Page 1 of Learning Curves

Audrey couldn’t contain her grin as she affixed her brand-new Northshire University faculty parking pass to the windshield of her car.

After nearly a decade of preparation and several false starts, this was it, or so she hoped.

She’d received a one-year contract as an assistant professor with the option for it to become a permanent, tenure-track position if the department chair was pleased with her work.

Even better? She’d be working at her alma mater, the university where she’d received her undergraduate degree. Audrey had spent four of the best years of her life on this campus, and now she was about to start a whole new chapter here, hopefully the beginning of a lengthy academic career.

She stepped out of her car, looking around for Mercy Juma, the faculty member she was here to meet.

In her excitement, Audrey was a few minutes early and seemed to have arrived first. Turning, she eyed the boxes on the back seat, each one laden with cherished books, ceramics, and other essentials for her new office.

They were heavy, though. She should probably meet with Mercy and find her office first, then come back for her things.

If any of her coworkers were around today, Audrey would rather meet them before she got all hot and sweaty hauling boxes of books.

First impressions were so important. She was determined to do whatever it took to turn her temporary position into a permanent one, and that started with impressing her peers.

Luckily, the heavy gray clouds that had covered the Vermont sky since she woke this morning seemed to have blown over during her drive to the campus.

Now, spots of bright blue gleamed overhead, and the sun was out.

Ordinarily, Audrey didn’t mind the rain, but right now, sunshine felt like a good omen for her day.

“Audrey?”

She turned to see a Black woman in a pink blouse and dark jeans approaching her car.

Audrey recognized her easily. The university assigned every new professor a peer mentor to welcome them to their department and help them settle in, and Mercy was Audrey’s mentor.

They’d emailed a few times over the summer and followed each other on Instagram, so it was nice to see a familiar face.

“Hi, Mercy. It’s so great to meet you in person. ”

“You too.” Mercy extended a hand with a warm smile. “Welcome to NU.”

“Thank you,” Audrey said as they shook hands. “Not exaggerating when I say it’s a dream come true to be here.”

“Aww, I’m glad. Have you always wanted to teach here?”

“Yeah, but it’s such a small school, I didn’t think it was a realistic goal. I’ve been applying all over the country for the last two years without much luck. I taught an adjunct class here and there, and then ... this just fell into my lap, the perfect job at the perfect time.”

“Love that for you.” Mercy gestured for Audrey to follow her.

Audrey locked her car, and they set off together toward Holman Hall, where their offices were located.

The campus wasn’t busy today, a week before the start of the fall semester.

Here and there, she saw other people walking between buildings, probably professors like herself, here to organize their offices, but Northshire University also offered a few summer classes.

Audrey felt as if she’d been thrust back in time to her undergrad years as she walked across the quad.

Stately brick buildings surrounded her, and the sidewalk was lined with ornamental trees.

The admin building to her left, fronted by white columns and a bell tower that rose elegantly toward the sky, was the centerpiece of the campus.

The Green Mountains were visible in the distance, living up to their name as they provided a splash of color to the college’s backdrop.

The campus was so beautiful, and it looked exactly as she remembered.

She’d first walked this path over a decade ago as a wide-eyed eighteen-year-old with dreams of becoming a world-famous artist. Audrey lived and breathed art.

She dabbled in many art forms, but ceramics were her true passion.

She felt alive at the pottery wheel in a way she rarely did anywhere else.

Her second semester here, she’d signed up for an art history class, not knowing it would change the trajectory of her life.

That was where she met Dr. Thompson, who introduced Audrey to the fascinating history of the art she loved so much.

Dr. Thompson showed her that she could use her artistic talents to pursue a career as an academic herself.

In that class, Audrey found her passion both for art history and for becoming a professor.

She wanted to help inspire the next generation of artists the way Dr. Thompson had inspired her.

Dr. Thompson was smart and engaging and irresistibly enthusiastic about the subjects she taught.

She was also absolutely swoon-worthy, with her perfectly tailored tweed blazers and crisp British accent.

What started as admiration soon became Audrey’s first crush on a woman, and the rumors that Dr. Thompson was a lesbian only increased Audrey’s fascination with her.

Young Audrey had fancied herself in love, but looking back now from the vantage point of maturity, she knew it had just been puppy love. A teenage crush. She was so glad she’d never made a fool of herself by acting on it.

With that crush long behind her, Audrey had been thrilled to discover that Dr. Thompson still taught here. This time, they would be coworkers, and Audrey couldn’t wait to get to know her former professor as a peer.

She gazed up the marble steps to the entrance of Holman Hall. “Oh, this brings back memories.”

“Guessing you had a lot of classes in this building?” Mercy commented as she led the way up the steps. They entered the building together, and Audrey was hit with another wave of nostalgia.

“I’d hang out here in the lobby between classes. There used to be a big blue sofa over there.” Audrey pointed toward the corner near the elevator. “It was my unofficial spot.”

A bit of imposter syndrome was sneaking in now, though.

Standing here, Audrey felt like a student again.

She could picture her younger self so clearly, wearing the bright-red backpack and brown corduroy jacket that had seen her through graduation.

Suddenly, she felt young and inexperienced compared to the other professors in the department, many of whom had taught Audrey.

Mercy glanced at her phone. “You’re in office 235, which is on the opposite side of the building from me.”

“Bummer we aren’t office neighbors.” Mercy was a few years older than Audrey, but they were both newish professors. Audrey hoped they could become friends. She could use a friend here in Vermont, since no one she’d kept in touch with from college still lived in the area.

“I know. I’m down the other end of the hall with a bunch of old white dudes.

” Mercy rolled her eyes playfully. “They’re a harmless bunch for the most part, although the ‘jokes’ I have to put up with sometimes .

..” She made air quotes around jokes . “Anyway, I’ll walk with you and show you the ins and outs of the building. ”

“I appreciate it,” Audrey told her. “And sorry about the uncomfortable jokes. I hope none of them have crossed the line into harassment?”

“I’m a Black woman in a predominantly white department of a predominantly white university in an overwhelmingly white state, so I’ve been on the receiving end of more than my fair share of microaggressions, but let’s focus on the good stuff while I give you your tour of the building, hmm? ” She led the way toward the stairs.

“I’m sorry you have to put up with that.” Audrey remembered her time at NU with rose-colored glasses. She hated to think of racism happening here, but of course it did. It happened everywhere. “My mom’s Black, so I’ve seen some of what she has to deal with. It’s really unfair.”

Mercy regarded her with raised eyebrows. “Your mom’s Black?”

Audrey grinned. With her light-brown hair and fair skin, she was used to this reaction.

“I’m adopted. My heritage is Ukrainian, actually.

My brother’s Korean, also adopted. My dad’s roots are German and Irish, and my mom’s are Kenyan.

We all did DNA tests together a few years ago to find out our ancestries. ”

“Get out! I’m Kenyan. My parents emigrated just before I was born. I’d love to meet your mom. Your whole family, actually.”

“She would love that,” Audrey said. “She’s adopted too. It’s why she wanted to adopt her own kids, and she loves meeting other Kenyan Americans, since she never knew her birth family.”

“Definitely introduce us if she comes to visit. You’re from Boston, right?”

“The suburbs outside it, yeah. That’s where my parents live.”

“Cool.” Mercy led her into the second-floor hallway. “You’re down here at the end of the hall. Here are your keys. The larger one is to your office; the smaller one unlocks your mailbox. It’s downstairs in the main office.”

“Got it.” Audrey tried to contain her sense of wonder as she gazed around herself. She’d been in this hall before as a similarly awestruck freshman, visiting her professors during office hours. In fact ...

“Looks like you’re right across the hall from Michelle Thompson.” Mercy gestured to the closed door to their right.

“Dr. Thompson,” Audrey murmured. “She was my undergrad advisor.”

Mercy gave her a sympathetic look. “My condolences.”

“What?” Audrey glanced at her in surprise because she’d adored Dr. Thompson. Her stomach sank. “She’s not ... is she one of the ones making racist comments to you?”

Mercy shook her head. “No, I’d say Michelle dislikes us all equally.”

“She dislikes everyone?” That didn’t jibe with the woman Audrey had known.