Describe your personal, educational, and professional experiences and how they informed your decision to pursue a graduate degree.
I took a service-learning course during my junior year of undergrad that made me fall in love with school psychology. I always knew I wanted to pursue psychology but wasn’t sure about the specialty. After taking that course, I immediately changed my major and connected with an advisor who would end up being my graduate school professor. He played in a huge role in my pursuit of graduate school. Growing up in a culture that doesn’t believe in psychology, I found it very important to bring awareness into the community. My research focus is on culture and I really want to be someone who can bridge the gap between the Latino community and the resources of psychology.
What challenges did you encounter along your educational trajectory? How did you overcome those challenges?
My challenges started right off the bat when I decided to go back to school as a wife and mom of 2 during undergrad. In my first semester, I lost my husband of 9 years. I withdrew that semester and the summer and went back strong in the fall. Being a single mom trying to help your children through grief was not easy, but they were all my motivation to keep pushing. Knowing that the work I would be doing in the future can help children going through the same experiences as my children also gave me the courage to keep working hard. My family and friends were very supportive and I knew in my heart that I had made the right choice in going back to school. That was my fuel to push through.
What advice do you have for individuals who are interested in pursuing a graduate degree?
Do it! Time will pass anyway. You will have moments of doubt and question but at the end of the day, it is all worth it. Find a support system, rely on them. Seek out your university resources and connections. Seek new experiences and opportunities in your field. Mostly importantly find your why. Your reason to pursue a professional degree, and remind yourself of it when life gets tough.
What did you enjoy most about your graduate/professional program?
Our program is very encouraging and motivating. The professors all want to see you succeed. They give you so many opportunities to learn and explore different areas and they encourage you to find your own. The practicum experiences have helped me gain new insight of areas I didn’t think I was interested in. The cohorts are all very close and you feel like a big family. I’ve been so lucky to be a part of such a great program at UNO.
Maria is a first generation college student, born in Mexico and raised in California. Maria is the first in her family to pursue higher education; she is a single mom trying to set an example for her girls. Maria loves learning new things and feels like she could be in school forever. She feels that all of the hardships and sacrifices are leading her to better and bigger things. Maria can’t wait to see what’s next.
