Celeste Watkins sits behind her cluttered desk of binders, syllabi and loose papers after having taught her last class of the day.
Ideally, the Michigan native would like to become an inspirational professor at Northwestern, or as some would say, the next Pamela Harkins, a School of Continuing Studies professor on the Chicago Campus who was well-known for teaching African American Studies classes in Evanston.
For now, the ambitious 30 year old settles for making her way on the Evanston Campus where she arrived in fall 2003.
An assistant professor in the African American Studies and sociology departments, Watkins is teaching two undergraduate courses this quarter — Introduction to African-American Studies and Race, Poverty, and Public Policy in America — as well as a graduate-level sociology course with Prof. Ann Orloff, titled Inequalities, Families and Social Policy.
Communication sophomore Rina Martin enrolled in Watkins’ Race, Poverty and Public Policy course this fall and said the course is better than she expected.
“She is an incredible teacher,” said Martin. “The way she designed the class made African American studies seem like a really interesting topic. It wouldn’t be the same class if she wasn’t the teacher.”
While completing undergraduate studies at the historically black Spelman College in Atlanta, Watkins said she was inspired to choose an academic career by her mentor Johnetta B. Cole, a former president of the school.
“I wanted a career that would allow me to help people live up to their potential,” Watkins said.
She narrowed her focus on African American Studies and sociology while pursuing graduate studies at Harvard University. Former Harvard Prof. Cornel West helped Watkins improve her teaching style, which she learned while serving as a teaching assistant.
“He really inspired me,” said Watkins, who was one of few fortunate graduate students to be West’s TA.
“As a former teaching aid of his, I have truly been influenced by him,” Watkins said. “You could feel the energy in the room when he taught, and I try to teach my classes here with that same energy.”
Watkins also has begun work outside the classroom, researching societal consequences of HIV/AIDS in the black female community.
“(HIV) is really connected to inequality, access to health care and other various social factors that put some people more at risk than others,” Watkins said. “I think HIV targets the disenfranchised in terms of low-income people.”
Watkins plans to conduct a field study in Chicago this Winter Quarter and will evaluate her data this summer at the University of
California-San Francisco.
“My goal is to do a longitudinal study,” Watkins said. “I am trying to discern the ripple effects of the increasing number of black women who are HIV positive.”
Submerged in teaching and research, Watkins finds time in her busy schedule to give back to the community, something that not only was ingrained in her at young age, but also while attending Spelman.
Watkins is a board member of the Washington, D.C., affiliate of Dress for Success — a nonprofit organization geared toward
supporting women trying to transition from public assistance into the work force.
“I am heavily committed to community service,” Watkins said. “I think that it is important to give back to the community and stay involved politically and be socially aware.”
But throughout her busy life, Watkins remains a dedicated college educator.
“I love the notion that every day I interact with students,” Watkins said. “I can change the world.”
Reach Christie Ileto [email protected].
