Year One to Year Three: Reflections from Recreation Management Faculty at an HBCU

Navigating the early years in academia presents both challenges and opportunities. This auto-ethnographical research note serves as a reflection of the first three years of a recreation management faculty member at a small, private, Historically Black College and University (HBCU). Within the context of a resource-limited institution, this research note combines narrative and scholarly literature to explore the themes of onboarding, othermothering, service, and professional identity formation. The paper concludes with two recommendations: continuing education resources for faculty and interuniversity partnerships, both of which aim to support the continued development of HBCU students and faculty in recreation-related programs. This work contributes to the ongoing discourse on equity in higher education by highlighting the obstacles HBCUs face, such as limited resources and low compensation, and advocating for support and collaboration from the parks and recreation field.