Dr. Cathy Akens

Dr. Catherine (Cathy) Akens is the Associate Vice President of Students Affairs and Dean of Students for Florida International University (FIU). She has had an extensive background working in administration implementing new initiatives, fostering student development, and representing profound leadership in state public institutions.   As a native of Ohio, she attended the University of Toledo and completed her Bachelor’s degree in Communication and Public Relations. She continued her academic career completing a Master’s in College and University Administration from Michigan State University and her doctoral degree from Florida International University in Higher Education.

During her undergraduate degree, Akens contributed a large amount of her time to the university as a work study student for the College of Business advising center and as a Resident Assistant (RA). Without her realizing, this would be the beginning of a career pathway publicly serving institutions of higher education. She was able to handle two part-time jobs while attending school full-time. Not knowing exactly what career she was going to have, she had aspired to work for a non-profit organization performing duties that consisted of writing, advocating, event planning, and/or public relations. Coincidentally at different times her male supervisor, Dean of the College of Business and her female supervisor, Hall Director encouraged her to pursue higher education focusing on student affairs.

At Michigan State University she was a Graduate Assistant for Residential Life and graduate student in the College and University master’s program. She knew she wanted to pursue a position that involved leadership and after her time at Michigan State University, she took on the role of Hall Director of a men’s residence hall at Bowling Green State University. She was the first woman to live and work in the men’s residence hall. The all-male RA staff was apprehensive at first and even showed up to their first meeting chewing tobacco, which had been a traditional occurrence with their previous male supervisor. Testing her to see how she would respond, Dr. Akens quickly addressed the situation and with time they grew to respect her. Recognizing that her role was not a traditional nine a.m. to five p.m. job, she was prepared for evening commitments and to be on-call. Serving as a mentor, now Associate Vice President, Jill Carr was one of her first supervisors and was instrumental in helping Akens professional goals. Dr. Akens continues to value Jill Carr’s genuineness in really caring about students.

Another career opportunity had come her way in Miami, Florida at FIU serving as Associate Director of Housing. It was during this time that she would experience several sacrifices as she also took on the goal of earning a doctoral degree in Higher Education. It was an intense struggle to complete the doctorate degree quickly, doing little else but studying and working.  In order to complete her goal of completing courses within two and a half years and her dissertation under two years, she devoted a large amount of time working every night and weekend, reading and doing papers while serving in her professional role.

Throughout all the personal sacrifices she always felt fortunate and accomplished to have worked in Residence Life at FIU for such a long period especially while the department was young. She was able to influence and develop new initiatives for the department while having the ability to hire teams of talented people. Akens soon earned the position of Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs at FIU’s Biscayne Bay Campus. Once hired for the position she encountered a situation of gender difference, when a comment was made in a school paper with the use of very “fluffy” or feminine word choice to describe Akens.  Similar to Hilary Clinton’s comment when asked what her favorite designer was, Akens wondered if the same word choice would have been used if a man were hired for the position.

Dr. Akens currently serves as FIU’s Associate Vice President for Student Affairs, Dean of Students, and Assistant Professor (courtesy appointment) of FIU’s College of Education Higher Education program. Recognizing that her primary position can be distinguished as having duties that can be classified as both female and male oriented, Dr. Akens does acknowledge that the pathway to becoming a women administrator can have its advantages and disadvantages. She expresses that the field of Student Affairs does have more of an open culture for women compared to some other areas of public administration; however, due to assumptions based on gender, experiences pertaining to budgeting, facilities management and construction may not be forwardly presented or taught to women. Often time’s women should intentionally seek out opportunities.

Helping students in crisis or in distress can sometimes be interpreted as a traditional female role in which people assume that women automatically do well. In her case, this stereotype seemed to be an advantage in her role of Dean of Students. With this said, Dr. Akens does identify that as a woman when interacting with other divisions that are often classified as male-dominant (like business or construction), making relationships can be challenging. “There are lots of politics and power struggles involved, and side conversations do occur outside of committee meetings, where actually a lot of business takes place”, Dr. Akens states.

When asked about salary discrepancies between genders, Akens commented by saying, “some positions are traditionally rewarded more than others, and those positions are traditional male positions, like someone who raises money or participates in areas of building and construction”. Not to be interpreted that these positions are not for women or are solely for men, but in public administration assumptions and societal stereotypes do occur. Negotiating a salary is something Akens had to learn from when seeking a higher position and advises others to research similar positions and cost of living, and not to be hesitant to negotiate. Personal decisions involving location of living and separation from family and friends are commonly affected for advancement in administrative roles in higher administration.

 In regards to personal and work balance, Dr. Akens has always felt a sense of balance and does admit that it is important to take time vacation time/ time off to maintain stability. She finds it important for women in administration to have a strong support system of friends, and to find a partner that supports their goals. She recommends women pursuing careers in administration to find people that care about professional self-development. FIU’s former Vice President for Student Affairs, Patricia Telles-Irvin had become another mentor to Akens. Telles-Irvin gave Akens opportunities to learn various skills in the VP office while surrounding her with responsibilities in order to gain opportunities that would help her in the future. She articulates that women should make their interests known because it is easy for assumptions to be made and if budgeting experience is something that one seeks, for example, it is vital to be willing to speak up and ask for the experience.