125: Navigating an Ed.D. and a Higher Education Career as a First-Gen Latina with Jacqueline Banegas-Abreu

Dra. Yvette Martinez-Vu

Welcome back, everyone, to another episode of the Grad School Femtoring podcast. This is Dra. Yvette, and I'm really excited to have another wonderful guest here today, who's joining us to talk about navigating an EdD and a higher education career as a first gen Latina. Our guest today is Jacqueline Banegas Abreu.

Dra. Yvette Martinez-Vu

She is the Associate Director of the Community College Transfer Opportunity Program at New York University. She has worked in numerous areas of student support, transition and providing greater access to higher ed institutions. She's skilled in student success and pipeline programs, Student Counseling, curriculum development and program evaluation. She has an MA in higher ed administration, Student Affairs and a Bachelors of Science in marketing management and organizational behavior.

Dra. Yvette Martinez-Vu

She's also- as we mentioned, kind of hinted in the title of today's episode- she's pursuing her doctorate in leadership and innovation from NYU with a focus on the transitional experience of community college students into private four year universities. And of course, Jackie herself is a first gen Latina. She is also a mom to three kids to top this off.

Jacqueline Banegas

Yes.

Dra. Yvette Martinez-Vu

And she hopes to continue with providing impact to her community through her narratives and her experiences. So welcome. Welcome, Jackie.

Jacqueline Banegas

Thank you for having me here. I'm so excited to be here with you today.

Dra. Yvette Martinez-Vu

Yay. I'm happy to have you on today. I would love for you to get us started by telling us a little bit more about your backstory. So who you are, where you're from- everything that led to you, and your journey to where you are today in your program, and in your career and in your personal life. Whatever you're comfortable sharing.

Jacqueline Banegas

Absolutely, absolutely. I think it's so important to really talk about my foundation, and it's my family. I was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York. I'm a child of immigrants. My parents are from Honduras. My parents immigrated here from Honduras back in the 70s. I am the third child out of four. I'm the middle child- for those of you middle children.

Dra. Yvette Martinez-Vu

I know, I am one of them.

Jacqueline Banegas

I have two older sisters and a younger brother. Of course, my parents wanted the best for us. With that I went through parochial school, because my parents thought that was the best option for us at the time, even though we were low income. And at the moment, that's all we knew, right? That Catholic school was the best option. I went to Catholic school all my life until I got to NYU for my higher education.

Dra. Yvette Martinez-Vu

Wow.

Jacqueline Banegas

Yeah, my mom was like, that's the only option. And you are going to major in business. It's either business, lawyer or doctor- choose one of those three options. I was not a fan of blood. I knew I could argue my way through things, but I didn't think law school was an option for me at the time. My sister- at the time - was doing very well in advertising. So I was like, let's do marketing. I think that's a great option for me. I went to the Stern School of Business. I was admitted to the opportunity programs, but didn't realize Opportunity Program was an alternative admissions program.

Jacqueline Banegas

I scored not the greatest in my SATs. Again, these were things that I didn't know about. I just thought- I was a straight A student all through my life. I thought I was doing very well. But I didn't understand the discrepancies of why my SATs didn't really correlate with my grades at the time. However, being through OP, NYU was really a rude awakening for me. I didn't feel like I belonged in the classroom. I was the only Latina in my class. Then when I was part of the opportunity programs, I felt like I belonged because I had a community that looks like me.

Jacqueline Banegas

Going through my undergraduate career- I felt like I couldn't navigate that. I felt like I didn't belong. Business was not for me. Who can help guide me? I didn't an interest, but this was something practical- because my mom told me, you need a job that's going to earn you an income when you graduate. This is what you need. You need a career. But that was not my passion. That was not my passion. I needed something that was going to make me light up. And I knew it was working with people.

Jacqueline Banegas

Fast forward to my degree- I added management because I had a dean at the Stern School of Business that was like, hey, listen. We need to get you out of marketing. You're almost done, but I think you're really good at management. Let's just add that double major because you're almost done. Graduated and my GPA was getting so much better. But because I did so poorly my first two years, I just needed to add that double major and really figure that out for myself.

Jacqueline Banegas

Once I graduated with my Bachelor's, I didn't think graduate school was an option for me because my GPA was not competitive. There was no postgraduate career for me. There was just no- let's try corporate America. I hated it. And I remember one of my sisters telling me, listen, just get a job at NYU. Just get a job at NYU until you figure out what you want to do with your life. And being that whole- what am I going to do? I had other classmates of mine who were getting offers through their internships, who had 3.9 GPAs, who had sign on bonuses, and Morgan Stanley, and BlackRock and all of these top firms. And I felt lost. I felt like okay, I failed at this moment of my life, a 21 year old - and these are narratives we hear from first gen students, right?

Dra. Yvette Martinez-Vu

Thank you so much for sharing. Yeah, it's true. We do see this.

Jacqueline Banegas

We don't talk about this enough, right? That I failed, I'm 21. I let my family down. How do I tell my mom this? And I remember my mom telling me one time when I was studying for an accounting test at my dinner table at three in the morning- she came with a cup of coffee, and she said, Jackie, your GPA will not be on your degree. On your diploma, I'm not going to see your GPA. Graduate, cross that finish line.

Dra. Yvette Martinez-Vu

Where's her counseling degree?

Jacqueline Banegas

She was just like, just do it mija. Just do it.

Dra. Yvette Martinez-Vu

Aw.

Jacqueline Banegas

And that's what I needed. I just needed to hear my mom say that, because I felt like she had this high expectation of me. But it was me telling myself that my mom was depending on me, and had this high expectation of me. Once I heard those words, I was like, alright, I just need to graduate. But then after that, once hearing my sister say just get a job and just figure out life. I ended up working for the dean's office. That's really where my career took off in higher education- not realizing that I was starting off at the Dean of Students Office, thinking it was just a job to figure out my life. When in reality, that's where- it was the beginning of my higher education career.

Dra. Yvette Martinez-Vu

Wow. So this was right out of undergrad, you got a job. This was before grad school, and that set you off on that trajectory?

Jacqueline Banegas

Correct, correct.

Dra. Yvette Martinez-Vu

Wow. There's so much to your backstory. But I'm wondering, at what point did you realize like, this is what I want to do. Was it in that role, or was it transitioning to something else? How did you know- I want to stay in higher ed and I want this to become my career. Then also- there was that point, and also- at what point did you realize, I think I want to go for a doctorate too.

Jacqueline Banegas

So I was in the Dean of Students Office for six years. In that role, I was his assistant. I was doing his scheduling. I did connect- I networked a lot. Being his assistant, you become like the gatekeeper really, right? You meet with faculty. You meet with other assistants across the university.

Dra. Yvette Martinez-Vu

Okay, this is what students don't know, just by the way.

Jacqueline Banegas

Correct. Yes. Right, and sometimes people diminish that. Even when you're working for the dean, you create insights- like unofficial transferable skills, those transferable skills you gain. So sometimes that title, of administrative assistant- don't knock the hustle. That's a role that you gain so much experience. I was planning conferences. I was being part of search committees. So many award ceremonies- all these things that I was a part of supporting the dean, I was again- network. You know, how they're saying, network is your net worth? There's so many people that I met in that role that I still connect to, until this day.

Jacqueline Banegas

So in those six years, one of the things that I came across was that the students that I often saw were students that looked like me. Students that needed to navigate the system at the university, that didn't know how to find the information, that didn't know what resources to utilize to navigate the university, financial aid, bursar, registrar, how to withdraw from classes. Academic Standards Committee were under that Student Affairs office. There was just so many different facets in that office that we were taking care of.

Jacqueline Banegas

I started thinking like, Okay, why is this still the same? They're having similar experiences that I had when I was an undergraduate student that I just recently graduated from. I was the one that was like triaging before they met with the dean. So I was helping them get Information. During that time, I also had my twin daughters, so I also knew that I had to have a stable job to provide for my daughters at the time. I wasn't even thinking about graduate school. But my kryptonite was my GPA.

Jacqueline Banegas

So, funny story. The Dean also had another assistant that was like the main front person. And it was a bet. She said, hey, I'm taking a nometric course. Let's apply to graduate school. I'm like, I'm not gonna apply to graduate school. So shout out to - you know who you are, if you're listening to this podcast. And she's like, listen, the application is due in two weeks. I think we should apply.

Jacqueline Banegas

I'm like, girl, I'm not gonna get in. I'm not gonna get in. Have you seen my GPA? I'm not gonna get in. She was like, I think you should apply. If we don't get in, then that's fine. But if we get in, you owe me lunch. I'm like, I'm not gonna get in. Long story short, she's like, just get your act together. Deans started writing recommendations for me left and right. And I'd be like, Jackie, you will totally get in. I got in.

Jacqueline Banegas

When I got in, I was like, all right. I'm gonna do this. My daughters were two years old at the time. And I finished my program in a year and a half.

Dra. Yvette Martinez-Vu

Wow.

Jacqueline Banegas

That's when I knew that- and I graduated. Mind you, I was pregnant with my son at the time as well. And I graduated with a 3.9 GPA from my Master's program. That's when I knew that- it was like my full 360 moment. It was my redemption for my undergrad career, that I'm not dumb. There's nothing wrong with me. That maybe my high school or my elementary school did not prepare me for my undergraduate career. That it was due to the lack of resources.

Jacqueline Banegas

Yes.

Jacqueline Banegas

I learned that in my Master program. And it was not my parents' fault. I think about my dad painting my high school to lower my tuition, because he thought that was the best education he was giving me. I get nostalgic thinking about that, because he thought that was the best. When in reality, it wasn't. Because of the fact that it was the assumption that it was the best education, when it wasn't- because of where I lived, because of the lack of resources we had in our community.

Jacqueline Banegas

That's still the narrative we see today. I'm from Brooklyn. In New York City, there are certain schools that there's not enough science classes. There's not enough teachers. There's not enough prep courses, right? There's language barriers for parents. There's all these things that limit us from pursuing higher education or education in general. There was nothing wrong with me. It's just I have a lack of resources.

Jacqueline Banegas

So my master's program was my redemption. And I think about it. That's where I'm at today. I can be here all day, but I'm just like, I needed that. And I did it. I just needed the resources to do it. I tell my friend all the time- anytime I'm doing something great, I send her a message. I'm like, I'm here because of you.

Dra. Yvette Martinez-Vu

Aw.

Jacqueline Banegas

That bet, that bet. I still owe her lunch. Because what's crazy- or not crazy, purposeful. She didn't start the program. She actually got a job somewhere else, and she never even started her Master's program. It was just that she was there because- I just feel like it was purpose. I just needed that push to do my program. I really think it was I needed that.

Dra. Yvette Martinez-Vu

You know, a lot of people would have said - you know what? I proved everyone wrong. Me, myself. I got with that 3.9. That's my redemption story. I'm good. I'm gonna move on up in my career, take that Master's and and keep going in my higher ed career. What for you were some of the reasons why you decided to pursue an EDD? What were kind of the advantages and pportunities that were brought up by pursuing that?

Jacqueline Banegas

Yeah, I thought after my Master's- I was like, yeah, I'm done. I'm good. I did it all. That's all I needed to do. I finished my Master's in 2014, and I thought I was done. You know, I had my son in 2012. I said, great. And I worked with opportunity programs. Then I had this amazing opportunity to work for CC TAP, also known as the Community College Transfer Opportunity Program. I transitioned into this role in 2019. It's an amazing program.

Dra. Yvette Martinez-Vu

Can you tell us a little bit more about that experience?

Jacqueline Banegas

Yes.

Dra. Yvette Martinez-Vu

Yeah, I think there's a lot of people who are curious about what it would be like to work in those types of programs. Yeah.

Jacqueline Banegas

Yeah. CC TAP was founded over thirty-two years ago. In this program, really, the goal is to promote accessible opportunities from our local area community colleges into NYU. We have fourteen partner community colleges within the New York City, tri state area. We also work with two community colleges in New Jersey and one in Connecticut. And our goal is really to build strong collaborations, to create this pipeline for community college students to know that private institutions like NYU is accessible to them.

Jacqueline Banegas

We promote pre Transfer Evaluations. We have transitional support services. We have orientation, transitional seminars, to really make sure that with these transitional support services, they are successful, and they will successfully graduated from NYU and beyond. To know that we want to increase that rate- that students are not only going to public institutions, that private institutions are also available to them. Because we know that there's only 5% of students going into private institutions, so we do want to increase that rate. We want to make sure that they know it's possible, that they are capable, that community colleges do, in fact, prepare them for private institutions like NYU.

Jacqueline Banegas

When they get to NYU, they are thriving. They're doing well. Their faculty at the community colleges are preparing them. So we want to demystify that for them. Coming into this role- NYU is totally committed for the student population. Coming into this role, I was like- oh my gosh. This is an amazing program. I started doing my own research. And I'm like, why are we not talking about this more?

Dra. Yvette Martinez-Vu

Oh, there it is.

Jacqueline Banegas

There it is, right? I was like, why are we not talking about this more. And at the time, the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation came out with their persistence report in 2019. Ironically, my mentor in graduate school became my supervisor. She was hired after the fact.

Dra. Yvette Martinez-Vu

Can you tell folks what Jack Kent Cooke is? I'm familiar, because I've had students get their scholarship. But can you tell us a little bit more?

Jacqueline Banegas

Yeah, the Jack Kent Cooke- what's interesting, more specifically. The Jack Kent Cooke provides amazing scholarship opportunities. One specifically that they have is the community college transfer scholarship opportunity. It's for students who are coming from the community colleges, but do want to go in to a private four year institution. They'll provides an amazing scholarship where it gives you that opportunity. For those of you who think that private institutions are out of reach, they do give you that scholarship opportunity so you can fund that opportunity to go to these private institutions. That is something that I tell students who are thinking about NYU.

Jacqueline Banegas

So with this persistence report, it was highlighting information to say, hey. Students coming from community colleges- they are amazing. They are doing well. They are graduating at higher rates than students who are coming directly from high school. They are graduating at higher rates from students transferring from four year institutions.

Dra. Yvette Martinez-Vu

I'm gonna need a copy of this.

Jacqueline Banegas

Yes, I will send it to you. Pretty much, they were calling to action private institutions. Like hey, what are you doing? We need to enroll more students. I got hired in 2019 of January- yeah, January 2019. This report literally came out weeks later. Perfect timing. So when I saw this report, I was like, hmm. Let's do more data. Then my supervisor was like, we need to do more about this.

Jacqueline Banegas

I started looking at numbers, because in my previous role, we had to do state reports. So I was already used to do running data with our leadership. Our VP for enrollment management, she's big on numbers and data. We have to do a lot of reporting. That's how we are held accountable with our institutional research department, things like that. That's how I really got ingrained of- I'm doing research on my own. What are we doing? We need to elevate this program. We have an ethical responsibility to elevate this program. How can we do a call to action?

Jacqueline Banegas

I was already reading it on my- I call it my fun time. I just really started delving into it. I'm like, there's work to be done. What are we doing? Then my supervisor at the time was just like, have you ever thought about pursuing your doctorate? And I'm going to be really transparent with you. Someone did tell me- you don't need a doctorate. Why? A doctorate is not necessary. So I told myself that I didn't need one. But in reality, I did want one because when someone asked, when he asked me that question, I cried. Because that meant I wanted it.

Dra. Yvette Martinez-Vu

Wow.

Jacqueline Banegas

In that moment- I mean, I'm a crier. So whoever knows me, knows- like Jackie has.. [laughter]. But in me, it was just like my heart saying, no, you want this. You're just intimidated by the fact of the work that's going to come with it. But then also, for those who do know me, knows that when I put myself to a task, I'm gonna do it, and I'm gonna get it done.

Dra. Yvette Martinez-Vu

Yes.

Jacqueline Banegas

No matter what. She was like, think about it, but I think you will be great at it. I think you're too smart to not do it. I think you are capable, and I think this is an area that can really utilize your voice it it, because you're already doing this. You're already researching on your own. You're already writing- because I already started doing conferences. I was presenting at NIST. I presented. I put a thought out there already for the College Board on this- building accessible pipelines from community colleges to private institutions. She was like, you're already doing this. It's just now you can research more into it.

Jacqueline Banegas

I said, okay. So what happened? The pandemic hit. I was like, who applies to an EdD program during a pandemic? This girl right here. And I was told, it's the most competitive program. There's over 30,000 applications. You may not get in. I said, well, if I don't get it, I don't get it. But let's make this happen.

Dra. Yvette Martinez-Vu

Let them say no, right? Yeah.

Jacqueline Banegas

38,000 applications, and I got admitted to a cohort of 30. And here we are. The best cohort ever. I love my cohort.

Dra. Yvette Martinez-Vu

Aw.

Jacqueline Banegas

My cohort is the best ever that can be. The cohort model that we have- I recommend anyone who is doing an EdD program or a Ph.D. program- look for a program that has a cohort model, because we hold each other accountable. I wouldn't be able to do it otherwise. I've met the most amazing people ever- moms, individuals, best human beings, who just are people, right? We are not braggers. We're not like I'm better than you or anything. We're just people who are supporting one another and want to be there for one another and are just great, amazing people. There's just no better words to say it. We're just amazing people, you know.

Dra. Yvette Martinez-Vu

I'm curious about that, because I've heard of folks who have been in doctoral programs where it's been the opposite, where it's been a lot of toxicity, a lot of competition. What do you think it was about your program in particular? Are Do you think it's the the emphasis? Do you think it's, maybe, because it's an EdD as opposed to a PhD? Like, what?

Dra. Yvette Martinez-Vu

This is something that's really important for folks when they're considering grad school. It's like, how do I find a program that's a good fit for me? How do I make sure that it's a safe and supportive environment? And what you're talking about- meeting these amazing people, very supportive space- you know, it's not always the case. So I'm like, where do we find them?

Jacqueline Banegas

Yeah, and I think it's what you make it to be honestly.

Dra. Yvette Martinez-Vu

Right.

Jacqueline Banegas

Because I mean, it's our cohort, right? And I'm sure my cohort members are going to hear this podcast, because that's how supportive they are.

Dra. Yvette Martinez-Vu

Aw.

Jacqueline Banegas

I'm not sure if the other cohorts are going to be like this. But for our cohort specifically, like what do we gain out of being in competition with one another? Because we are in different sectors. We are in different roles, and we're not here to out be each other. We're here to support one another, and there's room at the table for each and every one of us. And if there's not room at the table for any one of us, our responsibility is to make space at that table for the person next to you. That's how our society needs to be.

Jacqueline Banegas

I mean, we need to really learn from that experience, because we see it enough in this world. There's so much competition, and we end up hurting one another. I can learn- I have a friend who is in theater and arts education, and I've learned so much from her because there's transferable skills there. She's one of my biggest supporters, and I've only met her within a year. And I wish I would have met her, you know, in my whole entire life. I've met so many different people.

Jacqueline Banegas

So if you're in a cohort that's so competitive, really, I feel bad for you. But it shouldn't be that way, because you should be thinkers together. You should be a group dynamic, that you're in this in the long run. You can do so much together. You can share notes. You can share articles.

Jacqueline Banegas

We have people like, hey, I read this article. Here's my notes. Or we've had people like hey, this is a final assignment. Can we get together in a zoom? I've had times where I didn't understand an assignment. Like can we get on a Zoom, because I really need someone to help me break this down. Because I'm going through life, right? And we have life. As a mom with three kids, or having a sick family member-

Dra. Yvette Martinez-Vu

Same.

Jacqueline Banegas

We're able to be transparent. Like, life happens.

Dra. Yvette Martinez-Vu

I wanted to ask you about that too, because I'm just like, that's a huge decision to decide to pursue a doctoral program. Then on top of that, to do that in the middle of the pandemic. And you're a mom with three kids, and you're accustomed to having a full time job to pay the bills, all of that.

Jacqueline Banegas

Yeah.

Dra. Yvette Martinez-Vu

That's a big decision. So I wonder what went into that decision making, even from deciding between an EdD and a PhD. That's something that some folks sometimes are thinking about. If they're interested in a career in higher ed, that's a big question that folks ask. Well, do I need a PhD? Do I need an EdD? Which one might serve me best? And so I'm curious, what went into that decision making process for you, because so much was going on for all of us at that time that I'm just like, wow. The "how" is what I'm curious about.

Jacqueline Banegas

I'm being fully transparent- I did not apply to any other program but this one. I did research other programs. This is the leadership and innovation program at Steinhart. It's a two year, fast track online program. The cohort model was a big one for me, the way it's structured and the faculty that they have in play and teaching this program. And the founding faculty members was another key factor for this program for me. Their research, the way they developed the curriculum was a huge win for me.

Jacqueline Banegas

I went to info sessions. I had an informational interview with one of the founding faculty members.

Dra. Yvette Martinez-Vu

There you go, yeah.

Jacqueline Banegas

For me, that was just important to me. When I met with one of the faculty members, she took out literally twenty minutes to meet with me. I'm like this is what I'm looking for. Does it make sense? And boom. It was just like, alright. This is what I'm doing.

Jacqueline Banegas

I wanted the EdD route. I needed something more immersive. I needed something that was was very intense. Two years- didn't have five years really to dedicate to a PhD program and writing and dissertation. I needed something that was more focused on a problem or practice within my organization, because of CC TAP, because it's something that I can solve an issue within my organization. I wanted something more practical, more hands on. I'm a more hands-on learner.

Dra. Yvette Martinez-Vu

Thank you for saying that, just because I know there are going to be folks who are going to be hearing you describe this and saying, that's what I want too. Just so that they know that they have options.

Jacqueline Banegas

Correct.

Dra. Yvette Martinez-Vu

And I appreciate you. Your backstory and your narrative for me is so important, because there are so many of us that feel non-traditional or different, or like we don't have all of the things that you might think you need to go to grad school. You don't have the GPA. You don't have the GRE score. You don't have the experience. You don't have, it is just.... So many things, like it's constantly the scarcity or the deficit kind of perspective.

Dra. Yvette Martinez-Vu

But in actuality, we bring so much to the plate, you know, to the table. For you to say, I only applied to one and I got in. But you also did your homework. You also did the informational interviews. You also knew exactly why you were applying. That's what helps you get in.

Jacqueline Banegas

To be honest- I also don't want it to come off like- oh, I knew I was gonna get in. I didn't know I was going to get in, right? And I heard stories after the fact of people that I knew that got denied. I heard of stories of people that got waitlisted. I was just like, oh- like people of higher titles, more experience, and I was just like, oh. Not diminishing who I am. But sometimes we're like, oh. I'm dope, right?

Dra. Yvette Martinez-Vu

I love that. We need more affirmations like that.

Jacqueline Banegas

Yes, and we don't do that enough.

Dra. Yvette Martinez-Vu

Yeah.

Jacqueline Banegas

I started learning to do that in this program. And going back to what made me think about that- having kids and being a wife to an entrepreneur. My husband's a chef. And being a sister, and being a daughter to my parents. My parents rely on me. I'm an aunt to nephews. We're a really tight knit famil. People who know us-like we're really close and we depend on each other. And I'm involved in my church community, and all these things.

Jacqueline Banegas

It was just- this was something that as a family, we decided on.

Dra. Yvette Martinez-Vu

I love that.

Jacqueline Banegas

I'm a woman of faith. This is something I prayed on. I have a prayer wall next to me on my desk.

Dra. Yvette Martinez-Vu

Aw.

Jacqueline Banegas

This is something I prayed over. Literally every semester I'm like alright. I need a good grade in this class- and this is something I write about, you know.

Dra. Yvette Martinez-Vu

Yes.

Jacqueline Banegas

So these are things that- we have to affirm things. As being a first gen Latina, imposter syndrome literally comes up all the time. Ye, when we first started this program, in our residency, we probably walked in and like, who's in this room? Are we intimidated by each other? And we were talking about this with our cohort the other day. Like when did we really connect, right?

Jacqueline Banegas

There was probably a pivotal moment where we started doing group work together, where we really bonded. Now we have our own group chats, and then we have our own bonding moments. We have our jokes. Now I can see, like maybe I didn't build friendships when I was an undergrad because I was the only Latina in my class. But I was telling my husband, now these are friends I probably- I didn't build in undergrad, that now I can't see myself doing life without them ever again. Because this is cohort that- now I can't get rid of them, because they're just part of our lives now. I know as cheesy as it is, but our cohor is a really unique bunch. They all bring just something to the table that I'm appreciative of this cohort. We always say, here, we're the best. And I think we are. But it's just really, you really have to look for that. That's something I thrive on, and I'm just grateful for.

Jacqueline Banegas

So whatever program you're looking for, if that's something important to you,-I think that was just an added bonus for us. But now that I'm looking back, I can't see myself doing it without it, because it just really helps. Now we're in capstone, and now we're breaking off into our silos with our little groups.

Dra. Yvette Martinez-Vu

Aw

Jacqueline Banegas

Now we're just like, where's everybody going?

Dra. Yvette Martinez-Vu

Yeah.

Jacqueline Banegas

I miss seeing this person, or people are going to quantitative and qualitative. And we're missing seeing some peple. Or now we're going with our advisors, and we're not seeing people as much. It makes a difference. It really makes a difference. For those of you who are listening, really start researching. Do you want the PhD route? Do you want the EdD route? Are you an introvert or extrovert, right? What what are you looking for?

Jacqueline Banegas

For me, I wanted to meet with the faculty people there. I wanted to see what makes sense, meet with students. I had some students who were considering the program that I met with, and I was transparent about. I still meet with current students like, this is what it is. I share books with them. I'm very transparent, because again, knowledge, share- best practice. There's nothing wrong with it.

Jacqueline Banegas

Why are you holding information? Sometimes students do that. Like, let them figure it out on your own. Why? There's no competition. Again, make space at the table for everyone, please. Come on. Why are we doing this? We're grown? We can do this. Like, there's enough for everyone? You know, it's like when your abuela has people at home. Ella hace un caldero de arroz for everybody.

Dra. Yvette Martinez-Vu

There's more than enough for everybody. Caldero for everyone.

Jacqueline Banegas

Yeah, she has cafe for everybody. It's good.

Dra. Yvette Martinez-Vu

That's so funny. As I hear you talk about the program and everything you're gaining from it, I'm also wondering- once you complete the program, what do you hope to gain from it? How do you think it's going to benefit you with your career and long term personal, professional goals?

Jacqueline Banegas

You know, this is something I've been thinking about, I really been thinking about. I've been at NYU for 15 years.

Dra. Yvette Martinez-Vu

Wow.

Jacqueline Banegas

Yeah, my whole higher education career.

Dra. Yvette Martinez-Vu

That's a while.

Jacqueline Banegas

If my boss was here, they'd just be like, oh, gosh. What is she gonna say? I don't know. I don't know yall, I don't know where we're going. But I really like the research. I really enjoy research. I really enjoy educational policy. And like I said earlier, there's a lot of work to be done. There's a lot of work to be done.

Jacqueline Banegas

I think the pandemic has impacted a lot of communities.

Dra. Yvette Martinez-Vu

Yeah.

Jacqueline Banegas

Especially for underserved communities. I think there's just a bigger need right now for educational access. For that to happen, I may need to be on the other side.

Dra. Yvette Martinez-Vu

Right.

Jacqueline Banegas

So I think with this, there may be a shift. I don't know, maybe. As I said earlier, I'm a woman of faith. That's just something that I never will deny. So wherever the wind takes me, you know? But I think this program has really illuminated to me of- interesting enough, in undergrad, I was so intimidated by writing, that this program has opened up just a curiosity for writing and research. That may be next for me- and really helping the education sector or policy or higher education institutions, really- how can we support? How can we promote access? How can we serve communities and not just higher education?

Jacqueline Banegas

Let's start from K through 12, right?

Dra. Yvette Martinez-Vu

Yes.

Jacqueline Banegas

Because it starts there, it starts there. There's a big initiative with prison reform, on how they quantify things and really estimate how many prisons are created because of how many Black and Latinos are in existence.

Dra. Yvette Martinez-Vu

Yeah.

Jacqueline Banegas

When in reality, we can put those resources into education. Why don't we start there? You know, I'm going to South by Southwest in two weeks to talk about that, and presenting with some staff there. There's just work to be done. So I just feel an itch there of wanting to do more research.

Dra. Yvette Martinez-Vu

Yeah.

Jacqueline Banegas

Of wanting wanting to do more reform in education. And yeah, who knows?

Dra. Yvette Martinez-Vu

See where that takes you. There's so many opportunities. That's just exciting. It's like, well, the sky's the limit.

Jacqueline Banegas

Yeah. I mean, I could be still at NYU. You know, it could still be at NYU. But I think I just want probably to publish more. I want to do more. My area of work ,where I'm stationed, is pipeline and access. It's just an opportunity, even just being still there. And pipeline and access is publishing more, writing more, researching more. Our unit allows us to do that. So I think there's just opportunities there, that now this- after graduating- is just opening my eyes more that I could do that. And you see it- I smile just talking about this, because I just love it.

Dra. Yvette Martinez-Vu

I have a feeling that there will be folks listening to this podcast and thinking like, I want to do that. They might be an undergrad, or they're early on in a Master's program. And they're thinking, well, I want a career in higher ed. For you, and for a lot of us, it happens this way, where kind of one thing leads to the next. You started off with one position right out of college, and that kind of opened up the doors.

Dra. Yvette Martinez-Vu

But what advice would you give to someone who's an undergrad, who's still trying to figure life out. But they know they have that itch. They're just like, I don't really want to leave the higher ed setting, or at least not now. I want to keep working here. I want to make a difference in this space. What words of advice or encouragement that you might want to share with them? Or even, what do you wish you had known when you were in undergrad or right after you graduated, when you were thinking - oh no, did I ruin my life? How am I gonna figure things out? Or I didn't get the business career that my parents want. I didn't become a doctor. I didn't become a lawyer.

Jacqueline Banegas

You know, it's interesting. My graduate student is the one who suggested I sign up for this podcast.

Dra. Yvette Martinez-Vu

What?

Jacqueline Banegas

Yes, so Ima shout her out.

Dra. Yvette Martinez-Vu

Aw.

Jacqueline Banegas

Thank you for- shout out to her for putting me on to this, because she was like, you need to do this. And I think it's amazing. So someone like her- and this is something I tell her all the time. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain. If there's a role that you want to go for, go for it. You have nothing to lose.

Jacqueline Banegas

I wish I would have told myself that countless times. There's something where now you see more roles, where I've noticed lately in roles where it says- if you made it this far in reading this job description, apply. When I see that, I'm like, what? That's so amazing, because it's true. We self-sabotage ourselves so many times. And I even did it with this EdD program, and just life. Why didn't I apply for graduate school earlier on? I probably would have had my degree, but then we could have been- would have, could have, should have.

Dra. Yvette Martinez-Vu

Wait, hold up, hold up. You're talking as a mom of twins, and then went out and had a third kid. Come on now. Give yourself a break.

Jacqueline Banegas

But hello, this is what we do, right?

Dra. Yvette Martinez-Vu

Yeah.

Jacqueline Banegas

Or even like- I saw it with my own husband. He went to culinary school at thirty-five, because he thought that he couldn't do it, and started his business. Like, we do this so much. Literally, the person I was laying down, I was like, oh, whatever. My own partner, right? I didn't push him enough to pursue his dreams. But I was telling students, yes, go do this. But no, we self sabotage ourselves all the time.

Jacqueline Banegas

So if you're a graduate student, or you felt like it's too late- and I tell my own CC TAP students that our average age of our student population is twenty-eight. We even have grandparents in our program, that came back after so many years. It's never too late.

Dra. Yvette Martinez-Vu

Right.

Jacqueline Banegas

It's never too late. I felt like even having twin daughters at twenty- four years old. I felt like my life was over. And all my friends were getting- again- bonuses and job offers, and all these things. I felt like I would never catch up. Now I feel like I'm at the prime, and they're having kids. I'm like, well, my daughters are going to be sixteen when- I'm not gonna say my age, for whoevers gonna do the math.

Dra. Yvette Martinez-Vu

First child at twenty-five, so I get you.

Jacqueline Banegas

I was like, I can still travel to Greece and it'll be fine.

Dra. Yvette Martinez-Vu

Yeah.

Jacqueline Banegas

But your life is not over. You can do it. Go for it. If you have a 1%, you feel like you want to do it- just do it. Apply for it. Apply for that scholarship. Apply for that fellowship. Apply for that job. Apply for like graduate program, whatever it is. Network, even with me. You want to connect with me on LinkedIn, find me on LinkedI. Send me a message. Do whatever it is, connect- whatever it is. There's no harm in doing that.

Jacqueline Banegas

Again, your network is your net worth. You just never know who you're going to come across. Do yourself a favor. You owe it to yourself. Care for yourself. Respect yourself. Love yourself. Affirm yourself. I am capable. I am strong. I am this, I am that. I don't know if you do peloton, but I always shout out this person- Robin Arzon. Today I was on the peloton, and she was like say, I am what? I was like, I am strong. I am capable. But we don't affirm enough.

Dra. Yvette Martinez-Vu

Yeah.

Jacqueline Banegas

We don't affirm enough. As a Latina, you know, sometimes we were told- you have to be strong, and you have to be this. And for those of you who love Encanto the movie, let me tell you. It talks volumes to all of us right now.

Dra. Yvette Martinez-Vu

Oh my gosh. What's that song- the surface pressure?

Jacqueline Banegas

Surface pressure.

Dra. Yvette Martinez-Vu

Of course, it's that song. As soon as I heard the lyrics, I was like, oh wow. Yeah, I think a lot of us can relate to this.

Jacqueline Banegas

I was like, I still gotta call my older sister to be like, can I give this to you? Yeah, can I give this to you?

Dra. Yvette Martinez-Vu

I'm like reciting now- I'm as tough as the crust of the earth.

Jacqueline Banegas

Drip, drip, drip, drip, drip. But seriously, you know, this is the reality.

Dra. Yvette Martinez-Vu

Yeah.

Jacqueline Banegas

Get it. Go for it. You're dope. You're amazing. Just do it. Do it. And don't change who you are. Don't change who you are. I remember that- don't code switch. Don't code switch at the table. This is who I am. This is- oh, Jackie, you're too loud. No, this is who I am. This is who I am- mom, Jackie Banegas Abreu. Not Jackie Abroo, it's Abreu.

Dra. Yvette Martinez-Vu

I love that you said it, because we were talking about that earlier. Yes.

Jacqueline Banegas

Yeah, it's Abreu. Thank you very much. You know, and this is who I am. People are gonna love you for who you are. So just be authentically yourself, and people will enjoy that. I always tell people- you know, when they ask in the application who you are. I'm like female, Latina and this is who I am.

Dra. Yvette Martinez-Vu

Unapologetic. Yes.

Jacqueline Banegas

Hire me. And if you're not going to hire me for that, then okay. I don't want to work here, literally.

Dra. Yvette Martinez-Vu

Their loss, yeah.

Jacqueline Banegas

Yeah. You know, these are things that you will learn. You will learn. And even my graduate students that I work with, I try to mentor. You just have to support one another/ Dra. Yvette Martinez-Vu

How did I know you're gonna say that? I was waiting for it. That was so good. I love how you said you have nothing to lose and everything to gain. That is so great. If folks want to reach out to you- we're getting close to wrapping up. If folks want to reach out to you, or connect in some way, shape, or form, how can they reach you?

Jacqueline Banegas

Yeah. Definitely, you can connect with me on LinkedIn. That's the best way to find me. By my name, you can find me on LinkedIn. I guess you can connect me on the podcast as well, my LinkedIn.

Dra. Yvette Martinez-Vu

Yeah, I'll add your LinkedIn link to my show notes, that way folks can find you.

Jacqueline Banegas

Yes. And definitely, I'm sure, on Instagram- you'll tag me there, too. But yes, reach out to me. I'm more than happy to connect with you. You can send me a message on LinkedIn. Any advice you have about the EdD process. For those of you who are doing research in the community college side, or whatever. Feel free, I'm here. From one first gen Latina to another- or whatever, however you identify with. But I'm here. I'm here. And I wish I had this support navigating this journey. You know, the percentage shows that there's not many of us in this space.

Dra. Yvette Martinez-Vu

Yeah.

Jacqueline Banegas

So let's stick together.

Dra. Yvette Martinez-Vu

Yeah.

Jacqueline Banegas

Let's really support one another. That's why I'm doing this. Yvette, you're doing this too, so I'm glad you're promoting this.

Dra. Yvette Martinez-Vu

Yeah, I was about to say. Everything you said, I was like, that's why we do what we do.

Jacqueline Banegas

Yes. You know, you're creating this podcast, and I do hope that you get a lot of traffic with this. You're creating this space for those who need this space, and for those who are thinking about this. And if you're thinking about this, this means you want to do it.

Dra. Yvette Martinez-Vu

Right.

Jacqueline Banegas

There are graduate programs that do have funding and do have fellowships. Just research, because there's opportunities out there. And it's needed. It's needed.

Dra. Yvette Martinez-Vu

Well, I want to thank you. Thank you so much, Jackie, for coming on the show

Jacqueline Banegas

Of course.

Dra. Yvette Martinez-Vu

For sharing your experience, and your wisdom, wealth of knowledge.

Jacqueline Banegas

Absolutely.

Dra. Yvette Martinez-Vu

So many gems. I feel like I could quote you so many times. I don't know which one I'm gonna choose.

Jacqueline Banegas

Drip, drip, drip.

Dra. Yvette Martinez-Vu

I was about to wrap it up. That's gonna be the quote.

Dra. Yvette Martinez-Vu

Thank you so much, Jackie, for coming on the show.

Jacqueline Banegas

No problem. Next time, we'll have Lin Manuel here. So it's fine.

Dra. Yvette Martinez-Vu

Oh my gosh. I'm like a theater nerd at heart. I have a PhD in theater performance studies. So my theater heart is fluttering right now.

Jacqueline Banegas

Well, my friend that I was talking about, she's a theatre person too.

Dra. Yvette Martinez-Vu

Aw.

Jacqueline Banegas

So when she hears this, she's gonna be like, oh my gosh. And she's gonna go crazy.

Dra. Yvette Martinez-Vu

Well, thank you. Thank you, once again.

Jacqueline Banegas

Thank you so much for having me here. It was great. Thank you for having me.