Dalton Anthony Jones
Field: African-American & American Studies
SR-EIP: Johns Hopkins University (1996)
Undergrad: Brooklyn College (1998)
Graduate School: Yale University (2007)
Current Position: Assistant Professor, Bowling Green State University, Department of Ethnic Studies
Could you talk about any memorable experiences from your summer research at Johns Hopkins University?
I think my experience with the Leadership Alliance was somewhat atypical in that I was a non-traditional student coming out of Brooklyn College, a very working class, public institution. One of the things that struck me right away when I arrived at Johns Hopkins was the sheer amount of intellectual resources at my disposal. Having that world of intense focused scholarship right at my fingertips was something that was very new. I will never forget standing in the stacks of the Eisenhower Library with this long wish list of texts I had been searching around for over the years, and just checking them off one-by-one as I pulled them off the shelves. I headed back to my dorm room with so many books that I could hardly peer over the top of them. I was weaving down the path and even had to stop to rest a couple of times.
Another of the most memorable experiences from that summer was being able to participate in a works-in-progress series with Dr. Walter Benn Michaels. At the time, his essays on race and culture in American literature were creating something of a buzz. They were very controversial and although I didn’t agree with some of the key points of his thesis, at first I was quite tentative about expressing my opinion. Stepping forward to question a world-renowned scholar who is an “expert” in the field can be intimidating! Because the seminar was so intimate, interactive and well facilitated, I was able to summon the courage to put my ideas on the table. Much to my surprise, Dr. Benn Michaels actually took me seriously and responded as if he were talking to a colleague. Eventually this led to a long back and forth between the two of us over the course of the summer. I remember one office session lasting almost two hours with us going back and forth over the question of “strategic essentialism.” He wound up playing a major role in my final project, offering crucial direction and feedback on my work.
One very important aspect of the summer seminar is that the scholars we engage do more than just comment on the work they have done, but also spend time talking about how the work was produced: where the ideas came from, how they were organized, the trial and error of the research and writing process, etc. We were able to dialogue with an entire range of first-rate scholars and having them go through the ups and downs of their academic experience took the traditional professor-student relationship to an entirely new level.
It was very invigorating to be learning away from the standard classroom environment where, if you are like I was in college, an emphasis on grades and GPA can be a bit oppressive. The Leadership Alliance fellowship offered me an open, mature and supportive climate to work through ideas. In this sense, it prepared me for the autonomy I would later find in graduate school. We were always encouraged to explore new ideas widely and freely. Dr. Maria Farland, my mentor that summer, was wonderful about giving me a balance between one-on-one attention and group projects.
What skills were you able to apply to your collegiate work upon returning to your undergraduate institution?
The program nurtured an understanding of the fundamentals of research, on the one hand, and critical, analytical thinking on the other. I learned the art of organizing and presenting data, and how to be a better editor of my work. Such focused attention to such details was indispensable for laying the foundation for my research and scholarship.
Ultimately, this was a maturation process. I developed an enhanced degree of confidence in my own work and ideas. I was more confident in my ability to be a researcher. It was the summer that I crossed the line from being just a good “A” student to being a more free and independent scholar and intellectual.
Can you talk about how your summer experience prepared you for graduate school?
Again, my summer experience allowed me to explore my own ideas in depth and take more responsibility for my own work. I think that, without really knowing the parameters of a field, the range of work that has come before us in an in-depth way, we run the risk of producing work that is either derivative or simply not entirely relevant. I can definitely point to the summer as a time when I began to develop an “integrated-autonomy” of thinking that exemplifies the type of exploration one does in graduate school and as a researcher. I was also given the opportunity to really consider whether or not this was the career path for me. I realized that, not only was graduate school something I wanted to do, but something I could potentially excel at.
Can you talk about the role of mentorship in your present career?
Yes, for sure. This was key to the Leadership Alliance experience. Because the Alliance meets during the summers, many professors have more freedom to work with advanced undergraduates than they would during the course of the semester. In general, we should all strive to develop a solid network of relationships with people who nurture us and in whom we trust. The need for guidance, a set of ears and honest, critical feedback never ends. Even though it can be hard at times − particularly when a work is in its early stages and in progress − I still share my work with my mentors and ask a ton of questions. One is always encountering new terrain in the academy; consequently, one needs to rely on the experience of others. I’m not convinced that I would have been successful − to the degree that I have been successful − if I did not have such great mentoring relationships. In fact, my mentors were not only essential in encouraging me to apply to graduate school but to the Leadership Alliance in the first place. I was reluctant to go away from “home” for two months.
It’s also important to not just have a mentor but to learn how to use one. I learned what questions to ask, when to ask them, and when to take initiative to seek the answers on my own. While a mentor is, essentially, there to guide you, the relationship shouldn’t be treated as a form of dependency. You still have to go out there and do the work!
Today, as it is for so many of us in the field of education, one of the most rewarding aspects of my work is the opportunity to engage with young people. In addition to teaching I do community work and am involved with a new organization that does organizing around key social justice and political issues. In terms of academia, my goal is to ensure that students realize that they have what it takes to first make it through college. Many of my students, particularly my students of color, are the first generation in their family to go to college. They don’t have someone at home telling them they can do this. There is no reference point. Recently, I’ve also begun to work with graduate students where, again, the same insecurities are encountered. A lot of us are trailblazers for the community. In fact, I am proud to say that I’ve watched, and helped, students that have been in my undergraduate courses move onto law school. Even though I know they did the work, it still gives me a tremendous amount of pride to be a part of that process.
What advice would you give to Leadership Alliance participants?
First of all, Do it! Take advantage of the opportunity to its fullest and utilize the resources that the program offers. It’s a rare opportunity, and you should squeeze all the juice out of that orange you can. Time flies. Also, remember to keep in touch with one another after the program is over. So much about this field, I hate to say it, is about networking and maintaining good relationships.
I also like to always say, “don’t forget your roots.” Give back to the community when you move up. Give back what you have received from the Leadership Alliance experience. As you shoot for the stars remember to reach back to uplift others.
Is there anything else that you would like to mention?
Well, yea, I am deeply indebted to this program so I want to thank you for it. It was a major, fundamental turning point in my life. I wouldn’t be where I am if I hadn’t participated in the SR-EIP.
Also, I would be remiss if I didn’t add that before I came to this program I had never been in a room of such motivated and talented peers before. I’ve said a lot about the mentors and teachers and research, but one of the most amazing things about the summer was getting to meet so many cool students! The summer was a lot of fun. We had a blast. Being in a new city and exploring around in a new environment was very liberating. Remembering to balance work with having fun is crucial. We went to movies, we went out and had fun at night. We danced. There were times when we hung out talking from too late at night until too early in the morning!