960]we may not be in a position to be able to sort of take risk anyway, and so people are often thinking about
[00:15:25.740]You know, I'm really passionate about this. Do I quit my job to go and pursue my passions?
[00:15:31.610]I don't know maybe right math
[00:15:33.480]As you were mentioning it sort of depends on your level of security and safety
[00:15:37.680]and where you are in your life and what makes the most sense and what's possible and so sometimes
[00:15:42.779]We can be on past but I think as you mentioned Carnall that is really important that when we're on these pathways if we are
[00:15:50.399]Thoughtful and mindful about what the purpose is we can still figure out that ok
[00:15:54.920]Your pathway was communications
[00:15:56.240]Like I'm on the communication pathway while the purpose right has changed you still
[00:16:01.320]Began to see that this still path that I'm on around getting my degree in communications can still move me
[00:16:07.350]Towards this other now purpose, right? And so I think as we move through this conversation as people are watching. I hope you think about
[00:16:14.430]That paths and purpose can sometimes are different things. I mean in in the perfect world. They overlap really nicely
[00:16:23.399]So, yeah, I think
[00:16:26.100]You know also the piece around finding purpose isn't just the end destination it's not like
[00:16:34.290]And I think that's the other piece that I think is really important as we talk about finding purpose finding purpose is a journey like
[00:16:40.949]it will shift and change and move and so
[00:16:44.820]Being able to just be authentic with yourself to say this is what in this moment and at this time this is what purpose looks
[00:16:50.420]Like for me it may be different two to three years down the road
[00:16:53.630]It may be different a month later because you're trying to figure out some other things and you're you don't exist in this
[00:17:00.300]you know vacuum and so you're engaging in the world in ways you're connecting with your
[00:17:06.240]family and friends and colleagues and things of the nature and these big
[00:17:10.110]You know challenging issues in our world come up and you're like I can do that. I can make an impact there
[00:17:15.750]I think that's another piece to
[00:17:17.730]add to this is like purpose isn't just a one time being it's you gonna it's gonna shift and change it's gonna swing it and
[00:17:24.600]That's okay to be able to say right now. My purpose is this and if it changes in a few years, that's okay
[00:17:31.620]Absolutely, absolutely. So as a reminder to everyone you are please feel free to ask questions using the question and answer
[00:17:39.660]application at the bottom at this time
[00:17:41.419]We're gonna see if we have a question from those viewing on do we have a question for us?
[00:17:47.909]We do not have any submitted questions, but dr. McConnell black we did get a congratulations
[00:18:07.409]So I'm gonna pull one of our pre maybe two of our pre submitted questions
[00:18:12.509]they came a little earlier and
[00:18:15.509]one of the questions is
[00:18:18.359]So as we've been talking about paths, I think I'll ask some about career trajectory and what that looks like
[00:18:24.619]So there was a question about what advice would you offer a recent graduate?
[00:18:29.789]Considering that we're in the midst of Kobe 19 and the impact that's having on higher education
[00:18:34.460]We don't be furtive hiring freezes that sort of thing
[00:18:37.470]interested in pursuing a career in either Student Affairs or diversity and inclusion and
[00:18:44.489]So I'm gonna toss it to my colleague
[00:18:49.769]Because I would say Cornell that while you're in Student Affairs
[00:18:52.730]I think you've been really intentional and thoughtful about how you infuse
[00:18:57.450]DNI diversity inclusion and equity work and social justice in your work as a student affairs practitioner, right? And I think I think
[00:19:06.149]my advice you know for folks is
[00:19:08.909]There's always going to be a fountain there's a foundation of things and you know, I've shared with so many, you know
[00:19:15.869]Students who have graduated whether they're undergraduate students wanting to go into the profession of higher education
[00:19:22.470]Whatever functional area being bi or in particular student affairs functional areas
[00:19:28.039]Whether it's housing or you know orientation whatever the case may be even career bites and career centers and things of that nature
[00:19:35.369]And so my my biggest advice to folks is know at some point you you know what you're looking for
[00:19:43.049]But in a time like this
[00:19:45.149]the flexibility is really
[00:19:46.739]important too because at the end of the day if you're if you have a really good solid foundation about what it is that you
[00:19:52.399]Want to be doing in what you want to be accomplishing and the ways that you want to do that?
[00:19:56.659]I think that helps you kind of kind of
[00:19:59.729]focus and narrow
[00:20:01.799]On some opportunities that probably will be more beneficial to you
[00:20:05.729]so when I think about this, I'm like
[00:20:07.309]Okay
[00:20:07.580]If Dei is really important and essential to what you're doing and and yet you say you want to do orientation as your functional area
[00:20:15.450]But there's no orientation functional jobs
[00:20:18.330]But VI is kind of like your EEI is your base
[00:20:21.029]The base of what you want to be doing or what you want to be accomplishing. It's okay to say, okay
[00:20:25.369]Can I do D? I work in housing and in Residence Life and and really San okay. There's opportunities there
[00:20:33.450]Because I'm sure you know that may be an area, you know, given this climate, you know
[00:20:38.220]People are saying okay
[00:20:39.629]Folks are me coming back to campus as soon they're gonna be living in the halls and folks are gonna want one too
[00:20:44.940]We don't need professionals to do that working for my support there
[00:20:48.169]It's gonna look very different. But at the base of it you have this, you know foundation Dei is your passion
[00:20:55.409]And you can leverage those skills in that work?
[00:20:59.009]Especially when we think about creating equitable practices within housing or or whatnot
[00:21:04.559]So there's just I think I think it's innovate. It's gonna be flexible
[00:21:09.139]I think you have to be flexible and be willing to be flexible
[00:21:12.659]especially in times like this where some institutions are not hiring and there are people who are being laid off and
[00:21:19.889]Sometimes the first job is not always you shouldn't consider the first job the last job like I mean, that's the reality especially for folks
[00:21:28.710]who are my age and I'm a millennial by the way, so
[00:21:33.239]Millennials
[00:21:34.649]Lots of jobs. It's just the nature of it. That's what research says. And so
[00:21:39.960]And so just know that this is not the end-all so you may say oh I've learned a lot of great things in that job
[00:21:46.169]Their first job and it has definitely set me up for the next the next opportunity and that's okay, too
[00:21:51.840]But knowing that things are gonna be limited and you don't have to be a little flexible
[00:21:56.009]But you shouldn't compromise
[00:21:58.859]you're
[00:21:59.940]yourself as a relates to ethics integrity and come on some of the you know
[00:22:04.229]foundational things that are kind of your core and I think
[00:22:07.769]Understanding what your purpose is will help you like the appropriate opportunities without compromising that yeah, absolutely
[00:22:14.360]I mean, I think all that you say have a completely echo
[00:22:17.390]I would add again going back to this path and purpose conversation that sometimes
[00:22:21.870]Again, there are multiple paths to sort of live your purpose into Cornell's point, I think
[00:22:26.790]As there are opportunities you can always be a student, right?
[00:22:30.650]So it's like you should always be learning thinking about how do I get more information? How do I increase my expertise?
[00:22:37.190]So if you are
[00:22:38.700]Really committed to DNI and you want a career in DNI and there's just a lot of opportunities
[00:22:43.070]You also have some skill sets that maybe whether it's housing or maybe it's business in finance
[00:22:49.190]So I think depending on where you lead right because you ain't going back to safety and security
[00:22:53.660]I recognize I think we recognize that sometimes you need
[00:22:56.630]I mean you need a job and you have some skills that allow you to start on a path
[00:23:01.350]but keeping your purpose in the back of your mind is also really important so that as Cornell was saying
[00:23:06.450]As you are thinking about what job functions or what activities you engage in? You're gonna be a bit more
[00:23:13.410]Intentional and deliberate about connecting those back to your purpose. So that's really important. That's right, Marco
[00:23:19.250]I think the intentionality piece is really important just
[00:23:23.610]Just not your thing
[00:23:24.650]and I'm gonna just pick one thing and just do it and
[00:23:26.940]like being strategic and very thoughtful and intentional about what it is that you're doing and then when you're in those jobs to to figure
[00:23:33.320]Out ways that you can have collateral opportunities as well that really speak to your passions and speak to your purpose
[00:23:39.290]There's another element to that I would include
[00:23:42.540]Absolutely
[00:23:44.430]question, so there was
[00:23:47.310]Some questions submitted live if you'd like to
[00:23:53.340]Question from Holly
[00:23:54.500]I really appreciate your you offering the balance of finding your passion while also looking for a viable career
[00:24:02.580]But how do we have that conversation?
[00:24:05.460]without offending someone or presumably
[00:24:09.120]pigeonholing then
[00:24:13.380]For me
[00:24:15.570]How do you have the conversation about
[00:24:18.750]finding your passion while still looking for a viable career with someone without offending them or
[00:24:26.700]pigeonholing them
[00:24:29.460]So, I guess I can make me start Carnell and then as you're thinking about it
[00:24:33.170]so this is a really great question and I and I think that
[00:24:36.420]I'm gonna tie back to what karna mentioned about having this core value, right?
[00:24:40.640]So these these core values are things that are important to you
[00:24:43.940]I think it's absolutely fine that when you are interviewing or having conversations about
[00:24:50.310]About a role to be able to ask a future employer
[00:24:54.450]How you might be able to incorporate?
[00:24:57.000]Some key things that are important to you, right?
[00:24:59.780]So if you are in a place where you have a skillset that maybe design is your skillset and you're going into a design role
[00:25:07.500]Ultimately, you may want to be in student affairs or be in DNI more concretely
[00:25:11.960]I think it's okay to go in and to be able to say what's really important to me as I
[00:25:17.610]engage in design work is also
[00:25:20.010]Looking at it through a DNI lens or is really important to me to be thinking about how this work connects with students
[00:25:26.030]And so I think I'm having this sort of value based conversations is one way I think that you can frame
[00:25:33.360]These things that are part of your getting part of your passion where you have some purpose
[00:25:38.280]And and to really talk through what that could look like
[00:25:41.910]In a in a potential career, but I don't know Carnall you have thoughts about that, you know
[00:25:46.620]maybe I'm gonna take it from a different perspective a little bit because I think
[00:25:49.920]You know, if you party advisor yours having a conversation with other folks or other
[00:25:55.500]Students or whatever the case may be
[00:25:57.990]sometimes
[00:26:00.150]People may make bill offended in some way because you're giving them some truth
[00:26:06.180]Sometimes is
[00:26:08.520]Hard to digest and so as you even have those conversations with folks
[00:26:12.650]I think part of it is I think going back to a Marco said to is
[00:26:17.190]Leading from that those values
[00:26:19.230]Conversations that you probably have with that individual and then saying okay, how do we loop back to that inside back into that?
[00:26:26.420]because I think
[00:26:27.720]That's gonna be really important for them to really hear saying, okay
[00:26:32.880]Like let's try to suspend judgment about what something could be if we don't really know. Yeah
[00:26:39.080]And then also to say, you know
[00:26:42.080]here's
[00:26:43.220]I'm a realist at times
[00:26:45.230]I'm practical in nature
[00:26:47.110]So for me, I just got to be just upfront and honest about the reality of situations that were in and so sometimes
[00:26:54.019]Hearing that directly. It's probably helpful
[00:26:57.049]And it may come again
[00:26:58.389]sometimes they may come across this feeling like oh I
[00:27:01.070]didn't really listen to the student the way I wanted to or the individual the way that they wanted they
[00:27:06.139]Maybe they wanted to feel a different way about something
[00:27:09.350]But I think it's really important to just be honest with the individual when they're having those conversations to say here's the reality
[00:27:15.440]Like and maybe they haven't had their reality check and you're the person that's giving them that reality check
[00:27:20.860]I think they will value that much more
[00:27:23.870]And the moment made that maybe not so much but down the road
[00:27:26.950]Hopefully they'll have an opportunity to reflect and say oh I see what that how why you said that or I see
[00:27:32.389]What that meant now?
[00:27:34.340]and even just prompting them to stop and reflect for a moment - because I think that's another piece of
[00:27:39.950]When someone is I want to say people are in their feelings when people are in their feeling
[00:27:45.169]What advice you've given them or something like that?
[00:27:47.889]I would I would say take a moment to just say let's take a moment to reflect about why
[00:27:53.149]They for that person said why are you feeling that way what's coming up for you?
[00:27:56.500]It's really dive into that and it's not meant to be a counselor or a therapist or anything like that
[00:28:01.899]but to really understand what what's the what's the
[00:28:05.240]Concern or what's the the fear that's coming from from that place so that you can actually break through and provide
[00:28:11.809]The the real advice that they want to hear
[00:28:14.809]Absolutely. Um, so we want to share a little bit
[00:28:17.559]so when you register we did provide a
[00:28:21.470]Link to the article from Katrina Ruth on the 7 steps to living your life with purpose
[00:28:27.039]And so we want to bring up from for those who may not have had a chance to look over the article
[00:28:31.730]There were seven items
[00:28:34.250]They have been provided by Katrina
[00:28:37.220]Ruth on these steps, right? And so she talks a lot about again understanding what life should feel like
[00:28:45.379]tap into your calling within
[00:28:47.600]Trust yourself to get what others think feel the fear
[00:28:51.700]Sorry, feel the fear and take the first step. Anyway, we think your to-do lists check in with yourself daily
[00:28:58.340]And then recognize that you have everything
[00:29:02.330]That you need and so I'm curious Carnell, you know again
[00:29:07.570]we've talked briefly about these but I'm curious of
[00:29:11.420]If there's one or a merger or motor one that really resonates with you
[00:29:19.250]Which is about yourself
[00:29:21.440]others think I'm just telling you right now I when I
[00:29:25.700]I
[00:29:27.080]Think I I've always had these moments of like trusting myself in trusting my abilities
[00:29:33.170]And second-guessing myself. I think it
[00:29:36.140]constantly happens
[00:29:38.630]Also known as impostor syndrome, but also I think one of the things that I've learned is
[00:29:46.850]And I think I'm continuously developing in this area but
[00:29:52.280]trust in yourself I think is really important in this because it goes back to
[00:29:56.600]Kind of your again the foundation of your values of why you're doing what you're doing your purpose that core
[00:30:03.590]And they're gonna be people out there that don't want to see you be successful
[00:30:08.120]they're gonna be people out there that are gonna put barriers and things in your way and I think the biggest thing about
[00:30:14.930]You know finding your purpose
[00:30:17.660]This this is your journey. Like this is your journey. It's not someone else's journey. I think everybody has a thing about someone's journey
[00:30:28.400]You're the one that
[00:30:30.530]you're walking it your day in and day out and so for
[00:30:36.200]At least for me I'm always thinking about okay, this is my path
[00:30:39.580]I don't need to compare myself to other folks and figure out what other people think about me
[00:30:44.000]I'm gonna do the best that I can that I know I can you're great contribute the best that I know
[00:30:50.000]Because that's what's important because at the end of the day when you're done
[00:30:52.970]And when you go home and go to sleep like you want to know that you've done your best for that day
[00:30:57.700]You've done your part you help your community. You've you've contributed to something in some meaningful way for yourself
[00:31:05.660]that that is making an impact and I can tell you whether it's one person is says thank you or
[00:31:11.570]You get an email from a student or colleague two or three two years later about something that you did
[00:31:17.450]Those are the those are the moments that really matter to say. Yes. I did. I did what I did, right
[00:31:22.240]I did good like you own it. It's okay to own how good you are
[00:31:27.110]Yeah, I love that
[00:31:28.210]you know and I think
[00:31:29.900]Certainly, all of these certainly resonate in so many different ways. I think for me they were probably to this standout
[00:31:36.730]I'll try to try to
[00:31:38.270]Talk to those quickly
[00:31:40.490]But Katrina talks about you know, the number five we think your to-do list. So again, I'm I'm engineer by training folks
[00:31:47.200]I'm sorry that I'm
[00:31:48.800]sort of have that mechanical way of thinking and lists always help me and so in that roof says that
[00:31:56.960]Decide what matters in advance right? So it's this notion that somehow
[00:32:03.890]our
[00:32:05.540]Purpose is gonna rain down and be so neat and tidy and it'll just happen
[00:32:12.770]This sort of goes back to the intentionality that we both had talked about earlier that I really do believe and it's so important to
[00:32:18.400]just
[00:32:18.830]Take time and even during this time like taking time and going
[00:32:22.100]Here are things that really matter to me. Like these are the things I really want to accomplish
[00:32:25.610]This is the these are the places that I want to have impact and sometimes
[00:32:30.200]Knowing that can be so powerful and help you
[00:32:32.560]So again, I think at least for me, I'm much referred for Carnell, but for me when I went from engineer to now DNI
[00:32:38.870]practitioner
[00:32:40.130]Even as an engineer even practicing engineering like I knew that DNI issues really matter to me
[00:32:46.730]How about how I got there was just some happenstance some intentionality
[00:32:52.370]But at least I knew like I knew exactly
[00:32:55.400]What mattered most for me in a van so that as I made decisions I could be really thoughtful about that
[00:33:01.730]The last one the number seven I thought was really interesting is like recognizing that you have everything you need
[00:33:07.130]So I think that sort of variable right? I mean we all have different identities and I think that
[00:33:15.800]The way in which we navigate the world
[00:33:18.570]Often times based on our identities is based on little experiences. And so I think that when I
[00:33:24.900]Interpret it as Ruth has it here one could interpret it as you know
[00:33:29.060]there are
[00:33:29.760]talents and skills that you that we have in us that can absolutely help catapult us to the next thing right and so we've all
[00:33:36.900]Maybe not all but some of us have probably done some sort of self-assessment
[00:33:40.730]that's told us what our strengths are and I think it's really important to really tap into that and not get lost into I
[00:33:47.280]have to
[00:33:48.930]Be a vice-chancellor s'ti like this person practices being a vice-chancellor
[00:33:54.300]VP of Student Affairs the exact same way that this other VP
[00:33:58.140]managing so I think it's about
[00:34:00.330]Identifying and really owning owning who you are and being able to use it
[00:34:03.690]But I think also
[00:34:04.890]recognizing that
[00:34:05.580]Sometimes there are things that we may not have everything we need and so we may have to be thoughtful in mine for a longer
[00:34:11.540]Path, but there may be some things that that we really need to pick up along the way to help us
[00:34:17.850]To really help us towards towards our purpose and I think being able to gain to find that ultimate
[00:34:24.510]ultimate count ultimate calling is really important to
[00:34:28.080]I want to make sure for the sake of time. We're gonna fast forward a little bit Carnell. That's okay with you
[00:34:36.350]And again just remind people that you can submit questions. And so Jerry, do we have a question from the Q&A?
[00:34:44.070]Yes, we do
[00:34:45.990]Barbara says thinking about how we
[00:34:49.350]individually seek to find
[00:34:51.629]acknowledge purpose in our professional and personal lives
[00:34:55.290]Can you share how community has played a role and formed your journey?
[00:35:03.960]Yes, please because
[00:35:07.050]What you were sharing Marco about, you know, you have everything that you need
[00:35:11.060]I recognize that you have everything you need and I think part of that too is
[00:35:14.610]Community like your community is a part of this journey
[00:35:17.940]And I think for me that it definitely is is what informed my purpose and why I'm doing what I'm doing
[00:35:25.260]and it starts with the the conversation of seeing folks who are engaged in my neighborhood and
[00:35:31.910]And knowing that there were other avenues or opportunities for them to navigate
[00:35:36.710]but when wasn't available to them and so I I was I go back to this in the community because
[00:35:44.099]That's at the end of the day really important for me and it's important that we think about our communities
[00:35:52.079]Collectively like we there's nothing in this world that we accomplish by ourselves
[00:35:55.799]Like we have if you forget about community then I mean that's that's really
[00:36:02.849]That's selfish essentially to me. I mean, that's why I keep going back also to the
[00:36:07.589]Model of you know too much is given much is expected
[00:36:10.109]because
[00:36:12.030]In that community is it's about community. It's not just about self
[00:36:16.859]and so recognizing that
[00:36:19.589]The community dear community is important
[00:36:22.710]And that community looks different for everybody
[00:36:25.829]And it's not just again family
[00:36:27.859]It's not just friends
[00:36:28.910]but it's also people who you come into contact with at a conference or
[00:36:32.910]That you have an interaction with you know on the street or you have the grocery store whatever you case may be
[00:36:38.099]Can you get a chance to learn something from folks and I think that's the the beauty of being in this world together with folks
[00:36:44.210]Is that we don't have to do anything alone. Like right. I'm so out there
[00:36:47.539]They want to support you and want to help you be successful no matter whether it's personal or professional
[00:36:51.960]They're going people who want to be there to help you lift you up and that's what I think
[00:36:56.520]it's really important as we think through this idea of my couch community is connected to that and
[00:37:03.029]And sometimes also I think I've also found that there are times when folks don't want to even use the community. That's it
[00:37:09.680]They're there. They want to help but
[00:37:12.750]I got this. I want to do it on my own. It's ok to
[00:37:17.339]Ask for help and it's ok, because there's gonna be people there that want to help they want to provide this support
[00:37:22.309]So when someone asks, you know, once they wants to help you accomplish something go for it
[00:37:28.109]Absolutely. I completely did all of it. I think that's a really great really great response. And so we'll take one question
[00:37:35.059]That was pre submitted
[00:37:36.990]so
[00:37:38.039]Let's take a sec. Let's take this one
[00:37:41.160]So right now we have an awesome opportunity to prioritize our personal and professional development
[00:37:47.470]How do you recommend we maintain this when we go back to campus? So I think I'm still trying to
[00:37:58.329]Quite honestly
[00:37:59.529]I'm really honest and that it's been really tough for me in terms of I think the physical
[00:38:06.760]distancing from work and life and
[00:38:10.029]Professional development personal development was probably a little easier when we were in the office. And so
[00:38:16.210]So I've let me like I'm not doing a great job at keeping those and keeping keeps or keeping that in mind
[00:38:22.630]but I will say this I think that and this sort of goes back to roofs seven point about
[00:38:29.140]Not seven, but but the fifth point about having a to-do list
[00:38:32.589]so
[00:38:33.490]I'm always just thinking about
[00:38:35.829]what's the next thing for me to learn and whether that is I want to pick up a
[00:38:41.980]Foreign language and learn something new on my own or it's in my profession
[00:38:47.640]There's a new delivery or a new approach to DNI
[00:38:51.130]That I want to connect with a colleague and be able to do that
[00:38:54.660]And so I think that you know to the point of how you prioritize
[00:38:57.910]I'm just a huge believer of being able to articulate it and note it and document it and
[00:39:03.700]Again, always have that list so that again
[00:39:07.020]you know what matters most so that when there are opportunities you can certainly
[00:39:12.609]certainly remind yourself that it's an opportunity that aligns with again those core values those those
[00:39:19.599]areas that I've said it's really important for me to have some type of growth around and I also would say
[00:39:25.569]It's really important having that conversation with supervisors, too, and I'm a huge proponent. So
[00:39:31.299]members of my team know that
[00:39:33.760]we always I
[00:39:35.680]Try to incorporate a section in our meetings that's just around comments and concerns and there's a space to be able to really talk through
[00:39:44.049]What's next certainly we are having ongoing conversations about professional development. So I'm just a I'm a personal proponent that
[00:39:51.670]Trying to provide a pathway for people to be thoughtful about how they do want undeveloped and I think it's important to have that conversation
[00:39:58.920]Supervisor so that you are that you're able to articulate that these are areas that really matter to me
[00:40:06.190]Professionally and in just making time and your and then making time for yourself on those personal developmental aspects
[00:40:14.079]I'm just a short, you know, it's so funny now that I don't have to study and
[00:40:22.720]A different perspective. I'm like, I'm trying to focus on personal right now and I'm like, okay
[00:40:27.119]Can I get my run-ins now? Can I what can I do to?
[00:40:30.520]Get back to some balance
[00:40:32.740]and and so for me, it's more for me the next really the next a
[00:40:38.049]Few months will be around
[00:40:39.640]finding that balance again around the personal pieces and personal health and well-being because again going through a doctorate program is
[00:40:47.380]Not easy. It's definitely challenging
[00:40:49.780]It's time-consuming you you sometimes you have to lift your friends go to the subway side
[00:40:55.170]And yeah your husband for me my husband going to the wayside for a little bit
[00:40:59.880]I acknowledge that he was in this with with me so
[00:41:04.780]But it's important to know that like for me relationships are really important for the personal
[00:41:10.660]and so I want to make time for that those relationships and and and it is a
[00:41:15.609]Commitment to say I can build in that time
[00:41:17.799]Like I need to make sure just like I did it for a degree
[00:41:20.490]I need to build in this time now to rebuild the relationships that I
[00:41:28.180]Absolutely, so then we may have to have a warm more question Jerry. Is there another question in the Q&A?
[00:41:35.260]um
[00:41:36.579]Yes, we have a question
[00:41:39.040]Congratulations, dr. McConnell black a
[00:41:41.380]Question, how do you remain committed to advancing black men specifically while not making others who may not be black
[00:41:49.200]Men, they'll slide it or left out
[00:41:53.170]So here's my here's my philosophy around this
[00:41:56.559]When I think about the most marginalized individuals whether they're on our campuses or in our communities
[00:42:03.460]My sense of things is again. This is me going back to some of the crystherium
[00:42:09.220]discussions and dialogues and literature and learn that I have done and
[00:42:14.280]and so for me
[00:42:15.680]It's like I think about that work in whatever policies or things that come up that are impacting
[00:42:21.900]in particular black men, I
[00:42:24.990]Think whatever we did whatever decisions I'm making or deciding or programs or things that I'm putting in place actually gonna be uplifting everybody
[00:42:32.010]So it's not that it's just gonna only impact black men. There's gonna be some times where that impact actually happens
[00:42:39.600]For everybody and I think even on my own campus right now I serve as a mentor for first-generation
[00:42:45.360]students and I have three black males that I
[00:42:48.600]Mentored and so I think it's it's for me. It's also being intentional about
[00:42:53.520]the personal pieces for me that it's a personal a
[00:43:00.900]Personal
[00:43:03.510]Reason why I want to do you know why I want to help black men in particular
[00:43:07.310]But it doesn't mean that I don't care about everybody else
[00:43:10.470]But there are some pieces around my own
[00:43:12.720]identities that I think I want to make sure that I am supporting and providing support to black man to know that that I
[00:43:18.780]Want them to say, oh, I can accomplish that again
[00:43:22.320]They may not have seen that they may not have had that opportunity as other folks. Are they again?
[00:43:27.200]Their their life experiences are going to be very different
[00:43:30.240]Depending on their own their circumstances, so I think for me at the end of a one from a personal standpoint
[00:43:36.930]That's the part where you go back to like you trusting yourself and saying, okay
[00:43:41.090]it doesn't matter what anybody else thinks and
[00:43:43.230]saying I'm wondering I'm gonna do this because this is a foundation of Who I am and what I want to do and then the
[00:43:48.620]Other piece of it is from a professional standpoint. It's like the things that I'm doing is actually going to be uplifting everybody
[00:43:53.930]So yes, I mean, I mean it may start off with having these dialogues and conversations
[00:43:58.170]Around you know, black men, but guess what that's gonna uplift everybody if you know the day
[00:44:04.650]Thank You Cornell, so I know we are at time
[00:44:08.610]Incarnate and I could probably talk even another
[00:44:11.730]Two hours about a lot of these topics. There's a few things that I wanted to at least bring to your attention
[00:44:18.690]there's this concept so
[00:44:21.180]the book the soul of leadership by
[00:44:25.850]Deepak Chopra, I was a really great
[00:44:28.320]Resource but I want to read it on read this excerpt I think is really powerful as we're thinking about
[00:44:32.940]sort of again purpose and your passion and what's next and
[00:44:37.230]in Chopra talks about this idea about having really
[00:44:41.490]Heightened awareness, right? So the author says that I believe the soul is an expression of an underlying
[00:44:48.900]Universal field of consciousness
[00:44:51.510]Your particular awareness or soul is like a wave and this boundless scene
[00:44:57.240]unique for a
[00:44:58.290]Brief moment in time before it falls back into the larger entity from rich at emerge at the soul level
[00:45:05.850]You are seamlessly
[00:45:07.950]Connected with everything in the universe
[00:45:10.470]to the silent domain from which all matter and energy spring and so I think it reminds us about just how much
[00:45:18.630]Were connected to so many things and that we're interconnected. And so there's so many different opportunities and I believe endless pathways
[00:45:27.240]To really help us live live our full purpose
[00:45:30.800]and so I want to thank Carnall for being our guests for ADNI live at five and
[00:45:37.410]Thank all of you for being part of the segment. I'm a few housekeeping things
[00:45:40.760]So we are placing a link in the feedback in the chat section at this moment
[00:45:46.700]And we're hoping that everyone will take about a minute to copy and paste that link into your browser
[00:45:51.330]And so that we're asking registrants to please complete the feedback survey and provide us with
[00:45:59.430]Some really great feedback. I hope great for you back around
[00:46:03.630]the future of DNI live at five
[00:46:07.530]ten randomly selected students who
[00:46:10.980]Complete the feedback form will receive a free copy of Chopra's book the soul of leadership
[00:46:17.490]Once you complete your feedback form
[00:46:19.520]you will receive confirmation with the code that will ask for you to
[00:46:24.210]Send that code back in to have your opportunity to be part of the drawing and so
[00:46:30.210]Carnall thank you so much to scores great in you and again
[00:46:35.570]Thank you all for joining again dee and I live at five at this time. We're going to provide ways to contact us
[00:46:41.759]with additional comments or questions
[00:46:43.609]We know that you had so many questions for us and we hate that we could not get
[00:46:49.230]get to all of them but in the spirit of
[00:46:52.349]purpose and pathways
[00:46:54.630]We are certainly both committed to helping others
[00:46:57.710]Think about their own pathways and purpose and so you can certainly please note our contact information
[00:47:04.650]there and so we hope that you certainly enjoy your evening and
[00:47:09.750]Thank you for tuning in at DNI live at five
[00:47:29.619]You

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Live at Five: Finding Your Purpose

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