KALAMAZOO, Mich. — As we celebrate Women's History Month, a trio of women at a West Michigan institution are making history.
For the first time, Western Michigan University Academic Affairs has a college led by three Black women.
"It is such an exciting historical moment. I don’t know very many institutions who have three women, African-American leaders at the helm," said Merze Tate College's Interim Dean Dr. Staci Perryman-Clark.
Dr. Staci Perryman-Clark, Dr. Deveta Gardner and Tomika Griffin-Brown have been serving together since 2023.
As they navigate the journey of being Black women in leadership positions, they're also hoping to use their voices to inspire other students.
"To all women, I would like to say, I see you. I see you, and I see you," said Merze Tate College's Assistant Dean of Academic Advising Tomika Griffin-Brown.
Within Merze Tate College at Western Michigan University, three women have made history.
"Having three Black women leading a college named after a successful black woman is just humbling and powerful in itself," said Merze Tate College's Associate Dean Dr. Deveta Gardner.
The trio, oversees the college offering supportive services for students to help with the school's retention goals.
"We are at a point now where WMU is starting to see gains within the retention rates that we just saw this past fall, which was 79.8%," said Griffin-Brown.
The college was named after Dr. Merze Tate, the first Black student to obtain a bachelor's degree from Western Michigan University, just part of her journey as a trailblazer.
"We see our work as part of honoring her legacy and continuing to be the access-driven institution and college that we are, so we can encourage also our students to overcome barriers and also think about and reflect on their first in terms of why they’re here at Western Michigan University," said Dr. Perryman-Clark.
Breyana Wilson, a senior at WMU says the three women have been instrumental in her college experience.
"They played a huge role in my desire to continue on in higher education, and because I’m at a predominantly white institution with a college that is named after a Black woman, spearheaded by three Black women, that’s amazing as a young Black student wanting to take that path," said Western Michigan University Senior Breyana Wilson.
While the three women say they're honored to be in these positions, they also understand they're working to make these opportunities more visible and accessible for other young women, especially young women of color.
"Just the contrast between how we support each other and see each other, but the moment we exit this space, it is a cruel reality that hits us in the face. Every environment is not this supportive," said Dr. Perryman-Clark.
The trio says this only the beginning of their hopes for the future, and for the students who will come through the college.
"I would say to young women ‘Make sure you are taking the time to prepare yourself to rise. Rise to the challenge. Rise to your goals and rise to the place of success’, and that is what success means to you. Not to other people," said Dr. Gardner.
The student the three women have mentored, Breyana Wilson, will graduate next month.
Her future has ties in West Michigan. She has a job working with The Kalamazoo Promise, which she was also a recipient of.
Wilson also plans to get her graduate degree at Western Michigan University in higher education in a year.
