“Representation matters.” Tennessee Tech’s first female dean of students reflects on trailblazing career
Katie Aikens, Tennessee Tech's dean of students and assistant vice president for strategic
initiatives, is pictured in the Roaden University Center on Tech's campus.
Becoming the first woman to serve as dean of students at Tennessee Tech University
was not part of Katie Winningham Aikens’ original plan.
The Livingston native and two-time Tech graduate had first set out to be a lawyer,
studying political science with hopes to attend law school after completing her undergraduate
degree. Then fate intervened.
“I had a change of heart, and I decided I wanted to help people in a little different
way,” Aikens explained on a recent episode of Tech’s “College Town Talk” podcast. “So, I applied to Tennessee Tech to receive
an educational psychology and counselor education degree. I joined Tech back in 2003."
What was first intended as a way to simply continue her education turned in to a trailblazing
career that would plant Aikens on Tech’s campus for two decades and counting.
Aikens sought a graduate assistantship in the Division of Student Affairs to help
pay for her coursework, which she later parlayed into a full-time coordinator position
before being promoted to director of student activities. In between her busy workloads,
she picked up an education specialist degree and a doctorate in education leadership
along the way.
“After coordinating the homecoming parade and the homecoming activities, I decided
I'm hooked,” recalled Aikens. “I want to help these students realize their dreams,
their ideas and see them in practice here on our campus.”
University administrators were hooked on Aikens, too. In 2017, she was named dean
of students – a senior leadership role tasked with overseeing student care, concern,
conduct and support. Unbeknownst to her at the time, Aikens was the first woman named
to the position in Tech’s more-than-100-year history.
“First and foremost, I was just so grateful to be given the opportunity to do the
job,” said Aikens. “But I didn't realize the significance of being the first female
dean of students until much later.”
Several years into Aikens’ tenure, the university spotlighted her status as Tech’s
first female dean of students with a story that generated heartfelt messages from
young women letting Aikens know the impact she had made in their lives.
Katie Aikens speaks with a student worker in Tech's Roaden University Center.
“I heard from former students that I had inspired them to go into higher education
roles and seek roles that they were striving for. That really meant a lot to me,”
said Aikens. “I think representation matters. I think it's important that we see women
in higher education leadership roles.”
Taking on leadership roles of all kinds is something Aikens does with ease. In addition
to her service as dean of students and assistant vice president for strategic initiatives,
she also recently spent a semester as adjunct instructor for Tech’s new Ph.D. program
in higher education leadership.
“That class was so much fun to teach,” Aikens recalled. “It was my first Ph.D. class,
of course, that I had ever taught. And it was the first class of Ph.D. students that
we had in the program. So, we were all learning together – me from them and them from
me.”
Aikens additionally serves on the board of CityScape, a local nonprofit dedicated
to preserving and enhancing Cookeville’s historic downtown region.
“The more our students are connected with our community, the more they're going to
want to stay here after their four or five years here at Tennessee Tech,” she explained.
“So, creating those connections between Tennessee Tech and Cookeville is incredibly
important to me. My work with CityScape furthers that effort.”
For Aikens, it’s all a way of giving back to a campus that she says has given much
to her, too.
“Tennessee Tech has given me a great sense of community for the entire time I've been
here. I've met many people who are nearest and dearest to my heart,” she added. “So,
I'm very grateful and thankful to have the opportunity to serve Tennessee Tech and
to also have a sense of community from that service.”
Listen to Aikens’ full “College Town Talk” interview on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Pandora and other platforms.