Ep. 124: Dr. Tega Edwin
Dr. Tega Edwin.jpg
Dr. Tega Edwin.jpg
Dr. Tega Edwin
Ph.D. in Counselor Education, Penn State University
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.
Key Points From This Episode:
An introduction to our guest, Dr. Tega Edwin, outside of the academic realm.
Dr. Edwin’s dissertation; looking at the impact of school counseling career development interventions on specific students, STEM, career aspirations, and career certainty.
The journey towards deciding to get a doctoral degree in the higher education space.
Dr. Edwin’s academic journey towards doctoral studies.
Why Dr. Edwin chose Penn State, trusting her intuition, and the influence of the woman who would later become her mentor.
The impact of having a black female mentor at a predominantly white institution.
How Dr. Edwin made herself a competitive applicant on the tenuous academic job market.
The value of carving out a career path that aligns with who you are.
How Dr. Edwin structures having a full-time career with a business on the side.
The difference between R1 and R2 institutions.
Dr. Edwin’s advice to students interested in pursuing studies at an R2: stop caring what people think.
The challenges of long-distance relationships and marriages as an academic.
The biggest challenge of receiving her doctorate.
What Dr. Edwin considers to be her biggest success: finishing the program and bringing God into her studies.
Dr. Edwin’s advice to prospective students: do your research and try to make sure you are getting paid.
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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.
