Ep. 117: Dr. Torie Weiston-Serdan on K-12 Teaching, Youth Mentoring, and Running a Non-Profit
Ph.D. in Education, Claremont Graduate UniversityDr. Torie Weiston-Serdan
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.
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Key Points From This Episode:
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Dr. Torie Weiston-Serdan talks about why she went from an undergrad major in English to a master's degree and PhD in Education.
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Find out why she is so passionate about teaching.
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Hear about the transition opportunity she saw when she started her nonprofit.
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The benefits of working as a teacher while doing your master’s degree.
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The joy of being immersed in a learning environment like university.
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Why Dr. Torie Weiston-Serdan teaches her graduate students you can only understand the theory once you start applying it in the working world.
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How the unions in California help ensure that many teachers are well paid.
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Why Dr. Torie Weiston-Serdan chose to pursue her doctoral degree at the same institution where she received her master’s.
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How she fostered good relationships with faculty and committee members.
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Dr. Torie Weiston-Serdan talks about her dissertation and why she needed a statistician.
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Why she was interested in mentorship for young Black, brown, and LGBTQIA+ people who live in the suburbs.
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How mentorships facilitate higher numbers of college attainment and college retention by helping kids navigate the various higher education systems.
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How bureaucracy obstructed Dr. Torie Weiston-Serdan’s work as a teacher.
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How and why she decided to start the Youth Mentoring Action Network.
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The trauma and constant second-guessing she endured throughout her teaching career.
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Why Dr. Torie Weiston-Serdan insists that prospective doctoral students research the faculty before they make a decision.
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Hosted by Cohort Sistas founder Dr. Ijeoma Kola, The Cohort Sistas Podcast brings to life the stories, struggles, and successes of Black women with doctoral degrees and their lives beyond the degree. If you are a Black woman interested in joining the Cohort Sistas community, sign up to do so here, and if you are looking for more information on how to support or partner with Cohort Sistas, please visit our partnerships page. Find us on Twitter and Instagram, and don’t forget to follow The Cohort Sistas Podcast, rate the show, and leave us a quick review.
