It's Time to Talk About Leaving Academia
An introduction to a new series on leaving the ivory tower
Let me tell you what I’m not going to do in this series on leaving academia: I’m not going to pretend this is just about individual career decisions or “finding your passion” outside the university.
Because here’s what’s actually happening: The Trump administration is systematically dismantling U.S. academia. Faculty are being told what they can and cannot research or teach. Programs classified as “DEI” are being eliminated. Entire departments risk being shuttered for being “woke.” Legislators are defunding institutions while simultaneously seeking unprecedented control over them. Academic freedom is disintegrating in real time.
Leaving academia isn’t just a job market problem anymore. We are in a full-blown political crisis. And yet, when academics start considering leaving, we’re often made to feel like we’re giving up, failing, or betraying some higher calling. We internalize the idea that we should just tough it out and that we owe something to the profession even when our institutions are failing miserably to protect us.
Yes, we need those with a stay-and-fight mindset, but we can't put that burden on everyone, and some of us won't have the option. Choosing yourself, your family, and your well-being isn’t betrayal. It’s survival.
As many of my dear readers know, I left my position at the University of Texas about a year and a half ago. Not because I stopped caring about research or teaching or my students, but because I was living in a state that was actively hostile to the kind of work I did, and my partner and I had never really felt like Austin was our place. Add in the fact that you can't really choose where you live in academia, and I felt like my options for staying in academia were nonexistent.
The decision took me nearly three years to make, and it was brutal. I grieved. I questioned everything about who I was as a scholar and what my life would look like. I worried that leaving meant I’d never do meaningful work again.
I'm delighted to assure you that my scholarly identity remains intact, and the work I do now is brimming with meaning. You can read more about my decision to leave and what I’ve learned since in these posts:
Over the next few weeks, I want to share more about what I’ve learned about leaving academia—both from my own experience and from the many conversations I’ve been having with clients, colleagues, and friends who are navigating this same path.
Some of you are actively planning your exits. Others are just starting to whisper the possibility to yourselves. Some of you are committed to staying but need to know you have options if things get worse. And some of you are watching your positions disappear regardless of what you choose.
Wherever you are in the process, my goal with this series—which will include both written posts and podcast episodes—is to provide some wisdom and reassurance. Here are a few topics I’ll cover: What transferable skills actually are and how to think about your qualifications beyond the academy. The identity crisis that comes with leaving and how to navigate it. Practical considerations for those thinking about moving abroad (because I’m having that conversation a lot too). And probably some things I haven’t planned yet, because this conversation is evolving as I write it.
Even if you never leave academia, I hope this series gives you something valuable: the knowledge that you have agency, that you have options, and that your worth doesn’t evaporate if you leave the ivory tower.
You are not trapped. Your skills are not as narrow as you think. And leaving holds great possibilities.
If you know someone who might benefit from this series on leaving academia, please share it with them so they can follow along.
I will absolutely be following along. Its a topic on my mind as I left a year and a half ago as well and am just now beginning to write about my grieving process. It was fascinating to rebuild myself. I'm grateful to know I'm far from alone though I'm saddened so many of us have experienced it. Soldarity and strength! Looking very much forward to this series.