This month we’re celebrating Tekoya Boykins, Assistant Director with Academic Services and Products. As an Assistant Director, Tekoya works closely with Risepoint Partner Program Leadership to design high-quality, accelerated online programs that drive down costs for students. When she’s not consulting with Risepoint partners on program design best practices, Tekoya also serves as the Chair of the Risepoint Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging Committee and is also a Doctoral candidate!
Tekoya was recently asked to author a piece for Fierce Education, “Covid Created Better Choices and Accessibility for All Students.” We sat down with Tekoya to ask her a few questions:
What does your perfect Saturday look like?
A perfect Saturday is any Saturday that I wake up on the beach! But, since I am in Oklahoma and this doesn’t happen often, a perfect Saturday is coffee, sitting on the porch, catching up on some reality tv, and maybe heading to the lake for a bit…right before I get ready for brunch!
What are your most proud accomplishments in education?
I am most proud of my ability to overcome obstacles while pursuing my degrees. I am at the tail-end of my Doctoral research, so that is definitely something to be proud of.
What are your 5 Strengthsfinder strengths? What is your favorite strength and why?
My top 5 Strengths are Achiever, Relator, Belief, Individualization, and Input. Of these, my favorite two would be Relator and Belief. As a Relator, I believe that genuine relationships are important both personally and professionally. I enjoy getting to know people and ensuring that people know that I care. I believe that people don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care. Once they know you care, everything else is just an added bonus.
Belief is also my favorite because that is what drives me and what makes me who I am. I am steadfast and unmovable in my beliefs. That keeps me grounded and ensures that I never lose sight of what matters most.
What book could you not put down?
Crazy Faith by Michael Todd and Remarkable by David Kronfield
What meaningful item is within 20 feet of you right now?
My vision boards from over the last several years. They remind me of my WHY.
How do you take time for yourself?
I don’t get to take a lot of time for myself, but when I do, I like to pamper myself and travel to a beach. It doesn’t necessarily have to be to a far destination. However, that time away from my normal day-to-day environment allows me to decompress, block out the noise, and focus on myself.
Thank you, Tekoya, for all you do for Risepoint and our University partners!
