By framing the phenomenon of resilience around adverse, harmful experiences and drawing a direct relation to positive outcomes, society desensitizes Black Women to the scale of the adversities they face and ignores the magnitude of psychological stress they have had to endure as a means of survival. The praise and reinforcement associated with perceptions of resilience and situations where perseverance is sustained as a means of survival may further the illusion that Black Women adopt characteristics like emotional suppression, caregiving, and showcasing strength independently. This study asked Black Women student affairs professionals at a predominantly white institution about their perceptions of resilience. The data revealed three categories that formed participants' perceptions of resilience: observation of others' challenges, their personal experiences with adversity, and guiding others through adverse situations. Then, when faced with an adverse situation, the participants presented two philosophies: perseverance as survival and perseverance as a choice. Understanding the factors that influence the use of each ethos leads to a better grasp of how Black Women in student affairs experience resilience and should affect how universities mitigate psychological harm to Black Women.