Forget, for a moment, Akesha Horton’s Outstanding Faculty Mentor/Advocate Award. Let’s get to the heart of how the director of curriculum and instruction for the Luddy School of Informatics, Computing, and Engineering makes a difference in students’ lives.
It starts with relationship building and if that includes throwing an anime party, Horton is all in.
“Instead of just working on getting a task done,” she says from her Luddy School office, “I spend time getting to know them.”
That means going beyond the expected.
“We have bonding activities,” Horton says. “One time, I asked them what they really like to do. They said they liked to watch anime. So, we had an anime party.”
Horton used anime, which is a style of animation that originated in Japan, to get past superficial conversation and build deeper connections with students to better advise them. That’s important at any time, especially in the world of women in technology.
“It gave us a chance to talk,” she says. “When you do that, you get to learn about them. It gives you ideas on ways to do things differently.
“They might mention they have this interest. You try to find a way they can integrate that interest into what they’re supposed to do. That makes them more passionate about doing it because they have a connection to it.”
This approach is among the reasons why Horton will be honored during Tuesday’s Faculty and Staff Mentor Awards Recognition Celebration at the Memorial Union Solarium.
“I’m surprised and grateful,” she says.
The Faculty Mentor/Advocate Award is sponsored by the IU Center of Excellence for Women & Technology and the Office of the Vice Provost for Faculty & Academic Affairs. The Center annually recognizes faculty and staff who mentor, motivate, encourage, and advocate for women across Indiana University, with a special focus on those who nurture the development of technical skills for women.
Horton was nominated by students she supports on the Black Women & Technology Alliance Team in her role as faculty champion.
“I’m somebody students can talk to. They’re charged with putting together different initiatives based on what their (year-long) missions are. They can talk to me to think through what they want to do, and I help them revise their mission and vision, and then help them implement programs throughout the year.”
Jayla Langford, a Ph.D. student and lead intern for the Black Women & Technology Alliance Team, calls Horton a “supportive and outstanding mentor, advocate and role model.”
“Although she has a rigorous schedule,” Langford says, “Akesha goes above and beyond to help our team be dedicated to promoting the academic, career and social advancement of black and other minority women at IU. She is open-minded, inclusive, reliable, persistent and dedicated. She is committed to not only reaching her professional, academic and personal goals, but has inspired (Alliance team members) to grow as leaders and create a strong legacy for black women in STEM at IU.”
Men have traditionally dominated the science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields.
“In most (technology) areas, the percentage of women is lower than men,” Horton says. “When you look at minorities, the percentage gets even lower, especially the higher you rise in the field.”
Horton understands first-hand the challenges women face. She’s lived them.
Over a 25-year period, she earned a bachelor’s degree in math at IU-Northwest, master’s degrees in instructional systems technology at IU-Bloomington and in library and information sciences at Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis. She got her Ph.D. in curriculum, teaching and educational policy at Michigan State. She also worked four years at Howard University’s graduate school.
As an undergraduate at IU-Northwest, Horton was one of just three women of color majoring in math, and the only one focused on applied math. The other two were in math education.
“There was no one in the discipline for me to ask questions,” she says. “There was no one who encouraged me until I went to Howard, a historically black university. Then I met a lot of mentors who told me about things I could do with math outside of education.”
One suggestion -- work for the CIA -- didn’t interest her.
“That wasn’t what I wanted to do,” she says with a laugh.
As far as getting more women into the technology field, Horton says she meets with students and “tells them the different positions and lets them know about the possibilities.
“When I was in school, no one told me that these types of careers were even a possibility.”
Horton mentors without dictating. She listens first, advises after.
“I let students take the lead. While we might have parallels, I recognize their experience is different than mine. It’s a different age and time period.
“I try to listen, hear what they’re saying and make sure I understand what they’re saying. I let them verify that I understand, then give them advice on how to proceed based on what they’re saying and what they want to do.”
Ingrid Arreola vouches for the benefits. Horton has inspired the data science master’s student to consider getting her Ph.D.
“I was searching for a mentor for an independent study class and was fortunate to find Dr. Horton,” Arreola says. “During my final semester, she provided invaluable guidance, drawing from her background in pedagogy. Our weekly meetings were extremely helpful as I developed and tested a data literacy curriculum with two cohorts of high school students.
"Dr. Horton offered expertise on pedagogy and student interaction, providing constant, practical advice. She checked in with me regularly, both academically and personally, understanding the challenges of balancing full-time work and part-time study. Her support extended beyond advice; she even helped with classroom supplies for the students.
“I appreciate her guidance and mentorship.”
It all comes back to building relationships.
“Sometimes, you can shut people off by the way you approach things if you don’t give them a voice,” Horton says. “When you get to know people, when you understand how they work, you can be empathetic to what they’re trying to do. You can work with them and get more done.”
Horton’s mentor/advocate award is proof of that.
“I’m grateful to receive it,” she says. “I hope to continue to live up to the standard that the ladies expect me to have with them.”