Dr. Matiko Austin
Assistant Professor of Psychology
Chair, Department of Psychology
Can you share your journey into the work you do? What experiences, moments, or values led you here?
My journey to becoming a college professor and department chair began long before I stepped into a classroom professionally. As a child, I would “play school” with my stuffed animals, naturally drawn to teaching and guiding others. Even then, there was something in me that loved explaining, organizing, and helping others understand.
During high school, my role began to shift. I became a friend whom others sought out to talk through their problems, challenges, and life decisions. That experience awakened a deeper calling to help more intentionally. What began as a love for teaching expanded into a passion for supporting and guiding people through meaningful conversations.
As a result, I chose to major in psychology to become a clinical psychologist. I achieved that goal, but in 2020, my path evolved. I sensed that God was redirecting me, not away from helping, but back to my original passion for teaching, training, and mentoring. This time, however, it was on a broader scale. I was called to help not only individuals in clinical settings, but also students in classrooms, future professionals in training, and faculty within an academic department.
Today, as a college professor and department chair, my journey has come full circle. I can teach, mentor, lead, and serve, all rooted in the same childhood passion that first surfaced while playing school. What once felt like separate callings has merged into one purposeful path of educating, empowering, and developing others.
Who or what has most influenced your leadership and commitment to this work? This could include mentors, community, lived experience, books, faith, or movements.
My leadership and deep commitment to my work have been shaped by powerful examples in my life. My parents were my first models of strength, integrity, and perseverance. Through their everyday actions, I witnessed what it meant to lead with wisdom, make thoughtful decisions, and remain steadfast in responsibility. Their consistency and quiet sacrifice instilled in me a strong work ethic and a sense of accountability.
My mentor, Dr. Sandra Rouce, further refined my understanding of leadership. Through her guidance, experience, and professional excellence, I observed what compassionate and principled leadership looks like in practice. She demonstrated that true leadership is not only about competence, but about investing in others, extending grace, and making decisions with both clarity and care.
As I matured in my faith as a young adult, I came to recognize that my ultimate influence is Christ. Through studying and applying God’s Word, I developed a desire to reflect His character in my leadership. He embodies what I strive to practice daily: servant leadership, wisdom, patience, and compassion. He leads, teaches, and comforts, and those qualities continue to shape how I guide others and remain committed to the work I have been called to do.
For those who feel called to doing this work, where would you suggest they begin? Is there a book, organization, practice, or resource that helped shape you?
If you feel called to become both a psychologist and a college professor, I would encourage you to first honor that calling with seriousness and humility. This path is not simply a career choice; it is a commitment to stewarding people’s stories, shaping minds, and influencing futures.
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1. Clarify Your Why. Be certain about your motivation. Psychology requires emotional endurance, ethical integrity, and lifelong learning. Academia requires patience, resilience, and a heart for mentorship. When challenges arise, and they will, your “why” will sustain you.
2. Commit to Academic and Clinical Excellence. Pursue strong academic preparation and high-quality training. Seek rigorous supervision, welcome feedback, and continuously sharpen your skills. Competence builds credibility, and credibility expands your influence.
3. Find Mentors Early. Identify professors and licensed psychologists who exemplify the type of professional and leader you aspire to be. Observe how they teach, lead, conduct research, and care for clients. Mentorship shortens learning curves and protects you from avoidable mistakes.
4. Develop Both Head and Heart. As a psychologist, you must think critically and clinically. As a professor, you must communicate clearly and inspire growth. But in both roles, your character matters just as much as your knowledge. Cultivate empathy, emotional intelligence, and integrity.
5. Prepare for Leadership. Many who enter academia eventually influence programs, departments, and institutional culture. Develop leadership skills early, focusing on decision-making, conflict resolution, strategic thinking, and collaboration. Leadership in higher education requires vision and diplomacy.
6. Guard Your Well-Being. You cannot pour into clients and students from an empty vessel. Prioritize spiritual, emotional, and physical health. Sustainable impact requires sustainable habits.
7. Embrace the Dual Calling. Being both a psychologist and a professor allows you to heal and to multiply healing through the students you train. Your work extends beyond the therapy room into classrooms, research, supervision, and institutional leadership. If you have truly been called to this work, approach it with excellence, humility, and service. The influence of a psychologist-professor reaches far beyond a single generation. You are not only shaping individual lives, but you are also shaping the future of the profession.
What wisdom or encouragement would you offer to the next generation of Black women leaders entering this space?
To the next generation of Black women leaders entering psychology and higher education: Walk into rooms knowing you belong there. Your presence is not accidental; it is purposeful. You carry the strength, resilience, and brilliance of those who made a way before you. Pursue excellence, not perfection. Let your preparation speak for you. Master your craft, protect your integrity, and never underestimate the power of your voice. You do not have to shrink to lead. Seek mentors, but also prepare to become one.
Leadership in this space is not only about titles, but it is also about influence, access, and opening doors for others. Collaboration will carry you further than competition. Guard your well-being. The work is meaningful, but it can also be demanding. Rest is not weakness; it is strategy. Boundaries are not selfish; they are necessary.
Most importantly, lead authentically. Your cultural insight, lived experience, and spiritual grounding are assets, not liabilities. The academy needs your scholarship, your compassion, your innovation, and your courage. You are not just entering the field, but you are shaping its future.
How can people stay connected to and support your work? Please share your website, social media, current campaigns, or other ways to get involved.
I can be reached at maustin@hc.edu