Today we’d like to introduce you to Natosha Briscoe.
Hi Natosha, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
Absolutely! I am a native of Chicago, IL where I attended DePaul University and received a Bachelor’s in Business Administration (2005) and Master’s in Liberal Studies and Women/Gendered Studies (2009). Shortly after graduating, I moved to Atlanta, GA in pursuit of a PhD from Clark Atlanta University. After several courses and a successful dissertation defense, I graduated with a dual PhD in African American Studies and English. As a field of research, I am interested in 18th-century slave narratives and their influence on neo-slave narratives, which include political memoirs published by imprisoned African Americans. I have the distinct pleasure of teaching as an adjunct instructor at the illustrious Clark Atlanta University and several other colleges in Metro Atlanta. Additionally, I worked as a Program Coordinator for a non-profit organization that focuses on teaching underprivileged young adults job readiness skills—I think this really helped me identify my passion because the intersection between the collegiate arena and the non-profit sector led me to be the founder and CEO of College Bound Consultant, Inc. which provides college readiness workshops that instructions and guidance to help students successfully prepare for the transition from high school to college.
Because of my passion, I’ve been focusing on empowering students to take ownership of their journey from high school to college and beyond.
Honestly, teaching traditional and non-traditional students is very rewarding…I have come to the realization that it is not just my career, but it is my calling! During my short tenure of teaching, I have developed a zeal for educating and ministering to young adults. I realized that the door to teaching has become a platform for me to use kingdom principles to educate the youth on how to employ spirituality to enhance their personal and professional experiences.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
One of my greatest challenges is driving in a lane that I paved for myself. Sometimes I feel like I’m building a plane while flying it…The thought of riding in a plane that’s not completely built is scary and my life has been nothing shy of scary! I grew up on the grimy streets of the South Side of Chicago, where gang violence and drug trafficking were the norm. Although those realities seem harsh, the rawness of the reality motivated me to run toward something that would allow me to live a life of rainbows and unicorns. I never quite got to the rainbows and unicorns, but I am often reminded of what my reality could’ve been had I not ran after a destiny that I didn’t even have the words to describe. After my oldest son was born, I knew I couldn’t raise him in Chicago, as I didn’t want him to relive my childhood. So, after graduating with my Master’s degree and getting accepted to CAU’s PhD program, I moved to Atlanta as a single mother with no savings and no concrete plan, other than the fact that failure wasn’t an option. My son was four years old when we moved, and I had very little support. Because I couldn’t afford childcare, I would bring my son to night classes with me. Trying to keep a four-year-old quit during three-hour lectures wasn’t easy, but eventually he became a part of the class and my professors and colleagues embraced him. Not having a babysitter could have been an excuse not to finish school, but I used it as motivation.
Again, I’d never seen this being done before, which was frightening, but I didn’t allow fear to dictate my decisions. During that time is when my unwavering faith was born. I only knew where I started and what God told me the end would be, but I had no idea on what to do in between. So, I was literally figuring it out day-by-day. I didn’t have many friends or any money, all I had was my faith and my son, both of which forced me to do the impossible and see the invisible. Most of the people who were privy to my story encouraged me to quit school and just worked. But I couldn’t listen to those doubters because I knew that God’s plan for me was far greater than just working. After years of hard work, I finally completed my PhD and became a professor. Now the middle of my story makes sense. Because of all the trials and tribulations I overcame, I am able to use my story to motivate my students to continue their academic journey, even when the odds are stacked against them. So, I didn’t just go through a challenge, I had to “grow” through challenges to help authentic the testimony that I give to others. I can honestly give accounts of me investing “sweat equity” to everything I’ve accomplished, big or small.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am known for my innovative teaching style! I teach to transgress, meaning that I teach with the intention of seeing my students transition through their involvement in the learning process. I am not a traditional educator, as I am intentional about getting to know my students so that I can identify their areas of opportunity and help close those gaps before the end of the semester. I often develop fruitful relationships with my students that last far beyond a semester. Many of my students become mentees in one area or another. My transparency, sincerity, and passion allow me to influence my students to become scholars. Thus, College Bound Consultant, Inc. isn’t just a business, it’s a way of life that I demonstrate in and outside of the classroom.
Are there any apps, books, podcasts, blogs or other resources you think our readers should check out?
I read a lot of narratives written by enslaved Africans. The authenticity of the memoirs is therapeutic for me because they remind me to live my truth despite the scars that remain from my past. Autobiographical accounts teach me to view my history from a position of victory instead of devasting defeat.
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