The Head Nod : Black Life at A PWI
The Head Nod provides an authentic take on Black Life in predominantly white spaces. Join hosts Adell Coleman and Anna DeShawn and guests for raw conversations, laughs and head nods as they share their perspectives on everything from challenges, triumphs to unique experiences of navigating a world that often fails to recognize the Black experience. Season one focuses on "Black Life at a PWI (Predominantly White Institutions)." Throughout this exciting season, the podcast offers an in-depth and entertaining look into the college experiences of Black students who attended PWIs. From the initial culture shock to navigating the complexities of Greek life, and even sharing random Saturday night adventures at the most unexpected places - "The Head Nod" leaves no stone unturned.
Episodes
December 26, 2023 • 53 mins
Dr. Rae rounds out the first season! Yup we made it ya'll...and it's a good one. She breaks down what it meant to attend Emory University, which we lovingly dubbed 'EM OR REEE". Going to a PWI (Predominantly White University) hit differently in Atlanta. It was still a good time bering around black culture right outside your door, oh and just casually running into a few rappers, singers and famous black figures was a regular occurre...
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December 19, 2023 • 34 mins
Vanessa Young headnods from Davidson College, and she and her new found friends set the tone from day one! Imagine coming into a PWI and changing things for the better from day one! That's the vibe and a true black experience.
Vanessa, a native of DC/PG County, straddles both the corporate and entrepreneurial realms. Leading a high-performance team, she spearheads alliances for a Cybersecurity organization's tier-1 partnerships acr...
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December 12, 2023 • 42 mins
Shandra L. McDonald, DPA, is a student success strategist. But it took a lot to get there, she went through a lot of challenges as a student at California State University, Long Beach (CSULB) and University of La Verne (ULV). It's about triumph and overcoming failures, and maybe a little of connecting over her favorite treats that reminded her of home.
Now she's taken her own experiences to help others. She’s passionate about help...
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December 5, 2023 • 52 mins
Twila Dang gives us a big Head Nod hailing all the way from Hamline University a PWI we have affectionately labeled "HAM U"! She shares a moment when her father was her biggest advocate, meeting the love of her life oh and you can't attend a school so close to Minneapolis and not meet the purple one Prince himself!
Hosts: Adell Coleman & Anna DeShawn
Executive Producer: Ryan Woodhall
Distribution: DCP Entertainment & The Qube
Fo...
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November 28, 2023 • 61 mins
LaTrice, shares her PWI (Predominantly White Institution) Experience with us! What's it like being a black student hailing from University of Louisiana - Lafayette? Well, there's that time she was about to be an African Princess, there's this huge crawfish boil like no other, oh and gators live on the campus amongst the students!
Hosts: Adell Coleman & Anna DeShawn
Executive Producer: Ryan Woodhall
Distribution: DCP Entertainment ...
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November 21, 2023 • 38 mins
Adell and Anna reflect on all they had to be grateful during their experiences as black college students at Predominantly White Universities (PWI'S).
As Anna reflects on the nostalgia of coming home for the holidays and spending time with her family. Adell recollects a scary time where a holiday trip back to college had her and her friends deciding if they should sleep in a gas station or go with a complete stranger and his offer t...
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November 14, 2023 • 40 mins
Sometimes folk can be a little reckless with what they say and how they interact with others. Sequoia experienced that and more when attending UC Santa Cruz & USC briefly. Hear that and some other stories about some cultural differences we can all relate to, on this weeks episode!
Oh and check out her pod, Black People Love Paramore
Follow Sequioa : IG @sequoiabholmes X @sequoiabholmes
Hosts: Adell Coleman & Anna DeShawn
Executi...
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November 7, 2023 • 53 mins
Sophie & Remi Poindexter are siblings and more importantly friends. They grew up on the University of Delaware campus with their professor mom and then became students themselves. Hear about how different their experiences were especially when COVID hit and you got to keep listening to hear Remi beatbox. It's lit!
Follow Sophie: @Sophpoin
Follow Remi: @remipoindexterart
Hosts: Adell Coleman & Anna DeShawn
Executive Producer: Ryan ...
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October 31, 2023 • 42 mins
Jenn Brown attended American University in Washington D.C. pretty far from her home in Chicago...but why?! For the men of course! Now, she did make the most of her education, excelling in class, RA life and making some cool friends. But in a city with access to a lot of different Colleges and Universities she would be remiss if she didn't see about a boo thang at all of them! Listen in for all those stories and more!
Hosts: Adell...
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October 24, 2023 • 53 mins
It's Lit Lit Lit....Fay joins the Head Nod to chat about her time College of Charleston...one of the top party schools! She talks athletic scholarships, awkward black girl moments and what could've been from old letters from school.
Follow Fay IG: @likwuid
Hosts: Adell Coleman & Anna DeShawn
Executive Producer: Ryan Woodhall
Distribution: DCP Entertainment & The Qube
Follow Adell: @iamadellcoleman
Follow Anna: @annadeshawn
For m...
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October 17, 2023 • 64 mins
Something about Kameron's appearance made people believe he was always on the deans list. But he joins us to share his time at Penn State , the parties, crowd hoppin' major hoppin' and how the journey of seeking external validation impacted his undergrad career.
Follow Kameron IG: @itskaystewart
Hosts: Adell Coleman & Anna DeShawn
Executive Producer: Ryan Woodhall
Distribution: DCP Entertainment & The Qube
Follow Adell: @iamadell...
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Chosen family is such a big part of the PWI experience. It helps us get through the best and worst of times while away from home. Dr. Kelley, known as Mama on campus, kept the Drake University Black undergrads right on together. This led to her finding her passion in higher education where she spent 20 years in PWI's across the country. She had you with a hug and some tough love.
Follow Dr. Kelley IG: @browniedu
Hosts: Adell Colem...
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October 3, 2023 • 55 mins
Let's talk about really understainding the 'W' in PWI. Dr. Melvin Whitehead greets us with a few headnods as he attended 3 PWI'S. He went from band student in Baltimore, to a Doc whose research explores the legacies of racism in U.S. higher education, with a focus on whiteness and anti-blackness and how they are reproduced on college campuses. sheesh!
Follow Dr. Melvin IG:@itsGOTtobegroovy x@MelvinWhitehead
Hosts: Adell Coleman & ...
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September 26, 2023 • 60 mins
What do Orville Redenbacher, Amelia Earheart and DJ Tricey Trice have in common? They're all Purdue Graduates!
Trice was an RA, a Zeta, a student leader, a tour guide, a rapper, just a little bit of everything. Listen in and hear how not a single day was wasted during her time at Purdue University.
Follow DJ Tricey Trice: @djtriceytrice
Hosts: Adell Coleman & Anna DeShawn
Executive Producer: Ryan Woodhall
Distribution: DCP Entert...
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September 19, 2023 • 50 mins
Brandon wasn't worried about anybody...he got TWO degrees at the same dang time! Brandon McGraw ...fellow Penn State alumni and friend of host Adell joins the conversation to share insight on being a campus leader, tour guide, tutor, just a little bit of everything. He also gives insight on what it's like to be a Black president over a historically White campus club.
Follow Brandon: @branthejam
Hosts: Adell Coleman & Anna DeShawn...
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Find Your Tribe & Survive - Montclair State University & American University of Integrative Sciences
September 12, 2023 • 37 mins
Finding our people is one of the first thing we do at a PWI and for Cassandre she found her bestie for life at Montclair State University. MSU, at least thats what we called it, is a diverse commuter campus where Cassandre found her place. She revitalized the NAACP chapter and everything. Being a podcaster herself she took over the show for a quick minute after experiencing immediate distress after finding out Anna attended college...
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September 5, 2023 • 49 mins
"The Internationals"...sounded a bit cheesy so they chose "The U". We're head nodding our way over to Seton Hall University where alumni Chris Colbert gives us some of the craziest stories we've heard yet. What's a stripper, a punch in the face and a "Pirate" game show all have in common? Find out.
Follow Chris: @chriscolbertreport
Hosts: Adell Coleman & Anna DeShawn
Executive Producer: Ryan Woodhall
Distribution: DCP Entertain...
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August 29, 2023 • 41 mins
Why a PWI? Why Drake? Why Des Moines? Welp...It wasn't for the marching band!
So you're an introvert on a PWI campus, waiting to "be oriented" what do you do next? This weeks guest Drake University alum April Jones gives insight on her time, how she met host Anna DeShawn, and what food staples she always sought when visiting home. Those home cooked meals hit different when you visit from school and especially while attending PWI!
...
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August 22, 2023 • 46 mins
Welcome to The Head Nod!
Imagine a place at a PWI that's just for you. A safe place where all the black students reside in harmony. A place that aims to foster an understanding of and respect for Black culture, while cultivating a sense of family and community, while at a PWI! Oh it's real...it's Somerville and this weeks guest Amber Smith, USC alumni tells us all about it!
Follow Amber: @ambercsmith_
Learn more about Somerville...
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August 15, 2023 • 41 mins
It's here, The Head Nod Black Life At A PWI!
On this inaugural episode, you get to meet hosts and PWI (Predominantly White Institutions) alums Adell Coleman and Anna DeShawn (ACAD) as they give a little insight on who they are, how they met, and how this show came to be!
Yes, it's an origin story..but there are also some dope moments as they discuss their very own PWI experiences with some fun segments and anecdotes.
So Nod your ...
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