Describe your personal, educational, and professional experiences and how they informed your decision to pursue a graduate degree.
After working in public relations, I took a (what I thought was related) job working with communities on behalf of a school. I witnessed school counselors who had tremendous power over students’ futures but who didn’t serve the community in which the school was located. I decided to go back to school and get my master’s in school counseling. For the same reason, seeing inequities as a counselor motivated me to pursue my doctorate in education.
What challenges did you encounter along your educational trajectory? How did you overcome those challenges?
So many! My mom kicked me out at age 17 because she married a guy. I got pregnant in college and was single before my 2nd trimester. It was so hard to find housing for me and my baby and to stay enrolled full time (I never took less than 15 units- sometimes 18!). I graduated with my bachelor’s in exactly 4 years and my daughter was present. I had a lot of discouraging messages and experiences deterring me from pursuing school and about my worth as a single mom in college. I had to stay on course and true to my potential.
What advice do you have for individuals who are interested in pursuing a graduate degree?
What I always tell individuals who are hesitant about grad school is that you are smart enough! I know people in professional careers who are gatekeepers and frauds who have degrees and take up space- you belong there too. You are smart enough! If it’s about money; I would share my story. Money has never been a hindrance in pursuing an education. You have to take a leap and silence the voices (inside and outside of you) that tell you to stay small.
What did you enjoy most about your graduate/professional program?
My cohort was filled with strong and helpful women with their own superpowers that they brought to the experience and to me personally. It taught me to depend on others because although I’m good at certain things, they had strengths that filled my gaps and made me a better student and counselor. The next thing was learning about how to help and empower students via stories and strategies shared by awesome professors. I felt I was accessing knowledge from people who wanted to make the same changes in education as I did. It was a liberating experience!!
Cecilia is a mom of a teenager, a progressive school counselor who is an advocate for students, and a doctoral student. She also fosters kittens, is a pescatarian, and makes a mean banana bread. Cecilia is a firm believer that education can liberate and her existence shows that every day.
