Who We Are

An inclusive collective that supports any and every individual in their personal & professional growth in academic spaces and beyond. We hope to be a resource and support for students and individuals who may struggle with barriers, struggle finding a sense of belonging, or with fear of shame or judgement. As a diverse group we hope to start a conversation of learning and acceptance to explore and support diversity in academia. In the process of providing this resource, we too are learning how to make sense of our experiences, embrace them and learn from others and their stories. We hope you will join our conversation too!

With this aim, we first hope to share your stories of belonging to underrepresented groups in your educational vocational journey and beyond. Second, we hope to share helpful resources in different disciplines. For this, we ask that you share helpful resources in your area! Third, we hope going forward we hope we can discuss issues of diversity in academic spaces and beyond. We welcome your suggestions.

Why are we named Academic Outliers?

We took a bit of inspiration from Malcolm Gladwell's book: Outliers. We saw that being an outlier or out of the norm can bring unique qualities, skills, attributes that can contribute meaningfully to academic and professional spaces in all areas. Sometimes a singular person can have great stories and different individuals often bring change. While some people may feel like outsiders or isolated- sharing stories can help us relate to each other and feel part of a collective, especially one that is at times more quiet. Academic Outliers gives individuals the space to be different and unapologetically themselves without having to conform to a group. While some may view outliers in a negative light, we think standing out of the norm is a purposeful way to empower diversity in our community. We want to celebrate diversity and the differences and unique qualities that make us great!

Our identity; who we are is a product of our history, our friendships, our families, our cultural legacies, our visible and invisible elements and the intricately woven experiences that shape our values and beliefs. It’s what makes us spiritually, intellectually, emotionally and physically distinct from one another, which should be more often celebrated! Diversity and intersectionality have much to offer in innovating and problem solving from different perspectives. As leaders, and role models, understanding the legacies that shape our identity and that shape our worldview is important. While we all come from different backgrounds, privileges and opportunities, building a strong community and sharing our stories enables us to help one another, to grow and to inspire and empower each other as we search for our own path.