The Cohort Sistas Podcast

Today on the show we invite Dr. Thato Motlhalamme, who is here to impart some valuable and hard-won advice on pushing your comfort zones, trusting your voice, and standing up for yourself in spaces where you aren't being heard! Author of Holding the Knife's Edge: Journeys of Black Female Scientists, Dr. Motlhalamme tells the story of her life-long love of science, her passion for addressing the knowledge gap between plant medicine and allopathic treatment, and how she intentionally chose her PhD program because she wanted to push herself out of her comfort zone. She shares with us how she navigated having a faculty advisor who did not have a definitive project timeline, and the experience of co-authoring a book about black female scientists with her mentor, as well as the various pivots in her career that led her to the creation of this much-needed book. We dive into why it was the right decision to change universities, burnout, and the unexpected reprieve because of the pandemic, plus you'll hear some great insights on beginning your PhD with the right frame of mind, and how to navigate the difficult moments by asking the right questions. In closing, Dr. Motlhalamme shares her top advice for Black women in science and academia and reflects on not underestimating the value of your contributions in spaces where you think you're out of your depth. We hope you join us today for this inspiring conversation with our Cohort Sista scientist.Connect with Dr. Motlhalamme on LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram. Learn more about her book,  Holding The Knife's Edge by visiting her website. If you are a Black woman interested in joining the Cohort Sistas community or you're looking for more information on how to support or partner with Cohort Sistas, please visit our site at www.cohortsistas.com.Find us on Twitter and Instagram, and don't forget to follow the Cohort Sistas podcast, rate, and leave us a quick review wherever you're listening.

There's a common perception that if you wish to pursue academia and tenure, then you need to solely focus on institutional work. Today I'm speaking with Dr. Bukola Salami, an Associate Professor of Nursing and Director of the Intersections of Gender Program at the University of Alberta, who is living proof that that isn't the only way. Dr. Salami received her Ph.D. in nursing from the University of Toronto, where she studied the experiences of Filipino migrants, who work as caregivers in Canada. In her short career, Dr. Salami has established a robust program of research that intersects Immigrant Health and Workforce Mobility, Black Canadian Health and Well-being, Immigrant Mental Health, Nurse Mobility, and COVID vaccine hesitancy. In this episode, Dr. Salami first outlines her doctoral journey and its valuable work on the intersection of immigration experiences and workforce development, before imparting her top tips for graduate students and new faculty members when navigating the politics of an academic department. Hear her recommendations for collaborating with other scholars to increase publication, as well as how to develop a program of research to advance your career. This episode is overflowing with hard-won and discerning advice for those already in academia or wishing to begin with the right footing; we hope you join us today!Connect with Dr. Salami on Twitter and LinkedIn.  If you are a Black woman interested in joining the Cohort Sistas community or you're looking for more information on how to support or partner with Cohort Sistas, please visit our site at www.cohortsistas.com.Find us on Twitter and Instagram, and don't forget to follow the Cohort Sistas podcast, rate, and leave us a quick review wherever you're listening.

Many of us anchor our self-worth to our achievements, be they academic, physical, or fiscal. While we may find it motivating in the short term, the long-term effects of this can often result in unhealthy coping mechanisms and a paradoxically low sense of self-worth. Our guest today, Dr. Adia Gooden, is a licensed clinical psychologist, speaker, and host of the podcast Unconditionally Worthy. She holds a bachelor's degree in psychology from Stanford University and earned her PhD in clinical Community psychology from DePaul University. She formerly worked as a college counselor and recently set out on her own by starting her private practice. In today's conversation with Dr. Gooden, we discuss her journey to psychology, why she decided to pursue entrepreneurship over academia, and her deep passion for educating people on their unconditional worthiness, especially women of color. She shares insights into her self-worth journey and explains how therapy helped her address her harmful relationship with achievement and the unhealthy coping mechanisms she relied on during graduate school. We also touch on her parents' work as clinical psychologists and academics and discuss how their careers influenced her studies, including how their expertise in academia helped her navigate university life. Dr. Gooden has a wealth of insights to offer for students and non-students alike, so tune in for an informative and thought-provoking discussion on academia, entrepreneurship, and the power of unconditional self-worth, plus more!Connect with Dr. Gooden on LinkedIn,  Instagram, Facebook, and her website.  If you are a Black woman interested in joining the Cohort Sistas community or you're looking for more information on how to support or partner with Cohort Sistas, please visit our site at www.cohortsistas.com.Find us on Twitter and Instagram, and don't forget to follow the Cohort Sistas podcast, rate, and leave us a quick review wherever you're listening.

While navigating a doctoral degree program as a Black woman has its challenges, if you are an immigrant studying in the USA, this path can be even more difficult. Today we speak with Dr. Clara Mundia from Kenya who received her Ph.D. in Environmental Resources and Policy from Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, and now works as a research director for Dalberg in her home country. In this episode, we discuss what led her into the field of environmental resources and policy and why she chose to come to the US to pursue college and graduate school. She explains the culture shock she experienced in the USA, the challenges she faced with her advisor, and how she navigated single motherhood during graduate school while away from her family. In this inspiring conversation, she talks about how she overcame some of the cultural and financial challenges of being an African international student in college and grad school, as well as the difficulties of finding employment in Kenya when she returned “overqualified”. To hear her inspirational story as well as her valuable advice to anyone considering doing their doctoral degree outside of their home country, tune in today!Connect with Dr. Mundia on LinkedIn and Twitter. If you are a Black woman interested in joining the Cohort Sistas community or you're looking for more information on how to support or partner with Cohort Sistas, please visit our site at www.cohortsistas.com.Find us on Twitter and Instagram, and don't forget to follow the Cohort Sistas podcast, rate, and leave us a quick review wherever you're listening.

There are many variables that impact the doctoral and postdoctoral experience. One of these is undoubtedly location. Today's guest, Dr. Anna Hood, has unique insight into higher education both here in the US, and in the UK, having completed her Ph.D. at Washington University, and now working as a lecturer in psychology at the University of Manchester. During this conversation, she shares the story of how she came to pursue her doctorate in Psychological and Brain Sciences and finding community in a cohort of Black and Brown first-time doctoral students. We hear from Dr. Hood about her current research into the biophysical model of sickle cell disease, why she chose to apply to grad schools right out of the MARC program, and how the conferences she attended enriched her educational experience. We touch on what it was like to be a postgraduate student on the ground for Michael Brown, and how she came to start the Diversity Committee at the University of Manchester. Dr. Hood gets candid about procuring funding, applying for fellowships, and creating presentations, and shares her experience of being a graduate school advisor herself. She unpacks some of the differences between the UK and US experience, and leaves listeners with some powerful advice: get paid, find money, don't pay for graduate school! We hope you join us to hear all this and more today.Connect with Dr. Anna Hood on LinkedIn and Twitter.  If you are a Black woman interested in joining the Cohort Sistas community or you're looking for more information on how to support or partner with Cohort Sistas, please visit our site at www.cohortsistas.com.Find us on Twitter and Instagram, and don't forget to follow the Cohort Sistas podcast, rate, and leave us a quick review wherever you're listening.

While we have made great strides toward racial and gender equity over the last century, disparities still remain in fairness and equal opportunity. Unfortunately, one of the sectors where these disparities are the easiest to spot is in STEM. Today on The Cohort Sistas Podcast, you'll hear from Dr. Carlotta Berry, a professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology and the 2021 to 2024 Dr. Lawrence J. Giacoletto Endowed Chair for Electrical and Computer Engineering. Dr. Berry, who goes by NoireSTEMinist online, is a leading scholar in robotics and was one of the co-founders of Black In Engineering and Black In Robotics, which both work to bring awareness to systemic racism and advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion in STEM. In this episode, Dr. Berry talks about her passion for diversifying the engineering profession by recruiting more underrepresented populations and women to the field, elaborating on her belief that the profession should reflect the world that we live in order to solve the unique problems that we face. She also shares how she intentionally pursued a PhD in order to become a teacher, why she chose to pursue a master's degree before going into a doctoral program, and how she supplemented her doctoral stipend with side gigs, as well as the importance of using your voice and position to advocate for change, despite the potential repercussions. Tune in today to learn more!Connect with Dr. Carlotta Berry on LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram.If you are a Black woman interested in joining the Cohort Sistas community or you're looking for more information on how to support or partner with Cohort Sistas, please visit our site at www.cohortsistas.com.Find us on Twitter and Instagram, and don't forget to follow the Cohort Sistas podcast, rate, and leave us a quick review wherever you're listening.

Thank you for tuning in to another episode of the Cohort Sistas Podcast. Here today to share her journey is Dr. Bianca Goodrum, a licensed counselor and assistant professor at Our Lady of the Lake University. Dr. Goodrum's dissertation focused on the stories of grief counselors' self-care and wellness practices and, in today's episode, she shares her findings with us, along with how she has integrated these practices into her own work. She shares why it is important to externalize your experiences and how there is a lot of strength in crying, and we talk about her father's work as a counselor, and what motivated her to choose the program she ended up pursuing, before exploring what it was like to study her doctorate while working full time. Next, we touch on the dangers of comparison and Dr. Goodrum tells us why she believes there is a seat for everyone at the table. You'll hear about her experience of transitioning from a student to dissertation writer, to searching for a job, before detailing the rare story of moving from adjunct professor to tenure track professor. Dr. Goodrum believes that the more doors we close, the more the ones we want to go through will open, and her advice to young Black women entering the doctoral space includes being intentional about your decisions and finding someone you can cry in front of. Join us today to hear more!Connect with Dr. Goodrum on LinkedIn and Instagram. If you are a Black woman interested in joining the Cohort Sistas community or you're looking for more information on how to support or partner with Cohort Sistas, please visit our site at www.cohortsistas.com.Find us on Twitter and Instagram, and don't forget to follow the Cohort Sistas podcast, rate, and leave us a quick review wherever you're listening.

As Gettysburg College's first black administrator, and the only black woman to ever be a full professor at the college, Dr. Jennifer Bloomquist has many stories to share from her 20 year career. Although there have been challenges of being immersed in all-white spaces at the college, Jennifer has always felt that the institution has invested in helping her achieve success, and she in turn, has made it her goal to do the same for other black and brown folks who come through Gettysburg's doors. In today's episode, Jennifer shares how her doctoral degree and her family commitments led her to Gettysburg, and her journey from Assistant Professor of Africana Studies to Associate Provost of Faculty Development and the Dean of Social Sciences and Interdisciplinary Studies. We also discuss the pros and cons of working at a liberal arts college as opposed to an R1, the most effective mentorship model, how to break away from harmful socialization, and ways to make academic institutions more hospitable to people of color. Connect with Dr. Jennifer Bloomquist on LinkedIn. If you are a Black woman interested in joining the Cohort Sistas community or you're looking for more information on how to support or partner with Cohort Sistas, please visit our site at www.cohortsistas.com.Find us on Twitter and Instagram, and don't forget to follow the Cohort Sistas podcast, rate, and leave us a quick review wherever you're listening.

Welcome to another episode of the Cohort Sistas Podcast. Here today to discuss her work on Black girlhood and Black joy, and how she slowed down the doctoral journey to focus on fertility, is tenured professor Dr. Monique Lane. During this conversation, she shares how she published her dissertation in a book called Engendering #BlackGirlJoy. How to Cultivate Empowered Identities and Educational Persistence in Struggling Schools, and the two key offerings she has outlined in it. Next, she unpacks what she means by joy, and how Black girl joy is the precursor to Black girl magic. We talk about her journey from undergrad, to high school teacher, to doctoral student and beyond, and how her work as a teacher motivated the research direction she took during her doctorate, as well as sharing highlights and challenges from her journey in the world of education, and why she believes it is divine work. We hope you join us today to hear all this and more! Connect with Dr. Monique Lane on LinkedIn and on her website. You can also purchase her recently published book, Engendering #BlackGirlJoy. If you are a Black woman interested in joining the Cohort Sistas community or you're looking for more information on how to support or partner with Cohort Sistas, please visit our site at www.cohortsistas.com.Find us on Twitter and Instagram, and don't forget to follow the Cohort Sistas podcast, rate, and leave us a quick review wherever you're listening.

Doing a single postgraduate degree is hard enough under normal circumstances, and a real challenge during a pandemic. Dr. Tonia Burgess not only completed her Ph.D. during this time, but it was also her third degree in less than 10 years. Join us today as we discuss where she found the inspiration to start a master's and a Ph.D. after a nearly 30-year career with the California Government, and where she drew inspiration from throughout this process. Tonia talks about how she picked her topic and gives advice on confronting traumatic subjects. Discover the importance of a supportive family and planning your schedule to study and work simultaneously, followed by three things Tonia learned throughout her Ph.D. Don't miss out on this must-hear episode!Connect with Dr. Tonia Burgess on LinkedIn.If you are a Black woman interested in joining the Cohort Sistas community or you're looking for more information on how to support or partner with Cohort Sistas, please visit our site at www.cohortsistas.com.Find us on Twitter and Instagram, and don't forget to follow the Cohort Sistas podcast, rate, and leave us a quick review wherever you're listening.

Today's guest started out her college educational career in the field of chemistry, but when she was exposed to the lack of focus on non-traditional end users in the field of engineering, she decided to pursue a PhD which looked at how to improve the methodology of design. Dr. Malena Agyemang's PhD journey had a few bumps in the road, and in today's episode she explains the factors which pushed her to transfer from Arizona State to Clemson University. Malena discusses the positive impact that yoga has had on her life, and the goal behind her decision to do her yoga teacher training course. We end the episode with a key piece of advice from Malena which speaks to the personal struggles that she went through as a PhD student.Connect with Dr. Malena Agyemang on LinkedIn and Instagram.If you are a Black woman interested in joining the Cohort Sistas community or you're looking for more information on how to support or partner with Cohort Sistas, please visit our site at www.cohortsistas.com.Find us on Twitter and Instagram, and don't forget to follow the Cohort Sistas podcast, rate, and leave us a quick review wherever you're listening.

Today's guest, Dr. Ayeesha Hankins, obtained her PhD in educational psychology from the University of Carolina. Tune in to hear her thoughts on how to interpret and process a doctoral application rejection, what it was like to finish a doctoral degree in three years due to funding constraints, and navigating the challenge of not having clear research interests while you're pursuing doctoral studies. You'll also hear how Dr. Hankins used additional professional development resources during her degree to receive leadership and coaching certifications and how she uses them today to support Black women through the sensitive post-doctoral transition phase. Dr. Hankins speaks to the importance of finding the right fit between who you are and the environment where you will be pursuing your studies and shares how she was affected by not having a mentor to help her navigate her studies. Join us to hear about Dr. Hankins' experience of navigating life whilst doing doctoral studies and how she has come to coach other women on the same journey! Connect with Dr. Ayeesha Hankins on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and Youtube. If you are a Black woman interested in joining the Cohort Sistas community or you're looking for more information on how to support or partner with Cohort Sistas, please visit our site at www.cohortsistas.com.Find us on Twitter and Instagram, and don't forget to follow the Cohort Sistas podcast, rate, and leave us a quick review wherever you're listening.

On today's conversation, Dr. Beatrice Ncho tells the story of how she left Cameroon to start her studies at a community college in the United States, before eventually achieving a PhD in chemical engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology. You'll hear why she is passionate about helping Black women to excel in academia through mentorship, and what her current role entails, working as an R&D engineer at a medical device company, with a focus on changing the design of devices to prevent blood clots from forming in the heart. Dr. Ncho shares the roots of her interest in engineering, and tells us why she started her studies at a community college, and how this helped to set her up. You'll also hear how she got accepted into a graduate program that paid her to learn, what led her to choose Georgia Tech, why the advisor you choose to work with has such a big influence on your PhD experience and what it was like for her to work with her advisor. People find community in all sorts of places, and Dr. Ncho shares how the Bible Study she started with a friend became an essential source of support, and how the students in her lab came to support and challenge one another. In closing, Dr. Ncho shares how her own experience of being mentored has led her to prioritize mentoring others, and shares some final words of advice with aspiring PhD candidates in Africa: you already have all the tools you need! We hope you join us to hear from this inspiring thought leader today.Connect with Dr. Beatrice Ncho on LinkedIn and  Instagram.If you are a Black woman interested in joining the Cohort Sistas community or you're looking for more information on how to support or partner with Cohort Sistas, please visit our site at www.cohortsistas.com.Find us on Twitter and Instagram, and don't forget to follow the Cohort Sistas podcast, rate, and leave us a quick review wherever you're listening.

Knowing that you want to do your Ph.D. when you are in high school is pretty remarkable, and it requires focus and dedication from a young age. This is the position today's guest, Dr. Niambi Brewer, was in. Niambi received her Ph.D. in cell and molecular biology from the University of Pennsylvania, where she is also doing her postdoc at the Genetic Diagnostic Laboratory. In today's episode, Niambi talks about the journey of self-discovery she is on having recently completed her doctorate. When you are in graduate school, it is easy to be one-track-minded, so figuring out who you are again is a process. We hear what Niambi did in high school to explore her interests and set herself up for her Ph.D. Niambi decided to go straight into her doctoral studies from her undergrad rather than taking time off, and she provides insights into these decisions. Our wide-ranging conversation also touches on the importance of social capital as a Black doctoral student, how Niambi has managed to stay connected to people despite working in STEM research, and the importance of realizing your value. Tune in today.  Connect with Dr. Niambi Brewer on Twitter,  Instagram, LinkedIn, and on her website. You can also learn more about the Meyerhoff Scholars Program here. If you are a Black woman interested in joining the Cohort Sistas community or you're looking for more information on how to support or partner with Cohort Sistas, please visit our site at www.cohortsistas.com.Find us on Twitter and Instagram, and don't forget to follow the Cohort Sistas podcast, rate, and leave us a quick review wherever you're listening.

Today's guest, Dr. Wenimo Okoya, has a foot in both health and education, having worked as a classroom teacher in Harlem and the Bronx, received a Masters degree in public health and an EdD in health education. In this episode, she shares the details of her dissertation on why community schools hesitate to adopt trauma sensitive practices, and describes some of the elements that contribute to creating an unhealthy school environment, including labeling, racism, yelling, and repeated isolation without the appropriate support. We touch on mentorship and community and Dr. Okoya tells us about the network of people she developed during her time at Columbia University, before explaining why she chose to work and study at the same time, to make sure that her research was relevant. Next, Dr. Okoya tells us how her definition of community became broader than just the university, why her proposal defence was one of the biggest successes of her doctoral experience, and the problem of many highly ranked universities being located in urban neighborhoods. She lets us know what led her to work as an adjunct professor, and gives us the full scoop on the Healing Project, which she started with a view to heal teachers to empower their students. We hope you join us today to hear all this and more!Connect with Dr. Wenimo Okoya on LinkedIn,  Instagram, Twitter, and on her website, and learn more about The Healing Schools Project here.If you are a Black woman interested in joining the Cohort Sistas community or you're looking for more information on how to support or partner with Cohort Sistas, please visit our site at www.cohortsistas.com.

Working at the intersection of clinical practice, consulting, and academia. Dr. Isha Metzger wears many hats. She is a licensed clinical psychologist, Assistant Professor at Georgia State University, and Director of The EMPOWER Lab, which looks to help communities heal from trauma and deal with anti-Black racism. In this episode, we hear about Dr. Metzger's journey and what sparked her interest in clinical psychology. She shares the role that mentors have played in her success and gives insights into how she has become a mentor herself. Although this is a coveted relationship, it requires work to set boundaries and talk through expectations to get the most out of it. Our conversation also touches on securing funding for your studies, why Dr. Metzger decided to work in such a transdisciplinary way as well as insights into the work EMPOWER Lab does. Dr. Metzger leaves us with some words of encouragement for Black women who are thinking about pursuing doctoral studies. Tune in to hear it all!Connect with Dr. Isha Metzger on LinkedIn and her website. You can also find out more about The EMPOWER Lab and check out her podcast, Black and Empowered.If you are a Black woman interested in joining the Cohort Sistas community or you're looking for more information on how to support or partner with Cohort Sistas, please visit our site at www.cohortsistas.com.Find us on Twitter and Instagram, and don't forget to follow the Cohort Sistas podcast, rate, and leave us a quick review wherever you're listening.

On today's episode, we speak to Dr. McKenzie Stokes, a community psychologist and first-generation college student whose work examines the protective effects of racial socialization on Black youth in mono- and multiracial Black families. You'll hear about her own experience growing up in a biracial family, which has driven her research into the impact of parental communication within similar homes. Dr. Stokes reveals the statistics around suicidality and depression in biracial teenagers that further fueled her interest in the topic, and shares her academic journey from an uncertain undergraduate student going straight into her doctoral and post-doctoral studies. She unpacks her majors in community psychology, African American studies, and non profit management, and tells us about the scale she created to better measure how biracial individuals learn about race and the ways in which that shapes how they feel about their own identity and other Black people. We also discuss the doctoral application process and Dr. Stokes encourages future applicants to bear in mind that the application is holistic in nature; it doesn't rest solely on your GRE scores. Dr. Stokes touches on the challenges she faced during her studies, including rejection and the emotional burden of teaching, before sharing some great victories, among which are persevering through rejection, three first-author publications, and receiving dissertation grants for data collection. We hope you join us to hear all this and more today!Connect with Dr. McKenzie Stokes on LinkedIn and on Twitter. If you are a Black woman interested in joining the Cohort Sistas community or you're looking for more information on how to support or partner with Cohort Sistas, please visit our site at www.cohortsistas.com.Find us on Twitter and Instagram, and don't forget to follow the Cohort Sistas podcast, rate, and leave us a quick review wherever you're listening.

Fearlessness and an inquiring mind are two ingredients with the power to carry students a long way. In this episode, we speak to Dr. Daphney Chery, a scientist and doctor who received her Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering from Drexel University in Philadelphia. In today's episode, she tells the unique story of how she started her doctoral journey without applying, how she was introduced to biomedical engineering through a prosthetics expert, and how Drexel's allowance for interdisciplinary studies enabled her to publish papers at U Penn and Einstein during her studies. She goes on to tell us how she found a sense of community among the staff at Drexel, the details of her funding journey, and her advice for people on a similar path: find an ally, and know your worth. Dr. Chery shares her experience of racism in academia and we explore why, despite their success and prestige, HBCUs are not considered R1 institutions. In closing, she offers some words of wisdom to listeners: prioritize networking, learn from other people's mistakes, explore your options, and talk to people. Tune in for an episode packed with advice and inspiration today!Connect with Dr. Daphney Chery on LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter, and DrDaphneyChery.com. If you are a Black woman interested in joining the Cohort Sistas community or you're looking for more information on how to support or partner with Cohort Sistas, please visit our site at www.cohortsistas.com.Find us on Twitter and Instagram, and don't forget to follow the Cohort Sistas podcast, rate, and leave us a quick review wherever you're listening.

As we celebrate the 30th episode of the Cohort Sistas Podcast we take a moment to examine one of the most common threads that come up in nearly every single episode: mentorship. Regardless of whether our guests have shared positive or negative mentorship experiences during their doctoral journey, it can't be denied that mentorship is one of the most important elements of success along this path. Today, we discuss the importance of having a mentor and particularly a Black woman to mentor you along your doctoral journey and beyond. Our host, Dr. Ijeoma Kola, shares some of her own firsthand experiences with different mentors. Dr. Kola breaks down the three categories of Black women mentors that she has encountered: the high-ranking Black woman mentor, the no-nonsense Black woman mentor, and the Auntie/Fairy Godmother Black woman mentor. She examines the pros and cons of each and gives some tips to make the most of any mentor-mentee relationship with one of these women. Lack of mentorship is the number one self-reported barrier to success in doctoral studies for Cohort Sistas members so tune in today to find out about the Cohort Sistas Sista Circle Mentorship Program and how you too can find a mentor that looks like you!Mentioned in the show:Cohort Sistas Sista Circle Mentorship ProgramIf you are a Black woman interested in joining the Cohort Sistas community or you're looking for more information on how to support or partner with Cohort Sistas, please visit our site at www.cohortsistas.com.Find us on Twitter and Instagram, and don't forget to follow the Cohort Sistas podcast, rate, and leave us a quick review wherever you're listening.

In this week's episode of the Cohort Sistas Podcast, we get together with Dr. Chrystelle Vilfranc to discuss her Ph.D. journey and the difficulties of finishing a doctoral degree during a pandemic. Dr. Vilfranc is the most recent graduate we've interviewed, having received her Ph.D. in April of this year. She earned her Ph.D. in Cancer and Cell Biology from the University of Cincinnati. She is an American Association for the Advancement of Science Mass Media fellow, where she is currently interning and working as a science journalist. In our conversation with Dr. Vilfranc, we discuss how she first became interested in science and studying cancer. She shares how she struggled with her first application to graduate school and explains how a referral to a post-baccalaureate program helped her find success in her second application. Tuning in you'll hear Dr. Vilfranc break down her dissertation and how an unexpected figure helped her realize she wanted to pursue a Ph.D. instead of going to medical school. She shares her experiences with imposter syndrome and how she found mentorship and support by connecting with black, female mentors online. Hear what it was like for Dr. Vilfranc to finish her degree during a pandemic and why her next career move is all about helping her community. Join us today for a fascinating look at the many aspects of pursuing a Ph.D. in science and how online mentorship can inspire and support you! Connect with Dr. Chrystelle Vilfranc on LinkedIn, Instagram, and Twitter. Mentioned in the show:On the Vanguard: Conversations with Women of Color in STEMIf you are a Black woman interested in joining the Cohort Sistas community or you're looking for more information on how to support or partner with Cohort Sistas, please visit our site at www.cohortsistas.com.Find us on Twitter and Instagram, and don't forget to follow the Cohort Sistas podcast, rate, and leave us a quick review wherever you're listening.

You may not have heard of today's guest but, if you're active on social media, you're likely to encounter her work. Dr. Dominiqua Griffin is the Co-founder and CEO of Black Women PhDs, which bridges the formal and informal spaces for Black women along their doctoral journey. There's plenty of focus on the challenges of pursuing doctoral and post-doctoral studies, but in today's episode, we zoom in on how to maximize the joy of doing something you are passionate about. Dr. Griffin describes how her experience growing up in a dual culture household in the Bronx has shaped her identity and brought special insights that she brings to her research and work. Next, she tells us why she chose a doctoral program with both comparative and international education pieces, how she found support in an all-female cohort, and what she has come to define as community: being around people who have your best interests at heart. Dr. Griffin touches on her work doing an ethnographic study in Barbados, how she completed her studies in five years, and offers an imperative piece of advice to anyone approaching their studies: find joy! She reveals her biggest points of pride, from creating a powerful community at Black Women PhDs to practicing advocacy and connecting with others along the way. We talk about what motivated her to start her passion project and how she manages with a plate piled very high. In closing, Dr. Griffin tells us a bit about the Ambassadors Program and its international clusters, also offering some final words of wisdom: rely on your community, do what brings you joy, and just go for it! We hope you join us. Connect with Dr. Dominiqua Griffin on  LinkedIn,  and at Black Women PhDs , Black Women PhDs on Facebook, Black Women PhDs on Twitter, and Black Women PhDs on Instagram.If you are a Black woman interested in joining the Cohort Sistas community or you're looking for more information on how to support or partner with Cohort Sistas, please visit our site at www.cohortsistas.com.Find us on Twitter and Instagram, and don't forget to follow the Cohort Sistas podcast, rate, and leave us a quick review wherever you're listening.

Everyone wants to wake up in the morning with a strong sense of purpose, but carving out a career path that matches both your skillset and your area of interest can be incredibly challenging. Today's guest, Dr. Kilan Ashad-Bishop, is a biomedical scientist who received her Ph.D. in cancer biology from the University of Miami. In this episode, we speak about the power of growing up with female family figures with doctoral degrees, and Dr. Bishop gives us an in-depth overview of her doctoral and post-doctoral research and the work she does at two non-profit organizations: STEMNoire and First Star Academies. We touch on the importance of family support, the power of purpose in creating intentionality, and why cancer research was well-suited to Dr. Bishop's areas of interest, as well as how she came to realize this. We discuss the role of the academic institution you choose in developing your sense of self, Dr. Bishop reveals the details of her funding structure, and we explore the difference between being committed to understanding who you are working with and simply fulfilling your commitment to training underrepresented populations. Dr. Bishop gives us the details of her research into structural barriers to optimal health among communities of color and her work that uses science as a tool for social change in marginalized communities. Finally, she leaves women pursuing postgraduate studies with some beautiful advice: embrace all that you are, even when the institution seems to be requiring something different of you. We hope you join us for a glimpse into Dr. Bishop's inspiring mind today!Connect with Dr. Kilan Ashad-Bishop on Kilan C. Ashad-Bishop, Ph.D. , LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube, and Twitter.Mentioned in the show:STEMNoireFirst Star AcademiesIf you are a Black woman interested in joining the Cohort Sistas community or you're looking for more information on how to support or partner with Cohort Sistas, please visit our site at www.cohortsistas.com.Find us on Twitter and Instagram, and don't forget to follow the Cohort Sistas podcast, rate, and leave us a quick review wherever you're listening. 

While pursuing a career as a medical doctor is a common and effective way to provide people with the care that they need, it is certainly not the only way to do so. In today's episode, we speak with Dr. Morine Cebert-Gaitors, who completed her Ph.D. in Nursing from Duke University School of Nursing and is currently a post-doctoral fellow at the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Cebert-Gaitors, who is also a Certified Nurse Practitioner, shares her experience with an ovarian cyst inspired her to pursue a doctoral degree to study infertility in Black women, how she leveraged institutional resources and mentors to secure funding to finish her doctoral degree in just three and a half years, and the personal, family, and mental health challenges that she overcame during her doctorate. We hope you join us for a raw and real conversation about the personal challenges that can accompany an academic journey, and some powerful practical advice on how best to manage them!Connect with Dr. Morine Cebert Gaitors on LinkedIn and Twitter.Mentioned in the show:'I'm a Black Woman with Adult ADHD: 3 Integral Aspects of My Treatment'If you are a Black woman interested in joining the Cohort Sistas community or you're looking for more information on how to support or partner with Cohort Sistas, please visit our site at www.cohortsistas.com.Find us on Twitter and Instagram, and don't forget to follow the Cohort Sistas podcast, rate, and leave us a quick review wherever you're listening. 

There are plenty of different approaches to building a career. What should come first, academic pursuits or real-world experience? Today, our guest is Dr. Linda Baffo, a health equity evaluator and public health analyst with over a decade of experience in the field. In this episode, Dr. Baffo talks about how her two years of teaching with Teach for America propelled her into the field of public health, the pros and cons of pursuing a doctoral degree in your 30s and how she used her experience in the field to supplement her in classroom learnings for a robust dissertation. Dr. Baffo shares some powerful tips on liking what you're working on and scheduling time in, just for yourself, in order to achieve balance and overall wellness, and she tells us how her studies affirmed her existing approach to her work, helping her to gain confidence as a professional. We hope you join in for some powerful insights on how best to go about pursuing the work that you're passionate about today.Connect with Dr. Linda Baffo on LinkedIn. If you are a Black woman interested in joining the Cohort Sistas community or you're looking for more information on how to support or partner with Cohort Sistas, please visit our site at www.cohortsistas.com.Find us on Twitter and Instagram, and don't forget to follow the Cohort Sistas podcast, rate, and leave us a quick review wherever you're listening. 

In today's episode, we speak with Dr. Tega Edwin, who received her Ph.D. in Counselor Education from Penn State University. She first worked as a school counselor and initially pursued a Ph.D. to become a district supervisor. Dr. Edwin kicks off our episode by telling us how she assessed her varying degrees of love for research, teaching, and service to determine whether she should pursue an academic position at an R1 or R2 institution. Next, she shares the power of black female mentorship and the importance of showing up as your full self as a black woman in academia. She even gives us some really honest thoughts on the pros and cons of long-distance marriages before telling us how she carves out time for both academic and entrepreneurial endeavors during her week. Tune in for an episode packed with valuable career insights, practical tidbits, and grounding reality checks. We hope you join us!Connect with Dr. Tega Edwin on Her Career Doctor, LinkedIn, Instagram, and Twitter.If you are a Black woman interested in joining the Cohort Sistas community or you're looking for more information on how to support or partner with Cohort Sistas, please visit our site at www.cohortsistas.com.Find us on Twitter and Instagram, and don't forget to follow the Cohort Sistas podcast, rate, and leave us a quick review wherever you're listening. 

With the words “You can have it all, but not at the same time,” Shonda Rhimes gave thousands of women permission to reevaluate the unrealistic expectations they had been imposing on themselves. Our guest today is all too familiar with the consequences of this dilemma. In today's episode of the Cohort Sistas podcast, we meet up with Dr. Latoya Watson. She is the mother of two young girls and currently works as the Assistant Dean of the Associate in Arts Program at the University of Delaware. Dr. Watson worked in higher education administration after finishing college at the University of Delaware and completed her EdD in Educational Leadership at the University of Delaware while working full-time at the same institution. Dr. Watson discusses the benefits of remaining at one institution for all three of her degrees, and how she was able to leverage her work in a university setting to apply to her master's and doctoral programs. We hear from Dr. Watson about the difficulty that comes with caring for a sick child while studying and how she managed to navigate motherhood, marriage, and her family's health struggles while pursuing her doctoral degree. Later Dr. Watson unpacks her dissertation topic entitled Equity Mindedness and Equity Advising and how it forms the core of who she is. We loved having Dr. Watson on the show and we're sure you will find the conversation every bit as stimulating as we did. Join us today as we discuss the challenges that come with ‘having it all' and why there is no shame in taking longer than expected to complete your degree!Connect with Dr. Latoya Watson on Dr. Latoya Watson, LinkedIn, Instagram, and Twitter.Mentioned in the show:Year of Yes: How to Dance It Out, Stand In the Sun and Be Your Own PersonEssentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of LessIf you are a Black woman interested in joining the Cohort Sistas community or you're looking for more information on how to support or partner with Cohort Sistas, please visit our site at www.cohortsistas.com.Find us on Twitter and Instagram, and don't forget to follow the Cohort Sistas podcast, rate, and leave us a quick review wherever you're listening. 

Black people have been marginalized and disadvantaged throughout history, but instead of allowing this to make you feel like you are not capable or worthy of greatness, let it instead fuel you and inspire you and motivate you to face up to every challenge that is thrown at you. That is the message that Dr. Monét Roberts has to share with us today. As a student who struggled with math, with a school supervisor who didn't see the potential in her, Monet now holds a doctorate in biomedical engineering. In today's episode, Dr. Roberts talks about the people who helped get her to this point, her passion for helping others excel on their own journeys, and the fascinating cancer research that she is involved with. Dr. Roberts knows all about impostor syndrome, and she opens up about the strategies that she utilizes to overcome that feeling that is all too common amongst people doing exceptional work. Don't ever surrender your potential to the limited imaginations of others; believe in yourself, be audacious and lift others as you climb. Connect with Dr. Monét Roberts on LinkedIn or on Twitter. Mentioned in the show:Platt LabMunson Lab Georgia TechVirginia TechCornell UniversityIf you are a Black woman interested in joining the Cohort Sistas community or you're looking for more information on how to support or partner with Cohort Sistas, please visit our site at www.cohortsistas.com.Find us on Twitter and Instagram, and don't forget to follow the Cohort Sistas podcast, rate, and leave us a quick review wherever you're listening.

As a graduate student, it's easy to become fixated on a rigid set of expectations, especially when it concerns what one's academic trajectory should look like. In today's episode, we speak with Dr. Lauren Mims who has learned to accept that the academic path is often unpredictable, even in the face of the most dedicated planning. During her doctoral degree, she seized an unexpected opportunity, taking time off to work in the White House. During that time she served as the Assistant Director of the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for African Americans for the Obama administration. Dr. Mims is currently an Assistant Professor of Educational Psychology at Ball State University in Indiana and received her doctorate in Educational Psychology from the University of Virginia. Her research promotes the well-being and development of Black students, with a particular focus on Black girls and girlhood. In our discussion, we talked with Dr. Mims about her dissertation and how she came to choose her focus. She shares how surprised she was to find herself at a University in the Midwest and explains that she had based her decision on the fact that they actively celebrated Black scholars and their work, rather than simply tolerating them. We delve into her most recent endeavors which focus on Black families. Dr. Mims shares her exciting collaboration with Because Of Them We Can: the creation of a special box, the contents of which facilitate high-quality learning experiences for Black parents and their children. Tune in today for a fascinating and life-affirming discussion with Dr. Mims on all this and much more! We are sure you will find the conversation every bit as inspiring and thought-provoking as we did!Connect with Dr. Lauren Mims on LaurenMims.com, LinkedIn, and Twitter.Mentioned in the show:Yara Shahidi's Adidas SneakersBeyonce's Adidas SneakersWoke KindergartenBecause Of Them We Can BoxWhy Are All The Black Kids Sitting Together In The Cafeteria?White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for African AmericansIf you are a Black woman interested in joining the Cohort Sistas community or you're looking for more information on how to support or partner with Cohort Sistas, please visit our site at www.cohortsistas.com.Find us on Twitter and Instagram, and don't forget to follow the Cohort Sistas podcast, rate, and leave us a quick review wherever you're listening.

Dr. Ijeoma Kola goes solo in this episode and shares the different questions and considerations she is battling as she prepares for a postdoctoral research fellowship. Dr. Kola explains why she decided to pursue a post-doc in the first place, despite the low financial incentive. She also discusses how academia ignores the destabilizing nature of the culture of moving constantly for academic jobs, and how it jeopardizes personal goals and family responsibilities. Finally, she shares her worries about moving with a toddler to a new environment, and whether her new work environment will be one that honors the lives of professors outside of the classroom. Listen on to hear this and more!Resources Mentioned:Nature article about post-doc satisfactionIf you are a Black woman interested in joining the Cohort Sistas community or you're looking for more information on how to support or partner with Cohort Sistas, please visit our site at www.cohortsistas.com.Find us on Twitter and Instagram, and don't forget to follow the Cohort Sistas podcast, rate, and leave us a quick review wherever you're listening.

Since May is Mental Health Month, it seems fitting to share this interview that we did a while back. Dr. Kristen Voorhies holds a Ph.D. from the University of Chicago in evolutionary biology and currently works as a marine biologist at the US Fish and Wildlife Services. Not only was Kristen the only Black woman in her cohort, but she was also the first Black woman to graduate from her program. In this episode, Kristen talks about how she came to be a marine biologist, following her lifelong love and passion for the outdoors and the ocean. We hear about what she is currently working on and what her varied days look like. Kristen bravely opens up about the mental and physical health struggles she faced while enrolled as a doctoral student. She talks about her support systems and strategies, including seeing a therapist, finding a community, and taking a break from her program. As Black women in academia, there are numerous internal and external roadblocks on our paths, and Kristen's candidness around these challenges gives a voice to something that many of us in these spaces have felt before. To hear all this and more, tune in today!Connect with Dr. Kristen Voorhies on LinkedIn.National Suicide Prevention Hotline: 1-800-273-8255If you are a Black woman interested in joining the Cohort Sistas community or you're looking for more information on how to support or partner with Cohort Sistas, please visit our site at www.cohortsistas.com.Find us on Twitter and Instagram, and don't forget to follow the Cohort Sistas podcast, rate, and leave us a quick review wherever you're listening.

On today's episode of the Cohort Sistas Podcast we speak with Dr. Morgan Jerald about her experience studying an interdisciplinary doctorate at the University of Michigan. We start by acknowledging the challenges of the social climate in which Dr. Jerald commenced her studies. Next, Dr. Jerald gives listeners some tips on producing an academic application that will get noticed. She talks about how she knew that Michigan would be the best place to complete her studies, showing listeners what to look out for when choosing an institution. Dr. Jerald goes on to share her hypothesis that negative stereotypes around Black female sexuality have a converse effect, leading many Black women to more conservative views and behaviors. Next, she gives us the inside scoop on applying for jobs after completing a doctorate and provides listeners with some tips on how to speed up the process. We ask Dr. Jerald to share a bit of her social experience as a minority at the larger and smaller institutions she attended and she talks us through the highs and lows. We move on to a conversation about the work that Dr. Jerald does at the Intersectionality and Marginalization Lab, talk about the importance of self-care and get Dr. Jerald to outline her biggest points of pride around her accomplishments. Tune in to hear about Dr. Jerald's epic journey as a Black academic in the Midwest.Connect with Dr. Morgan Jerald on Twitter at @morgancjerald or on her website. If you are a Black woman interested in joining the Cohort Sistas community or you're looking for more information on how to support or partner with Cohort Sistas, please visit our site at www.cohortsistas.com.Find us on Twitter and Instagram, and don't forget to follow the Cohort Sistas podcast, rate, and leave us a quick review wherever you're listening.

Whether you complete your studies first or break it up with experiences in the working world, you're still going to gain the knowledge and you're still going to do the work. In today's episode, you'll hear from Dr. Torie Weiston-Serdan, a scholar and practitioner with over 15 years of teaching and youth programming experience. She holds a Ph.D. in Education from Claremont Graduate University and has established herself as a thought leader in the field of critical and culturally sustainable youth mentorship. Dr. Torie Weiston-Serdan is also the founder and executive director of the Youth Mentoring Action Network, a community-based nonprofit that mentors Californian, Inland Empire Youth through high school into college and careers. In today's conversation, she reflects on how her childhood and adolescent experiences in a suburban environment in the Inland Empire informed her research and resulted in the work she does today. She expands on her dedication to addressing the mentorship gap for Black, brown, and LGBTQ+ youth after seeing a lack of mentorship for that demographic during her research, how she benefited from working as a teacher while doing her Master's degree, and why she teaches her graduate students that you can only really understand all the theory you've been immersed in once you start applying it in the working world. Listeners can also expect plenty of insights into how to choose an institution based on the faculty members, especially if you are a prospective Ph.D. candidate, so make sure to tune in today!Connect with Dr. Torie Weiston-Serdan on LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter, or on her website. You can learn more about the Youth Mentoring Action Network at YMAN.org.If you are a Black woman interested in joining the Cohort Sistas community or you're looking for more information on how to support or partner with Cohort Sistas, please visit our site at www.cohortsistas.com.Find us on Twitter and Instagram, and don't forget to follow the Cohort Sistas podcast, rate, and leave us a quick review wherever you're listening.

It's normal for many of us to choose to essentially put our lives on hold when we pursue a doctoral degree. The same cannot be said for Dr. Veronica Eyo, who had not one but three children while earning her Doctorate in Educational Leadership from the University of Southern California! In today's episode, we speak with Dr. Eyo about deciding to continue pursuing her doctorate despite her first pregnancy, how things changed during COVID, and what helped her through it all. In our discussion, Dr. Eyo shares the challenges she faced and how her University lacked facilities, financial support, and adequate guidelines for student mothers and pregnant students. We dive into Dr. Eyo's dissertation and discuss why she chose to focus on student mothers and why COVID made the process so much more challenging. She also shares a distressing anecdote about a committee member and offers some wise words of advice. Dr. Eyo shares how she had to advocate for herself and why she prioritized participating in the social life and campus community, even if it meant she had to use her breast pump while doing it! Later, we discuss why she chose to become a practicing therapist and social worker after her degree despite having intended to follow a more academic path. Tune in for an informative and honest discussion that will inspire anyone considering motherhood while pursuing their doctorate!Connect with Dr. Veronica Eyo on LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter, or on her website.Resources Mentioned:Set Boundaries, Find PeaceGet Good with Money If you are a Black woman interested in joining the Cohort Sistas community or you're looking for more information on how to support or partner with Cohort Sistas, please visit our site at www.cohortsistas.com.Find us on Twitter and Instagram, and don't forget to follow the Cohort Sistas podcast, rate, and leave us a quick review wherever you're listening.

In today's episode of the Cohort Sistas Podcast, we sit down with Dr. Ujunwa Okoye-Okafor to talk about her time at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, imposter syndrome, and the power of self-knowledge. Dr. Okoye-Okafor received her Ph.D. in Cell Biology from Albert Einstein College of Medicine and, during that time, she was part of the team that patented a novel gene. She currently works in a lab that focuses on cell biology, hematopoiesis, and the potential oncological implications. In this episode, Dr. Okoye-Okafor discusses the challenges that can come with the expectations that are implicit in many Nigerian families, where you are limited to three career options, and how she had to let go of the long-held expectations of not just by her family, but also herself. She credits her mentors, her family, and her faith with helping her through a very difficult time in her studies, and she shares how improving her physical fitness was essential for helping her feel empowered again and how she was able to employ that in conjunction with her faith to become a leader and mentor to other women struggling with their identity. Dr. Okoye-Okafor also opens up how she was able to heal from the trauma she suffered at school and return to work at the same institution with the support of a mentor as well as a more robust sense of identity. Join us today for a conversation full of insightful wisdom and encouragement!Connect with Dr. Ujunwa Okoye-Okafor on LinkedIn.If you are a Black woman interested in joining the Cohort Sistas community or you're looking for more information on how to support or partner with Cohort Sistas, please visit our site at www.cohortsistas.com.Find us on Twitter and Instagram, and don't forget to follow the Cohort Sistas podcast, rate, and leave us a quick review wherever you're listening.

In this episode of the Cohort Sistas Podcast we speak with Dr. Ijeoma Opara all about her research, the importance of mentors and why there's nothing wrong with taking a non-linear path to earning a doctorate. Dr. Opara received her PhD in Family Science and Human Development from Montclair State University. She is the founder of The SASH Lab, namely The Substance Abuse and Sexual Health Lab. She currently works as an assistant professor in the School of Social Welfare at SUNY Stony Brook. This summer she will be transitioning to Yale School of Public Health, where she will serve as an assistant professor of Racism and Health in the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences.In our conversation Dr. Opara openly reflects on how her Nigerian heritage, the death of her parents as well as her school and upbringing impacted her academic journey. She further expands on how research for her dissertation led her to revelations on the impact of positive self-identity and positive group identity, and how this can serve as a protective barrier to risky behavior. Listeners can expect tips and insights for black women who are interested in being successful in the academic job market. She also shares how she balances the many facets of her work and why having a reliable team is crucial. Tune in today for a deep dive into this extraordinary figure and plenty of practical advice!Connect with Dr. Ijeoma Opara on Twitter or Instagram, and check out the SASH Lab  to learn more about Dr. Opara's research. If you are a Black woman interested in joining the Cohort Sistas community or you're looking for more information on how to support or partner with Cohort Sistas, please visit our site at www.cohortsistas.com.Find us on Twitter and Instagram, and don't forget to follow the Cohort Sistas podcast, rate, and leave us a quick review wherever you're listening.

In this episode of the Cohort Sistas Podcast, you'll hear from today's guest, Dr. Norrell Edwards, who shares her perspective on thinking about your Ph.D. as just one part of your career journey, not the be-all and end-all! Dr. Edwards completed her doctorate in English literature from the University of Maryland, College Park, with a specialization in 20th and 21st century Black Diaspora Literature. Dr. Edwards recently joined Texas Christian University as Chancellor's Postdoctoral Fellow from her position at Georgetown University, where she served as Assistant Director of Education of their Prison and Justice Initiative. She currently serves as the volunteer director of communications for the Next Step Forward Initiative, a New York-based grassroots organization focused on making progress to eradicate systemic racism. Tuning in, you'll hear how Dr. Edwards found her way into academia and why she says that landing on the doctoral path was somewhat accidental, and she shares the programs she enrolled in, the challenges she encountered and how she overcame them, as well as the successes she experienced along the way. Tune in today to find out more!Connect with Dr. Norrell Edwards on LinkedIn, on Twitter, or on her website, NorellEdwards.com.Mentioned in Today's Episode:Next Step Forward InstituteThe Dew BreakerGeorgetown University Prison and Justice Initiative‘New Rochelle Police Department's Complaint Suppression and the Need for Civilian Oversight'McNair ScholarsThe Leadership AllianceMellon-Mays Undergraduate FellowshipColumbia Undergraduate Scholars Program (CUSP)Drug Policy AllianceIf you are a Black woman interested in joining the Cohort Sistas community or you're looking for more information on how to support or partner with Cohort Sistas, please visit our site at www.cohortsistas.com.Find us on Twitter and Instagram, and don't forget to follow the Cohort Sistas podcast, rate, and leave us a quick review wherever you're listening.

The language we use matters, especially if we want to enact change upon systemically racist power structures. In today's episode, we get together with Dr. Noelle Chaddock who received her Ph.D. in philosophy from Binghamton University and serves as the Vice President of Equity and Inclusion at Bates College. She teaches and publishes critical race theory, Black feminism, and Black dramaturgy and theory. In our conversation, Dr. Chaddock dives straight into her experiences as a transracial adoptee and how those circumstances affected her. Dr. Chaddock shares her non-traditional route to earning her Ph.D. and recounts the story of how a Binghamton University professor encouraged her to pursue a degree, not because she was lacking in skills, but for her self-image and enrichment. Tuning in you'll hear about Dr. Chaddock's work in higher education administration and the circumstances that led her to it. Later, we discuss Dr. Chaddock's book Antagonizing White Feminism: Intersectionality's Critique of Women's Studies and the Academy and its insights into instances of performative allyship. She explains why she no longer believes in white allyship and why co-conspiracy is a viable alternative. She also unpacks how she came to reject the concept of self-care and instead embraced the notion of healing, and explains how Soul Healing can be used to address collective racial trauma. It was an honor having Dr. Chaddock on our show and we loved talking with her! We are sure you will find the conversation every bit as stimulating and thought-provoking as we did!Connect with Dr. Noelle Chaddock on LinkedIn, Instagram, and Twitter.Mentioned in the show:Antagonizing White FeminismThe Harambe CollectiveDr. Noelle Chaddock: Bates UniversityIf you are a Black woman interested in joining the Cohort Sistas community or you're looking for more information on how to support or partner with Cohort Sistas, please visit our site at www.cohortsistas.com.Find us on Twitter and Instagram, and don't forget to follow the Cohort Sistas podcast, rate, and leave us a quick review wherever you're listening.

Pursuing a doctoral degree typically means pursuing a very unique specialization, often with a predetermined trajectory, and institutions aren't always equipped to accommodate students who envision an alternate pathway. This insight comes from our guest today, Dr. Margaret A. Brunson, a multidisciplinary leader, writer, coach, and entrepreneur. Dr. Brunson received her Ph.D. in Leadership Studies from North Carolina A&T State University and is the founder and CEO of Illumined Leadership Solutions. In our conversation, we discuss how Dr. Brunson chose her Ph.D. program and the reasons why she was so appreciative of its multidisciplinary structure. Her dissertation was occupied with studying the intersection between spirituality and leadership and the participant group consisted of women who were in senior positions in academic medical institutions or leaders in academic medicine. During her time there she conducted qualitative research that examined the connection between stressful life events and spirituality. Dr. Brunson shares her appreciation for qualitative research, crediting her love of stories and a deep interest in how we make meaning from traumatic life events. Later we discuss how Dr. Brunson's dissertation informed her business and how the rigorous work of completing a Ph.D. prepared her for entrepreneurship. She also shares what she learned from her mentors, including an important piece of advice on the benefits of pursuing a Ph.D. at a Historically Black University. It was wonderful having Dr. Brunson on our show, we hope you'll join us for an insightful and thought-provoking conversation!Connect with Dr. Brunson on LinkedIn, Instagram, or Twitter. You can also visit her website: www.MBisFree.comIf you are a Black woman interested in joining the Cohort Sistas global membership community or you're looking for more information on how to support or partner with Cohort Sistas, please visit our site at www.cohortsistas.com.Find us on Twitter and Instagram, and don't forget to follow the Cohort Sistas podcast, rate, and leave us a quick review wherever you're listening.

I'll be popping in for a solo episode every so often and today I wanted to take some time to share a bit about the story behind Cohort Sistas and explain our programming and impact. Our mission is guided by three pillars: resources, mentorship, and community, and in this episode, I briefly share how we provide those three pillars for the women who join the Cohort Sistas community.If you are a Black woman interested in joining the Cohort Sistas global membership community or you're looking for more information on how to support or partner with Cohort Sistas, please visit our site at www.cohortsistas.com.Find us on Twitter and Instagram, and don't forget to follow the Cohort Sistas podcast, rate, and leave us a quick review wherever you're listening.

On today's episode of the Cohort Sistas Podcast, assistant professor at NYU, Dr. Chantal Hailey emphasizes the game-changing role of peer and senior support in doctoral studies. We dive into the role of racial preference, safety and perceived safety in New York. We begin our conversation by touching on the role of race, safety and racialized safety in school choices. Dr. Hailey tells the story of how attending a predominantly white private school piqued her interest in sociological dynamics at a young age. She goes on to tell us about her own journey with school selection and how she experienced NYU's focus on sociology as a whole as opposed to sharing knowledge solely to recruit her into their program was a big selling point for them as an institution. Dr. Hailey shares with us that taking time off between undergraduate and doctoral studies enabled her to develop the confidence she needed to succeed. Next, she shares with us some of the benefits of building strong relationships with students further along in their academic journey than she was. She tells us about the element of competition and the importance of protecting your ideas and gets real about the rollercoaster of highs and lows involved in grad school. We talk about NYU's funding structure, the funding process and the importance of asking questions and allowing people to challenge you. Tune in for some hard-won pearls of wisdom to guide and inspire your doctoral journey.Connect with Dr. Chantal Hailey on Dr. Chantal Hailey, LinkedIn, Instagram, and Twitter.If you are a Black woman interested in joining the Cohort Sistas community or you're looking for more information on how to support or partner with Cohort Sistas, please visit our site at www.cohortsistas.com.Find us on Twitter and Instagram, and don't forget to follow the Cohort Sistas podcast, rate, and leave us a quick review wherever you're listening. 

Completing a Ph.D. in the science field wasn't enough to get Dr. Lamia Harper where she wanted to be, so she recently started pursuing an education of a very different type; bible studies. Lamia's goal is to combine her passions for science and faith through educating youth about the intersection between the two. In today's episode, Lamia explains how she ended up with a microbiology-focused Ph.D., after realizing that her original undergraduate path didn't suit her, and after changing labs during her doctoral program. Lamia is one of the few people we have had on the show who was part of a doctoral program that was as diverse and inclusive as we wish they could all be, so it was inspiring to get a feel for what is possible. Lamia shares valuable insights about applying for funding, surrounding yourself with people who will build you up, and the importance of knowing when to stick to something and when to change your track. Connect with Dr. Lamia on LinkedIn or on Twitter.Mentioned in the show:NYU Grossman School of MedicineHillsong CollegeIf you are a Black woman interested in joining the Cohort Sistas global membership community or you're looking for more information on how to support or partner with Cohort Sistas, please visit our site at www.cohortsistas.com.Find us on Twitter and Instagram, and don't forget to follow the Cohort Sistas podcast, rate, and leave us a quick review wherever you're listening.

In this week's episode, I chat with Dr. Claudia Okonkwo, who received her PhD in Chemical Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology last year and currently works for Boston Consulting Group. Dr. Okonkwo talks about adjusting to life in the US after moving from Nigeria to attend college, how she created time during her doctoral degree for extra-curricular activities (including a brief modeling career!), and how she remained resilient and determined after failing her qualifying exams twice. Connect with Dr. Claudia on Instagram @Claudiah_1 or @luminaryadvantage and check out her website at www.theluminaryadvantage.com. She's also on LinkedIn as  Claudia Okonkwo.If you are a Black woman interested in joining the Cohort Sistas global membership community or you're looking for more information on how to support or partner with Cohort Sistas, please visit our site at www.cohortsistas.com.Find us on Twitter and Instagram, and don't forget to follow the Cohort Sistas podcast, rate, and leave us a quick review wherever you're listening.

In this week's episode, I chat with Dr. Arielle Brown, who is a licensed psychologist currently practicing at Louisiana State University's Mental Health Service. She earned her PhD in Counseling Psychology from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and shares with us why she chose the PhD route over a PsyD or a master's degree, how she had the courage to pivot during her doctoral degree to focus more on clinical practice, and how she has redefined what teaching looks like in her professional career. Connect with Dr. Arielle Brown on Instagram.If you are a Black woman interested in joining the Cohort Sistas global membership community or you're looking for more information on how to support or partner with Cohort Sistas, please visit our site at www.cohortsistas.com.Find us on Twitter and Instagram, and don't forget to follow the Cohort Sistas podcast, rate, and leave us a quick review wherever you're listening.

In today's episode, I speak with Dr. Amber Spry, who I've known since way back in college when we did a summer research program together called Leadership Academy. Dr. Spry received her PhD in Political Science from Columbia University and is now an assistant professor at Brandeis University. She shares really critical insight on how you can create your own professional narrative during graduate school, how to do independent research consulting while getting your doctorate, and how to navigate the informal relationships necessary for academic and professional success. Connect with Dr. Amber Spry at amberspry.com, or on Instagram or Twitter.If you are a Black woman interested in joining the Cohort Sistas global membership community or you're looking for more information on how to support or partner with Cohort Sistas, please visit our site at www.cohortsistas.com.Find us on Twitter and Instagram, and don't forget to follow the Cohort Sistas podcast, rate, and leave us a quick review wherever you're listening.

In today's episode, I speak with Dr. Mercy Agyepong, who is an assistant professor in sociology of education at New York University. Dr. Agyepong received her PhD in Educational Policy Studies from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and she shares with us how she bounced back from a 2.16 undergraduate GPA, why she turned down a PhD acceptance from Howard, how she coped with going from a life in New York to a life in Wisconsin, and how she found mentorship outside of her PhD program.If you are a Black woman interested in joining the Cohort Sistas global membership community or you're looking for more information on how to support or partner with Cohort Sistas, please visit our site at www.cohortsistas.com.Find us on Twitter and Instagram, and don't forget to follow the Cohort Sistas podcast, rate, and leave us a quick review wherever you're listening.

In today's episode, I speak with Dr. Vivian Rodriguez, who has been a school psychologist for almost 20 years, and recently completed her doctorate in Educational Leadership and Administration. Dr. Rodriguez is also a fellow blogger at LivByViv.com and podcaster at the Don't Mix In Podcast, so we talk about how she strategically timed going back to school with her own kids' educational milestones, why she started a blog after her 40th birthday, and why she thinks pursuing a doctoral degree is a gift. Quick heads up, there are two or three times during this interview where my microphone has a bit of feedback, so I apologize! New mic is coming soon.Connect with Dr. Vivian Rodriguez on Instagram, at LivbyViv.com or on her podcast, Don't Mix In. If you are a Black woman interested in joining the Cohort Sistas community or you're looking for more information on how to support or partner with Cohort Sistas, please visit our site at www.cohortsistas.com.Find us on Twitter and Instagram, and don't forget to follow the Cohort Sistas podcast, rate, and leave us a quick review wherever you're listening.

In today's episode, I speak with Dr. Sharese King, a Neubauer Family Assistant Professor of Linguistics at the University of Chicago. Dr. King discusses her work on how Black speech is perceived and stigmatized, how she transitioned from her undergraduate program right into a Ph.D., and the benefits of doing a post-doc before accepting a teaching position.Here are some of the programs Dr. King referenced:McNair Scholars ProgramSROP (Summer Research Opportunities Program)Stanford's DARE (Diversifying Academia, Recruiting Excellence) Program University of Chicago Provost's Postdoctoral FellowshipsIf you are a Black woman interested in joining the Cohort Sistas community or you're looking for more information on how to support or partner with Cohort Sistas, please visit our site at www.cohortsistas.com.Find us on Twitter and Instagram, and don't forget to follow the Cohort Sistas podcast, rate, and leave us a quick review wherever you're listening.

In today's episode, I speak with Dr. Renee Ragin Randall, a postdoctoral fellow and incoming assistant professor in Comparative Literature and Middle Eastern Studies at the University of Michigan. Dr. Randall shares how a career in foreign service led her to pursue a PhD, what it was like growing up with a mother in academia, and why she thinks getting work experience before applying to doctoral programs makes you a stronger candidate.If you are a Black woman interested in joining the Cohort Sistas community or you're looking for more information on how to support or partner with Cohort Sistas, please visit our site at www.cohortsistas.com.Find us on Twitter and Instagram, and don't forget to follow the Cohort Sistas podcast, rate, and leave us a quick review wherever you're listening.

In the introductory episode of The Cohort Sistas Podcast, Dr. Ijeoma Kola shares a bit of background about why she started Cohort Sistas, an online community for Black women pursuing doctoral degrees; how the podcast is an extension of the Cohort Sistas; and what you can expect from the podcast.

Welcome to The Cohort Sistas Podcast, where each week, we bring to life the stories, struggles, and successes of Black women navigating doctoral degree programs and their lives beyond the degree.