PhD in Leadership Studies, Individualized Specialization Student Ambassador
- B.A., Political Science, University of San Diego
- M.A., Education and Human Development in Organizational Leadership and Learning, The George Washington University
- M.S., Instructional Design and Technology, Purdue University Global
Pronouns
She/Her
Hometown
Boulder, CO
When did you begin your graduate program?
Fall 2021
Expected Graduation Date
Spring 2025
What is your educational and professional background?
My educational and professional journey started at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) where I studied Political Science in undergrad. I was not interested in pursuing a career in the government, rather my fascination stemmed from a curiosity for how individual differences in cultures, attitudes, values, and beliefs shaped into different political systems. During my time at UCSD I had a variety of internships and jobs in corporations, small businesses, government entities, higher education institutes, and nonprofits. While working in a variety of industries I realized my true passion was in supporting the advancement and development of organizations’ employees. After graduating college, I attained a job at the Center for Creative Leadership (CCL) in San Diego, California. While at CCL, I realized I my skills and passions aligned within the learning and development field. To further advance my knowledge and career, I moved across the country to pursue my Master of Arts in Education and Human Development in Organizational Leadership and Learning from The George Washington University (GWU). During my time in D.C. I worked as a program manager at the American National Standards Institute promoting accreditation and standardization of credentialing programs in the United States. After completing my degree at GWU, I then enrolled in the Master of Science in Instructional Design and Technology program from Purdue University Global to better understand how I could craft effective, yet efficient, learning journeys for others. My quest to learn and continue to improve myself led me to USD!
Why did you choose USD? What made USD stand out in comparison to other schools with a similar program?
I decided to pursue the Ph.D. in Leadership Studies at SOLES because it strongly aligned with my professional, academic, and personal aspirations. I knew the program would challenge me in a variety of ways and by doing so help me reach my highest potential. The program’s international experience (and overarching focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion) particularly stood out to me because rarely do we work within homogenous groups in today’s multicultural society. Thus, I sought a program that would enable me to prepare the leaders of tomorrow – no matter how similar or different from me. Additionally, there is strong institutional support for the program within SOLES and USD. Other programs I was interested in had significantly fewer resources and opportunities for students. At SOLES there are teaching assistantships, graduate assistantships, and research assistantships and many support systems available.
What are your professional goals?
I want to enter academia as a professor. I would like to enter higher education to prepare younger generations to be leaders. While I am passionate about learning and development in organizations, I believe in order to solve the complex challenges of the future we need to develop the leaders of tomorrow. I am confident my program and SOLES is preparing me for the rigors of academia.
Favorite thing about your program:
I love all of the opportunities to engage in the field of leadership studies. From research to teaching assistantships there are many ways to get involved and pursue my interests while honing my skills. However, SOLES is also very involved in the San Diego community so it is wonderful to have opportunities to engage with other groups, organizations, and communities beyond the USD campus.
Have you completed an international experience? What did you do?
I have not yet but I am eagerly anticipating the opportunity!
How would you describe the culture at SOLES?
The culture of SOLES is one of the reasons I love this program so much. It is vibrant, engaging, supportive, and reflective. I find everyone at SOLES (regardless of their program) I have an instant connection with. Whenever I step on campus I always feel energized and happy to be there!
Are you currently working? If so, do you work full-time or part-time, and what do you do? How do you balance work, school, and personal life?*
I currently work part-time as a Graduate Assistant at SOLES but I worked full-time my first two years in the program. Balancing is difficult to do and requires time management, prioritization, and dedication. I have found that treating my doctoral studies like a job where I try to have consistent days each week I study is helpful. It is also beneficial to have classmates that can be "study buddies" where you can meet and hold each other accountable. Most importantly, I think having grace and understanding with myself is the key to success. Balancing work, school, and personal life is not easy and it can be messy so I try to be understanding of that.
What internships assistantships, volunteer work, or fieldwork have you done through SOLES? How has it impacted you?
I have teached in the Leadership Studies Minor (LSM) and that is very impactful because my career aspirations to be a professor. As an LSM instructor I get to teach undergraduate students and develop my facilitation skills. I love this opportunity because I get to work with a variety of other Master's and Ph.D. students so I learn from them.
Which class has impacted you the most? Why?
I am going to cheat as I cannot choose one class but rather a SERIES of classes: the Certificate in Leadership Coaching! This is such a wonderful opportunity at SOLES because you not only get elective credit but you earn your credential in Leadership Coaching once you complete the program. Coaching is such an invaluable skill and I hope it will also be a side-career in the future.
Tell us about any research or independent study you have done at SOLES.
My main research interest is 'meaningful work' so in my classes I have designed all of my projects around that area. One of my projects examined how student affairs professionals understand/experience meaningful work while another investigated how conceptions of meaningful work for nonprofit professionals differed before and after the COVID-19 pandemic.
How has the SOLES faculty, staff, or administrators contributed to your success in grad school so far?
The SOLES faculty/staff/administrators are all wonderfully supportive and each have so much knowledge. While all of the Leadership Studies Department is AMAZING I highly recommend getting out and networking with other departments as well.
What advice can you share with prospective students?
This is a loaded question! I think my greatest advice would be: ask and advocate. (1) ASK - don't be afraid to ask questions be it when you are applying for the program or when you are in it. People want to help. (2) ADVOCATE - a PhD is a big investment so be sure to advocate for yourself and your needs. People are very supportive but sometimes don't know your unique lived experience so advocate for yourself.