This week, our guest, Diana Valdivia, founder of First Gen And, returns to the show to share her experiences as a newly disabled first-generation immigrant. Diana is an immigrant woman of color whose immigration status is undocumented. Her experiences have led to organizing within immigrant rights and higher education. She recently retired from Student Affairs with her most recent role as the Director of Undocumented Student Services at UC Santa Barbara. During this transition, she has been rest...
May 19, 2023•56 min•Ep 190•Transcript available on Metacast This week our special guest is Victoria Bracamonte who talks about disability, education, and inclusion for first-gen students. Victoria has a bachelor’s degree in English Language Arts, Secondary Education as well as a Master’s degree in Education. Her current research focuses on evaluating how the use of Assistive Technology devices throughout academic curriculum, grant students the opportunity to evidence academic improvement. She advocates for educational spaces which propel student growth, ...
May 12, 2023•1 hr•Ep 189•Transcript available on Metacast In this solo episode of the Grad School Femtoring Podcast, I discuss six strategies to deal with a toxic advisor and make progress in your program. I know from experience just how hard it is to be in this situation and sadly, I’ve encountered far too many students and clients who have also struggled with a difficult, neglectful, or otherwise unsupportive advisor. Here are some options for what you can do. First, identify the root of the problem and consider documenting the toxic behavior. Then, ...
May 05, 2023•23 min•Ep 188•Transcript available on Metacast This week our special guest is Izzie Chea who shares her insights and experience on how to embrace your neurodivergence. Izzie is a Dominican-Mexican-American creative, educator, storyteller, and mental health advocate. After a late diagnosis of ADHD at age 35, she took her content creation talent to Instagram, where she has experienced tremendous growth. She holds a bachelor's and master's degree in Psychology and Human Development and lives in Houston, TX, with her husband, two boys, and a res...
Apr 28, 2023•47 min•Ep 187•Transcript available on Metacast This week our special guest is Marisol Jiménez, co-founder of Academic Amigas, who discusses the topic of managing doubt in grad school. Marisol is a first generation college student and daughter of immigrants. Her instagram page, Academic Amigas, focuses on providing free and accessible resources for women of color. Her research highlights the experiences of Latinx immigrant families and their experiences in Chicago public schools. Episode topics include: How self-doubt has manifested for Maris...
Apr 21, 2023•37 min•Ep 186•Transcript available on Metacast This week our special guest is Alma Lopez who shares her experience attending a predominantly white institution (PWI) and Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) as a first-gen child of immigrants. Alma is a Sociology PhD student at University of Nevada in Las Vegas. She has a Masters degree in sociology from Minnesota State University Menkeito and a bachelor's degree in psychology. She also has certificates in experimental psychology and nonprofit leadership. Her passion is centered on amplifying th...
Apr 14, 2023•39 min•Ep 185•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, I share several tips for fostering joy in grad school. I’ll admit that I used to think that joy was a privilege that could only be afforded by people unlike me, those who did not grow up experiencing childhood trauma, mental health issues, financial insecurity, and other adverse experiences. I share what I’ve learned through my own personal development journey for how to make room for more joyful moments from wellness practices, to connecting with others, to practicing gratitude...
Apr 07, 2023•27 min•Ep 184•Transcript available on Metacast This week our special guest is Aaliyah J. Deggs who discusses the topic of navigating unspoken rules as a first-gen professional. Aaliyah is a first-generation professional from Kansas City, Missouri. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and Anthropology from Spelman College in Atlanta, Georgia. Additionally, she earned a Master of Arts in Higher Education with a graduate certificate in American Indian Higher Education. Currently, she serves as a Residence Life Coordinator at the Univers...
Mar 31, 2023•52 min•Ep 183•Transcript available on Metacast The episode discusses some pros and cons of using Chat GPT in grad school. Chat GPT is an AI chat box tool that has caused a stir among many academics for its potential to transform teaching and how we learn both in helpful and harmful ways. I share what I’ve learned from using it over the last months. Some of the pros include its ability to simplify tasks related to generating ideas, summarizing information, and providing basic editing. One prominent con is that the information can be biased, i...
Mar 24, 2023•33 min•Ep 182•Transcript available on Metacast This week our special guest is Rita-Soledad (@wealthparatodos) who discusses the topic of how BIPOC, women, and LGBTQ+ gente can self-care themselves to financial independence. Soledad is a queer Mexican-American former math teacher turned personal finance educator and financial coach studying to become a Certified Financial Planner. As the CEO of Wealth Para Todos LLC, Soledad is determined to make sure more BIPOC, women, and LGBTQ+ folk learn how to self-care themselves to financial independen...
Mar 17, 2023•40 min•Ep 181•Transcript available on Metacast In this solo episode, I cover the topic of how to overcome dissertation writing anxiety. Writing anxiety refers to the feelings of fear, stress, and/or uncertainty you may feel when engaging in some sort of writing, especially academic writing. This episode discusses six common obstacles that can get in the way of you making progress in your writing and can also contribute to writing anxiety. They include: procrastination, lack of motivation, time management, struggling with the research process...
Mar 10, 2023•31 min•Ep 180•Transcript available on Metacast In this solo episode, I cover the topic of surviving college and grad school as a highly sensitive student. I begin the episode by defining neurodiversity and differences in neurotypes. Then I go on to discuss neurodivergence and list a few well-known and lesser known forms of neurodivergence. After that, I share my own experience as a highly sensitive person, what that means, and I share strategies that can improve your higher ed experience if you too are highly sensitive. If you want to learn ...
Mar 03, 2023•39 min•Ep 179•Transcript available on Metacast This week our special guest is Dr. Reka C. Barton (@thescholarlysewist) who discusses the topic of grief and loss during a doctoral program. Dr. Reka is a graduate of the Joint Doctoral Program with San Diego State University and Claremont Graduate University. She received her BA in Psychology and Master of Teaching in Elementary Education from the University of Virginia and served as an elementary school teacher for ten years. Dr. Reka recently began her role as Postdoctoral Faculty Fellow at t...
Feb 24, 2023•53 min•Ep 178•Transcript available on Metacast This week our special guest is Dr. La’Tonya "LT" Rease Miles who discusses the topic of how to support nontraditional students and adult learners. LT is a Director of Sales and University Partnerships at ReUp Education. A first-generation college graduate and former "stop out" student, LT has established two successful programs for first-generation college students — one at UCLA and the other at Loyola Marymount University—both recognized as First-gen Forward institutions. She regularly consults...
Feb 17, 2023•45 min•Ep 177•Transcript available on Metacast In this solo episode, I cover the topic of why many amazing higher ed employees are leaving. While many academic outlets discuss the adjunctification of academia and the many reasons why professors are leaving the ivory tower, fewer have discussed the increased exodus of higher ed staff members. This episode not only shares many reasons why people have left, including myself, but also what you can do about it if you are a current faculty member, staff in a management position, or administrator. ...
Feb 10, 2023•27 min•Ep 176•Transcript available on Metacast This week our special guest is Benjamin Perez who discusses the topic of the power of using social media for community advocacy. Benjamin is a first-generation college graduate and now a first-generation professional. He creates content that brings awareness on topics such as higher education, mental health, masculinity, assimilation, first-gen education, mental health, masculinity, first-gen experiences, the college experience, Greek Life, and the Latinx diaspora in the United States. His passi...
Feb 03, 2023•58 min•Ep 175•Transcript available on Metacast In this solo episode, I cover the topic of how to set boundaries in grad school with email scripts! I don’t know if you’re like me but I see so many professionals that encourage you to set boundaries without offering examples of how. Well, in this episode you’ll find plenty of sample email scripts that you’ll want to save to modify and use next time you need to set a boundary in your higher ed journey. Listen to the episode and download a copy of the transcript from my website if you need notes....
Jan 27, 2023•26 min•Ep 174•Transcript available on Metacast This week our special guests are Ariana Aparicio Aguilar and Patricia Ayala, who you may know as co-hosts of the Xicana Code Switchers podcast. Ariana began her educational journey at Santa Rosa Junior College and transferred to Sonoma State University where she obtained a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology with distinction. She also holds a Master’s in Education with a focus on Higher Education from the Harvard Graduate School of Education (HGSE) and is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Higher Educatio...
Jan 20, 2023•51 min•Ep 173•Transcript available on Metacast In this solo episode, I cover the topic of how to start your self-improvement journey with just five minutes a day. I discuss my own personal development journey and how frustrating it has been to not see many people in this space who look like me, sound like me, or have shared experiences. I also cover seven areas of self-improvement you can start today informed by a growth journal that I curated and am sharing as a free resource. Listen to the episode, then grab your free journal at the link b...
Jan 13, 2023•30 min•Ep 172•Transcript available on Metacast This week our special guest is Dr. Evingerlean D. B. Hudson who discusses the topic of overcoming adversity as a first-generation entrepreneur. Dr. Eve is the founder and president of Evingerlean Worldwide®—an entity created to empower first-generation scholars and professionals across the globe. Dr. Eve is committed to being a champion for historically underserved communities, creating safe spaces for growth, making pathways for social mobility, disrupting generational poverty, and building wea...
Jan 06, 2023•50 min•Ep 171•Transcript available on Metacast In this solo episode, I share some insights with you on my most played episodes in 2022 based on my podcasting platform data. You’ll learn more about which topics and which guests had the most listens this year, and why I think they were so popular. This information will help shape the topics and future guests I have on for 2023. Listen to this episode and let me know if your favorite episode made it to the top ten. If you missed any of these episodes, now is a great time to catch up on them too...
Dec 30, 2022•23 min•Ep 170•Transcript available on Metacast This week our special guests are Dra. Renee Lemus and Dra. Cristina Rose, also known as Las Doctoras, and they discuss the topic of how podcasting can be used as a medium for academic scholarship. Las Doctoras are acclaimed radical influencers, podcasters, writers, and Latina thought leaders. They are also creative partners in the Las Dras Podcast, Book Club, Sacred Writing Course, and their Saint Lunita Magazine. In this episode we cover: The synchronous and meet-cute way that the two of them m...
Dec 23, 2022•57 min•Ep 169•Transcript available on Metacast In this solo episode, I reflect on my year and the major life lessons I learned, which are informed by my experiences coaching, moving abroad, writing a book, and podcasting. It’s been a little over a year since leaving my higher ed staff job to pursue academic coaching and entrepreneurship as my new career. It’s been a year since moving my family from Southern California to Northern Portugal. It’s been about eight months since I started and finished a full draft of the Grad School Femtoring Gui...
Dec 16, 2022•33 min•Ep 168•Transcript available on Metacast This week our special guest is Janay Garrett who discusses the topic of the urgency of mother-scholar activism in grad school. Janay is a mother of three fierce, beautiful and bright children, ages 1, 3 and 5. Currently in Connecticut with her husband James, she is passionate about writing, scholarship, mentorship and improving community contexts/supports under which families grow. In this episode we cover: How mothering, cooking, community, and service have been central in her life as a child w...
Dec 09, 2022•59 min•Ep 167•Transcript available on Metacast This solo episode is for anyone who would like support with managing feelings of overwhelm during the holiday season. Whether you're a busy first-gen student or professional, the late fall term can be an especially hectic season and most of us could use some strategies for getting work done and surviving this season with less stress. This episode is especially helpful for those of us who experience emotional dysregulation, are highly sensitive, anxious, or simply have too much going on in their ...
Dec 02, 2022•22 min•Ep 166•Transcript available on Metacast This week our special guest is Dra. Lisette Sanchez who discusses the topic of mental health awareness for first-gen students and professionals. Dra. Lisette is a bilingual and bicultural licensed psychologist, coach, and speaker. She is the founder of Calathea Wellness, a virtual practice providing individual therapy, coaching, and speaking services. In addition, she has a passion for working with BIPOC folks and first-generation professionals. In this episode we cover: Her background growing u...
Nov 25, 2022•53 min•Ep 165•Transcript available on Metacast In this solo episode, I share a powerful life assessment exercise you can try out to help you get out of a place of feeling stuck in your life. This episode is for you if you’ve been feeling down and in a funk lately. This episode is for you if you want to reflect, assess, and make some changes in your life. This episode is also for you if you are willing to give yourself a moment of pause, a moment to do some journaling and to prioritize your personal healing and growth. Here are some resources...
Nov 18, 2022•43 min•Ep 161•Transcript available on Metacast This week our special guest is Sydnee Mack who discusses the topic of what you need to know about law school. Sydnee is an experienced sports, media and entertainment attorney, law professor and podcast host of The Sugar Fee Podcast with a heart for service and a flair for the dramatic. She hopes to change the world through artful storytelling, impeccable communication and real, honest conversations. In this episode we cover: How her background as a performer and athlete influenced her decision ...
Nov 11, 2022•1 hr 11 min•Ep 163•Transcript available on Metacast In this solo episode, I discuss how to regain creativity in grad school and beyond. I share about my experience losing my creativity in grad school and offer specific examples of how you can interweave creativity within your academic work. This episode is also an excerpt of the writing I share in my bi-weekly email newsletter. If you liked what you heard, definitely sign up for my email newsletter today. Follow me on your favorite social media platforms: Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, Facebook, T...
Nov 04, 2022•20 min•Ep 162•Transcript available on Metacast In this replay episode, which originally aired on May 28, 2020, I tackle the issue of time-management, lack of focus, and lack of motivation that many students and individuals are experiencing now that we've transitioned to online instruction. I provide 14 different tips to help with this issue, which includes setting a routine, relying on a support system, and lowering your bar, among others. *NEW!* Take the Grad School Femtoring Listener Survey to share critical feedback and get a special FREE...
Oct 28, 2022•48 min•Ep 161•Transcript available on Metacast 
