Shea Kidd Houze, assistant vice chancellor and dean of students, was recognized in February as an SEC Trailblazer. She was selected for this recognition because of her commitment to compassionate care, mattering and belonging and leadership and service.

Kidd Houze credits her grandmother, parents, son, colleagues and students with helping her reach this moment of recognition. Her grandmother was involved in the Civil Rights Movement, was the secretary to activist Medgar Evers and served in the Air Force.

“Her work ethic and ability to put people first is something I strive to emulate,” Kidd Houze said.

Kidd Houze has more than ten years of higher education experience. She received her Bachelor of Arts in speech communication from the University of Southern Mississippi and her Master of Education in college student affairs administration from the University of Georgia.

Kidd Houze then came to Tennessee, where she received her PhD in educational research from the University of Memphis, studying racial identity development in African American college students. She started at the University of Tennessee in January 2018 as the assistant vice chancellor and dean of students.

Kidd Houze discussed the way that she learns from her students, even from a distance at the moment.

“At the center of it all are the students. They make my heart beat a little faster each day that I come to work, and I miss them terribly right now. They hold me accountable and keep me connected to the issues most critical to their experiences,” Kidd Houze said.

The University of Tennessee made the decision in March to suspend all in-person activities due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Kidd Houze has been in the middle of the process of caring for and providing support to students who have been displaced, have lost resources or are seeking any other kind of care.

Kidd Houze has answered phone calls from families to use her compassionate approach to find solutions in this situation. She has been involved in conversations identifying solutions for technology access, food security, emergency funds and moving students out of residence halls.

Kidd Houze and her team are presently seeking ways to provide messages of care, support and resources to students.

“It is who we are and what we do, and our ability to demonstrate this is limited as we work remotely. Frequent and honest communication have also been essential in helping our community cope with something none of us has ever experienced,” Kidd Houze said.

Since beginning her career at the University of Tennessee, Kidd Houze has been responsible for several student-facing initiatives. While she is best known for her “Milkshake Mondays” where she serves milkshakes to students while hosting conversations on campus, Kidd Houze is behind several other initiatives on campus, including the Mattering and Belonging campaign alongside the Vol is a Verb initiative.

“From kicking it off officially in the fall until now, it has become a signature aspiration of our university. This call to action — Vol is a Verb — gives each of us a common language as we think about our individual responsibilities in cultivating a campus where all students matter and belong,” Kidd Houze said.

Kidd Houze names this campaign, which includes her Rocky Topics conversation events, as the initiative she is most proud of.

“Rocky Topics is an off-shoot of the Mattering and Belonging campaign. This collaboration with Dr. Joe Miles has provided a space for participants to wrestle with topics we don’t typically discuss at the dinner table and is coupled with grace and tools to help each of us engage in meaningful dialogue,” Kidd Houze said.

Rocky Topics have been hosted regularly and has covered topics including the intersectionality of sexuality and religion, natural hair and beauty, disability and visibility, mental health and student leadership and more.

Kidd Houze is grounded in all of her work by her family, including the university’s “Jr. Dean,” her eleven-year-old son. She continues to work from home to support students through video updates, social media, Facebook Live events and physical mail. Kidd Houze and her office are maintaining a full schedule and seeking opportunities to virtually connect with students.

“There is no substitute for face-to-face connection, and we have done our best to remain available to students,” Kidd Houze said.

Kidd Houze explained that she seeks out mentors, friends and students to help her shape her approach to leadership and service to higher education.

“I also firmly believe the more I know, the less I know,” Kidd Houze said.

Kelly Rubin, who serves as the associate dean of students, explained the positive experience she has had working alongside Kidd Houze.

“I appreciate working alongside someone who practices courage, role models vulnerability and always keeps the focus on providing compassionate care for our students, faculty and staff,” Rubin said.

Rubin expressed her happiness with the well-deserved recognition Kidd Houze has received.

“Dean Shea is a person who leads wholeheartedly, and it’s great to see her being recognized for the work she does everyday,” Rubin said.

Even in response to a pandemic, Kidd Houze continues to be an SEC Trailblazer and leader at the University of Tennessee.