The concept of T.H.E. Scholarly Collaborative emerged from a convening of the Trans*forming Higher Education (T.H.E.) Collaborative, a group of trans and nonbinary scholars in higher education and student affairs, in Tucson, Arizona in July 2019. Using adrienne maree brown's Emergent Strategy principles and elements as the framework for our time together, the gathering was a fruitful space where we imagined new possibilities for ourselves and our worlds. Check out the Resilient Campus Podcast for a 3-part reflection of our experience at the gathering.

One of those possibilities is this - the opportunity for queer and trans scholars to build kinship and community together, support each other's work and humanity, and hold each other accountable to our wellbeing and goals. After an inaugural pilot session during Summer 2020 with a select few, we are ready to invite others into the fold.
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What is T.H.E. Scholarly Collaborative?

T.H.E. Scholarly Collaborative is a scholar development program by and for queer and trans people. Developed and facilitated by T.J. Jourian and Z Nicolazzo, it seeks to support participants in achieving their scholarly and personal goals through a holistic, care-centered, and asset-based lens. We know that institutions of higher learning were not created with us in mind and navigating them can be dehumanizing, traumatizing, isolating, and exhausting, particularly for those of us who are in the margins of the margins as Black, indigenous, people of color, disabled folks, low-income and first-generation people, femmes, and so on. Many of us find ourselves as the "only ones" in our departments, colleges, and institutions, our scholarship and our lived experiences are not well understood or well supported or even vilified. What would it mean and look like to advance our scholarly works and careers without losing aspects of ourselves and our communities along the way, but actually nurture and deepen our connections?

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Who is it for?

We conceptualize "scholar" broadly. Our pilot program included student affairs practitioners (both entry-level and beyond), doctoral students and candidates, early career faculty, part-time instructors, and those who straddle more than one of those worlds. While most were higher education and student affairs scholars, the inaugural cohort included participants from outside the field, as well as those within contemplating other fields and career tracks. Participants used the program to work on manuscripts, conduct research, plan next term's courses, research and prepare materials for doctoral program applications , job search, work on balance, and more.

Not sure if this is meant for you? Contact us and we'll work that out together.

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What does it consist of?

There are two aspects to T.H.E. Scholarly Collaborative: programmatic and consulting.

• The programmatic aspect (which will be reopened for next summer - watch this space!) includes weekly workshops and guest webinar panels on topics such as developing a writing practice, being trans in academia, cultivating your network, life and wellness after the doctoral program, and more; and access to an online platform to connect and network with others in the cohort, share resources and opportunities.
• The consulting aspect is an ongoing one-on-one connection to either Z or T.J. for more individualized attention to and support with your specific goals and needs. Consulting can include (depending on your specific needs) regular or semi-regular check-ins and coaching, as well as hands-on feedback on your writing and scholarship. We are excited to announce that we are opening consulting up immediately for interested others.

Rates

Every potential participant is afforded one complimentary 30-minute introductory conversation for questions and an initial feel to see if this might be a fit for them. From there, we operate on a sliding scale rate of $50 to $100 an hour. The total cost will depend on level of attention desired - you as the client decide if you would like to meet weekly, bi-weekly, monthly, or every few months as needed. For those looking to get feedback on works-in-progress, depending on the depth of work needed, we estimate an additional 1.5 to 2 hours for a manuscript of approximately 30 (double-spaces, 12-size font) pages.

We want to eliminate cost as a barrier for someone needing consulting support. If cost is a concern, please let us know during the initial consultation so we can determine a strategy to keep the overall cost manageable. Additionally, we hope to be able to offer scholarships for queer and trans Black, indigenous, and people of color. Individuals who would like to contribute to that scholarship or gift a consulting package to a specific individual are welcome to get in touch with us to get that set up!