Written by Mattie Rametta
Dr. Porshe Garner is the New Director of Academic Advising and Study Abroad. She was born in Oakland, California, but was raised on the South Side of Chicago. Her bachelor’s degree is in psychology with a minor in African-American studies. Her master’s degree is in education policy studies as well as her Ph.D. is in education policy studies with a graduate minor in women and gender studies. Garner is an alumnus of the University of Illinois.
She has previously been an academic advisor as a graduate student. Garner was Executive Director of The Art Film Foundation (AFF) for a year. AFF is an independent art theatre that just recently closed. Garner also co-organized a collective called “Saving Our Lives Hear Our Truths,” “(SOLHOT)” where they create youth-serving spaces that serve middle school and high school-aged black girls like libraries and schools. They use art to mediate the celebration of black girlhood. She organizes the campaign, “Black Girl Genius Week,” where they bring different artists to showcase their art as well as teach. “Black Girl Genius Week” will be held in June in Chicago. Garner still works with this organization.
Garner has high hopes for her time at Concordia University Chicago (CUC). She plans to strengthen our study abroad program, streamline and tighten our processes, and growing the advisors that are here. She wants to grow and improve work conditions so that all students grow and reach their professional goals and desires.
Her long term goals are to increase the number of students who are studying abroad. She wants to increase the programming and outreach to students, where she hopes to focus on student development and to create a space for that. Garner wants to create a space where advisors have the opportunity to really get to know their students and develop them as people in order to create men and women who are equipped to lead.
Garner is excited to embark on this new journey as a community, “I am excited to be here [CUC] and I look forward to the work we will do together to make this an even better place because I am all about the next level.”
