The Houghton College Psychology Department recently welcomed Professor Anna Pettway, a distinguished scholar of social dynamics and a highly knowledgable advocate for racial equity.
With a robust and extensive resume, which includes time spent as Assistant Professor of Psychology at Bryan, a BA in Psychology from Spring Arbor University, and an MA and Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the University of Detroit Mercy, Pettway was a valuable addition to the department. Her intensive focus on race and racism will also provide unique insights to students. Starting this semester, Pettway will teach a special topics class entitled “Psychology of Race and Racism.”
Pettway described the Houghton community as “welcoming” and said that her role in the department is “very in line with [her] interests as a clinical psychologist.” She also spoke very highly of the college’s vision and overall ethos of acceptance and community.
Hannah Pender, who participates in Pettway’s Abnormal Psychology class, said “It is so easy to learn from her and I really enjoy her class.” Jamie DelGiorno, who is currently enrolled in “Psychology of Race and Racism,” said, “As a professor, she is amazing and so willing to listen to students and make accommodations to aid in the learning process.”
This semester, Pettway is teaching a special topics class entitled “Psychology of Race and Racism.” According to Pettway, her experience with racism “started young.” She lived in Los Angeles during the Rodney King riots and the O.J. Simpson trial, and saw firsthand the tensions created by race. Living in Detroit—which is 80% African-American—and in close proximity to Dearborne, Michigan also exposed her to the harsh and persistent reality of cultural racial divisions in the United States.
“I heard so many different stories of identity that were impossible to ignore,” she said, adding that these firsthand narratives forced her “to look deeper” and become the therapist that she had always truly wanted to be.
Pettway’s experience as a member of an interracial family has also informed her decisions about activism and therapeutic practice. “Raising biracial children forces you to think about what you want that world to look like,” she said.
Throughout her career, Pettway has aimed to live out her convictions about race in practical, intentional ways. In her previous faculty position, Pettway participated in advocacy marches, served as a member of Bryan’s diversity team, and strove to make campus a safer space for students and staff members of color. She is excited to continue this work at Houghton by teaching a course centered around the psychology of race and racism, staying involved with a culturally diverse community, and elevating the voices of people of color at Houghton.
“Dr. Pettway has such a passion for informing students about the reality of racism,” said DelGiorno. “She doesn’t simply say ‘Oh, it’s bad.’ She drives home the point that racism truly is a sin and shows lack of love and lack of Christlike character.”
Pettway expressed a hope that all of her students respond to issues of race with the same courage and conviction. Her own activism is based of God’s response to the Israelites during periods of oppression and persecution: keep watching, keep listening, keep your eyes open. She has words, as well, for students who feel themselves marginalized or mistreated. “Keep persevering,” she said. “Let us in when you feel safe enough to do so. Know that there are people who have your back and are willing to carry the load.”