Ep. 145: Dr. Clara Mundia on the Cultural & Financial Challenges of Pursuing a Doctoral Degree as an International Student
Ph.D. in Environmental Resources and Policy Southern Illinois University, CarbondaleDr. Clara Mundia
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.
Key Points From This Episode:
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Introducing Dr. Clara Mundia and the work she does in Kenya.
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Why Dr. Mundia transitioned from pre-med into environmental sciences.
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A breakdown of her qualifications.
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What inspired her to do a master’s and a Ph.D.
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Why Dr. Mundia decided to study in the USA.
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The culture shock she experienced while studying in the USA.
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Some of the economic realities of being an African international student without access to the same resources as Americans.
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How she went from her graduation to entering a Ph.D. program.
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The struggles she faced when her advisor left the university shortly after she used all her savings to move herself and her child to the USA.
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How she got through a difficult mentorship relationship to complete her dissertation.
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What it was like for Dr. Mundia to transition back home and the challenges she faced from being overqualified.
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How Dr. Mundia was able to use her degree to land a research position in Kenya.
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What she does in her current job at Dalberg Research and how her Ph.D. ties into that.
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Dr. Mundia’s advice for prospective doctoral students, especially those who are considering doing their doctoral degree outside of their home country.
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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.
