When I was in high school, and I had gone to our career
 2
00:00:03.737 --> 00:00:07.040 night at the high school, you probably had that career and college night.
 3
00:00:07.040 --> 00:00:12.040 So one of the local four year engineering schools was there, and I sat in there
 4
00:00:12.679 --> 00:00:16.750 with my mom because I thought, by this time I wanted to be an engineer.
 5
00:00:16.750 --> 00:00:18.351 I had been taking drafting.
 6
00:00:18.351 --> 00:00:23.351 I was good at math, and when I got there they said, oh, but we only accept men.
 7
00:00:23.690 --> 00:00:26.760 So that like narrowed my options a little bit.
 8
00:00:27.027 --> 00:00:31.498 But it also was the first time in my life where I was like, wow, I can't go there.
 9
00:00:31.531 --> 00:00:35.935 So I did go to Purdue University, a great engineering school.
 10
00:00:35.969 --> 00:00:37.904 I knew I had to pay my way through college.
 11
00:00:37.904 --> 00:00:41.341 I was one of six kids, so there was no way parents could have covered it.
 12
00:00:41.341 --> 00:00:45.278 But I learned about co-oping, and I don't know if you've had people
 13
00:00:45.445 --> 00:00:49.482 to talk about that opportunity, but co-oping, like an apprenticeship,
 14
00:00:49.482 --> 00:00:51.851 think of it as an engineering apprenticeship,
 15
00:00:51.851 --> 00:00:55.221 it means every other semester you would go to work.
 16
00:00:55.221 --> 00:00:57.690 So that's how I went to General Motors.
 17
00:00:57.690 --> 00:01:02.028 I had the opportunity to co-op, meaning the summer after my freshman year,
 18
00:01:02.028 --> 00:01:05.165 I went to Flint, Michigan and worked for AC sparkplug,
 19
00:01:05.165 --> 00:01:09.269 doing an industrial engineering lite kind of job
 20
00:01:09.269 --> 00:01:13.006 because obviously one year of engineering didn't make me that marketable.
 21
00:01:13.173 --> 00:01:17.177 But you had a kind of simplified project. Went back to Purdue in the Fall.
 22
00:01:17.177 --> 00:01:20.380 In the spring, I went back to General Motors, had a little more
 23
00:01:20.380 --> 00:01:24.451 advanced project this time, started to learn really what an I.E. does.
 24
00:01:24.451 --> 00:01:26.319 Summer, I went to summer school.
 25
00:01:26.319 --> 00:01:28.388 So you can see you do that for five years.
 26
00:01:28.388 --> 00:01:33.326 The beauty is you end with two years of work experience,
 27
00:01:33.827 --> 00:01:38.827 and my debt equaled the amount that I had to pay for my car.
 28
00:01:38.898 --> 00:01:41.434 I had to get a used car so I could drive back and forth.
 29
00:01:41.434 --> 00:01:45.472 So $3,000 in debt and two years of work experience.
 30
00:01:45.472 --> 00:01:46.372 Incredible.
 31
00:01:46.372 --> 00:01:50.410 It set me up for a tremendous career, and I learned through those
 32
00:01:50.610 --> 00:01:54.481 five different work sessions at General Motors what kind of
 33
00:01:54.481 --> 00:01:58.384 I.E. I wanted to be, and really began to put my career in place.
 34
00:01:58.785 --> 00:02:00.453 I knew I would do a masters.
 35
00:02:00.453 --> 00:02:03.690 I started looking further down the road where most college kids
 36
00:02:03.890 --> 00:02:06.793 didn't have that view yet, so it was tremendous.
 37
00:02:06.793 --> 00:02:09.629 And I would highly encourage students to consider it.
 

2025 SXSW Conference
Interviewed in Austin, TX but works in Indianapolis, IN USA.
advanced-degree

I was told by a local four-year engineering school that they only accept men and I'm not welcome to be there. I chose to go to Purdue instead, which was a great choice for me as it had the largest population of women engineering students at the time.

I guide Ivy Tech’s 19 campuses and 200,000 students, building pathways through degrees, certifications, and skills training. I spend time thinking through how to best help students gain the education and skills they need to succeed in the workforce—for example, making credentials stackable. Helping learners of all ages change their lives never gets old.

President

Women should work as nurses, teachers, or accountants.

Education

My Educational Path

By the time I got to my masters, I knew I just.
 2
00:00:02.802 --> 00:00:03.803 I wanted to go.
 3
00:00:03.803 --> 00:00:07.874 So I was willing to take the risk of doing the loans and so forth.
 4
00:00:08.174 --> 00:00:10.377 I don't know that I would recommend that for everybody, though.
 5
00:00:10.377 --> 00:00:14.781 I think there is a path through community college to four year degree that could
 6
00:00:14.781 --> 00:00:19.152 allow you to save money, pay less and still get a really good education.
 7
00:00:19.419 --> 00:00:21.721 So I think there were a lot of different avenues.
 8
00:00:21.721 --> 00:00:24.324 I think there's value in also taking your time
 9
00:00:24.324 --> 00:00:26.893 and saving the money that you need to save in order to go.
 10
00:00:26.893 --> 00:00:29.729 I just decided, like the year before, I was like, okay, I'm
 11
00:00:29.729 --> 00:00:30.764 ready to go to graduate school.
 12
00:00:30.764 --> 00:00:33.066 And I knew I wanted to live on one of the coasts,
 13
00:00:33.066 --> 00:00:35.802 and I was just trying to figure out which one East coast, West Coast.
 14
00:00:35.802 --> 00:00:37.270 I was scared, you know, L.A.
 15
00:00:37.270 --> 00:00:39.172 And earthquakes were a little too much for me.
 16
00:00:39.172 --> 00:00:40.874 So I was like, I'm going to New York.
 17
00:00:40.874 --> 00:00:42.375 I didn't want to take the GRE.
 18
00:00:42.375 --> 00:00:43.910 I was like, I just didn't.
 19
00:00:43.910 --> 00:00:48.848 And so I found a program that allowed me to not have to do that, right.
 20
00:00:48.848 --> 00:00:51.818 It worked with the transcripts I had and everything like that.
 21
00:00:51.851 --> 00:00:53.486 There's something out there for everybody.
 22
00:00:53.486 --> 00:00:57.323 You just have to figure out what you're willing to do, what you want to do
 23
00:00:57.323 --> 00:00:58.658 and what's important to you
 24
00:00:58.658 --> 00:01:03.029 but explore, I guess, is my point, because there's so many options.
 25
00:01:03.029 --> 00:01:03.430 Right?
 26
00:01:03.430 --> 00:01:07.167 So if it's New York you want to go to, there are 50 million places
 27
00:01:07.167 --> 00:01:08.201 in New York to go.
 28
00:01:08.201 --> 00:01:11.071 So decide on New York and then find what fits you.
 29
00:01:11.071 --> 00:01:15.041 If it's more like, I want a small school that allows me to know everybody
 30
00:01:15.041 --> 00:01:18.244 on campus, there's hundreds of schools like that in the country, too.
 31
00:01:18.344 --> 00:01:22.015 I just feel like sometimes we get 1 or 2 options
 32
00:01:22.015 --> 00:01:23.616 and we feel like that's all we can do.
 33
00:01:23.616 --> 00:01:27.487 And there's just like a myriad of options, especially across the world.
 34
00:01:27.487 --> 00:01:29.556 Now we're moving across the world so easily.
 35
00:01:29.556 --> 00:01:32.992 So there's this place where you find what you love to do,
 36
00:01:32.992 --> 00:01:37.530 what the world needs you to do, and like what is actually contributing
 37
00:01:37.564 --> 00:01:39.532 to something bigger than you, right?
 38
00:01:39.532 --> 00:01:41.935 You find where those things kind of connect,
 39
00:01:41.935 --> 00:01:43.169 and then you find your sweet spot.
 40
00:01:43.169 --> 00:01:46.106 So if you're doing something you love to do, stick with it.
 41
00:01:46.106 --> 00:01:47.006 And if you're not,
 42
00:01:47.006 --> 00:01:50.677 then figure out what you can do to augment, to find what you love to do.
 

2025 SXSW Conference
Interviewed in Austin, TX but works in Kansas City, MO USA.
advanced-degree

I recommend just getting out there and trying things. There is no wrong way to be involved in community. Try to hone in on an aspect you're interested in and then find an opportunity to try it out. If it ends up not being the right fit, try something else. Just keep moving and keep showing up for your community.

I spend my days building systems that help our team move as one, aligning strategy, communication, and community impact. As director of strategic initiatives, I guide our grantmaking work toward real change in entrepreneurship, education, and workforce development. Every part of my day connects back to purpose, people, and finding our shared direction.

Director of Strategic Initiatives

Finding The Right Educational Path For You

So could you tell us more on your journey, on how you came to America?
 2
00:00:05.105 --> 00:00:06.539 It was in the 80s.
 3
00:00:06.539 --> 00:00:09.409 There was a war that started in El Salvador.
 4
00:00:09.409 --> 00:00:12.145 It was a civil war that lasted for 11 years.
 5
00:00:12.145 --> 00:00:13.580 But it was just starting.
 6
00:00:13.580 --> 00:00:17.217 And I think there was great concern at the time.
 7
00:00:17.817 --> 00:00:22.817 So my mom went to get my sister and I, and we reunited here.
 8
00:00:23.323 --> 00:00:27.827 And so talk about navigating the school system.
 9
00:00:28.061 --> 00:00:31.831 That was always, a process because my parents worked very hard.
 10
00:00:32.098 --> 00:00:35.168 It wasn't like they were sort of saying, this is how you're going to prepare
 11
00:00:35.168 --> 00:00:36.436 to go to college.
 12
00:00:36.436 --> 00:00:39.272 So I think my story and that of my two siblings,
 13
00:00:39.272 --> 00:00:42.442 I'm the oldest, we knew that going to college for
 14
00:00:42.442 --> 00:00:46.079 us was going to be a path that would open doors.
 15
00:00:46.346 --> 00:00:49.282 It would change, our options ahead.
 16
00:00:49.282 --> 00:00:52.318 I, similar to the young people that come to NYC,
 17
00:00:52.552 --> 00:00:55.889 it was important for me to figure out how to belong in the school community
 18
00:00:56.022 --> 00:00:57.257 that I was a part of.
 19
00:00:57.257 --> 00:00:58.658 I, initially when I came in,
 20
00:00:58.658 --> 00:01:02.629 it was predominantly black, like DC, like that was the 80s.
 21
00:01:02.729 --> 00:01:06.032 You can count in my elementary school, and probably
 22
00:01:06.032 --> 00:01:09.035 you had a sprinkle of Latinos.
 23
00:01:09.169 --> 00:01:13.173 There's a story like, I was a high school senior applying to school.
 24
00:01:13.239 --> 00:01:16.543 I was told to go to a two year college, which is not bad,
 25
00:01:17.043 --> 00:01:20.780 but I was basically told, like, I wouldn't be accepted to a four year.
 26
00:01:21.014 --> 00:01:23.049 When I tell you I worked really hard with my grades.
 27
00:01:23.049 --> 00:01:25.351 I was in after school curriculum activities.
 28
00:01:25.351 --> 00:01:27.153 I was trying to handle all of that.
 29
00:01:27.153 --> 00:01:28.855 And so to just hear that like,
 30
00:01:28.855 --> 00:01:32.358 yeah, I don't think you can make it, was very discouraging.
 31
00:01:32.725 --> 00:01:36.463 And I proceeded to apply to four year schools.
 32
00:01:36.629 --> 00:01:39.032 One was like, a sort of Ivy League
 33
00:01:39.032 --> 00:01:41.501 and it was interesting because they waitlisted me.
 34
00:01:41.501 --> 00:01:44.804 And then I encounter my English teacher in the hallway
 35
00:01:44.804 --> 00:01:46.339 and she's like, what happened to that school?
 36
00:01:46.339 --> 00:01:49.109 And I was like, they waitlisted me. She's like, what?
 37
00:01:49.109 --> 00:01:50.944 How could they? That's impossible.
 38
00:01:50.944 --> 00:01:54.647 And I was taken aback, you know, that adult that believed in you.
 39
00:01:54.647 --> 00:01:57.450 And you're sort of questioning yourself.
 40
00:01:57.450 --> 00:02:00.320 That lady called the school, gave them a piece of her mind.
 41
00:02:00.320 --> 00:02:03.590 Next thing you know, I get another letter trying to engage with me differently,
 42
00:02:03.957 --> 00:02:08.394 just because that teacher took the time to advocate and call them out.
 43
00:02:08.828 --> 00:02:12.932 I actually ran for office in Prince George's County and had an opportunity
 44
00:02:12.932 --> 00:02:16.302 to serve as Board of Education for Prince George's County for four years,
 45
00:02:16.369 --> 00:02:19.839 and I remember one distinct email that I got from a young lady.
 46
00:02:20.206 --> 00:02:24.210 All she said was like, thank you, I never seen anyone like me
 47
00:02:24.210 --> 00:02:26.346 that's in a position like yours.
 48
00:02:26.346 --> 00:02:30.383 I understood at that point, too, like what it meant for a lot of other young women.
 49
00:02:30.550 --> 00:02:34.554 And I could reflect, as I was growing up and see, there weren't a lot of folks
 50
00:02:34.554 --> 00:02:38.358 that I saw, like me at that time as our communities were growing as well.
 

2024 PGCO Roadtrip
first-in-family
advanced-degree

A degree in social services can be very helpful, especially if you pair it with a minor in finance or business. I also recommend connecting with mentors who work in the field. Take the time to shadow them and learn about the role of a board, as well as the policy and advocacy components involved.

Every day as CEO of the Latin American Youth Center, I’m juggling a whirlwind of meetings—from board meetings and budget discussions to community events and graduation ceremonies. My focus is always on creating opportunities for young people, advocating for their safety, growth, and empowerment. Whether I’m fundraising, speaking at conferences, or supporting after-school programs, it's all about making sure young people have a sense of belonging and the resources they need to thrive.

President & CEO

You should go to a two-year college. You won't get accepted to a four-year.

My Experience As An Immigrant And First-Generation Student

The good thing about cyber security, which is what also attracted me
 2
00:00:03.803 --> 00:00:07.440 to it, is the opportunities that it has is always growing.
 3
00:00:07.440 --> 00:00:08.875 It's not a static field.
 4
00:00:08.875 --> 00:00:09.943 I will say that if
 5
00:00:09.943 --> 00:00:13.713 you want to be competitive in this field, you definitely need a degree.
 6
00:00:13.713 --> 00:00:16.916 Because you're going to be competing with folks that already have a degree.
 7
00:00:16.983 --> 00:00:21.554 And in this big consulting firm, they will not even take a look at you
 8
00:00:21.554 --> 00:00:24.557 if you do not have at least a four year degree.
 9
00:00:24.724 --> 00:00:27.727 I will say certifications in cyber like the RIT certification
 10
00:00:27.727 --> 00:00:29.429 is where you want to like, focus on.
 11
00:00:29.429 --> 00:00:30.663 I will say, a lot of people think
 12
00:00:30.663 --> 00:00:33.466 that they want to be technical as soon as they go into cyber.
 13
00:00:33.466 --> 00:00:35.735 That is not what I would recommend.
 14
00:00:35.735 --> 00:00:39.739 I would recommend that you start more at a strategic level so you can actually
 15
00:00:39.739 --> 00:00:43.610 see the bigger picture first, and then once you're in it, you can decide
 16
00:00:43.610 --> 00:00:47.781 which areas to focus on, like which path you really want to zero in.
 17
00:00:47.881 --> 00:00:51.684 I feel that when I decided that this is what I wanted to focus on,
 18
00:00:51.684 --> 00:00:55.755 I wanted to make myself as competitive as possible, because at the end of the day,
 19
00:00:55.755 --> 00:00:59.292 I did not wanted to give anyone a reason to overlook me.
 20
00:00:59.292 --> 00:01:04.292 So I didn't get my doctorate because it was fun and- and
 21
00:01:05.899 --> 00:01:08.068 I was bored and I had nothing to do.
 22
00:01:08.068 --> 00:01:10.503 It was hard. It was hard. I have six kids.
 23
00:01:10.503 --> 00:01:14.207 I was working full time when a lot of people just take a sabbatical.
 24
00:01:14.307 --> 00:01:17.343 And the reason why I did that was because, once again,
 25
00:01:17.343 --> 00:01:20.947 I did not want to give anyone an excuse to say, "not her."
 26
00:01:21.314 --> 00:01:23.616 I wanted to say, "why not me?"
 27
00:01:23.616 --> 00:01:24.918 With that being said,
 28
00:01:24.918 --> 00:01:29.422 I research what skills should I have? I'm like, what else?
 29
00:01:29.422 --> 00:01:30.857 What else can I do?
 30
00:01:30.857 --> 00:01:32.292 So I started researching.
 31
00:01:32.292 --> 00:01:33.993 It's like, alright, not a lot of people
 32
00:01:33.993 --> 00:01:35.695 want to build architectures. Not a lot of people know about zero.
 33
00:01:35.695 --> 00:01:37.897 Not a lot of people know about zero trust.
 34
00:01:37.897 --> 00:01:40.867 Not a lot of people understand what a cyber lake house is.
 35
00:01:41.134 --> 00:01:44.971 So let me really hone in on that, and research that,
 36
00:01:45.071 --> 00:01:47.407 so I get really good at that.
 37
00:01:47.407 --> 00:01:51.611 So then, again, they don't have an excuse to not pick me for the next stage.
 38
00:01:51.611 --> 00:01:54.781 Another thing that they don't do very often is legislation.
 39
00:01:54.881 --> 00:01:55.849 Why is that important?
 40
00:01:55.849 --> 00:01:58.451 Because any solution, when you want to be innovative,
 41
00:01:58.451 --> 00:02:01.688 you have to be innovative according to what they want to see too.
 42
00:02:01.721 --> 00:02:02.155 Right?
 43
00:02:02.155 --> 00:02:05.024 The government needs to comply with certain mandates.
 44
00:02:05.024 --> 00:02:08.027 So when you're innovating, align yourself with what they need
 45
00:02:08.027 --> 00:02:11.397 to comply with because once again, that's job security for you.
 46
00:02:11.397 --> 00:02:14.834 They want that, they need to comply. Because if not they're going to get fines,
 47
00:02:14.834 --> 00:02:17.637 their budgets are going to get pulled out. So that's important for them.
 48
00:02:17.637 --> 00:02:22.075 So when you're navigating this field, always have that in your back pocket.
 49
00:02:22.075 --> 00:02:24.010 Research and like, okay what is the trend?
 50
00:02:24.010 --> 00:02:26.412 And make a plan. Every year,
 51
00:02:26.412 --> 00:02:28.414 and I've been doing this for over two decades.
 52
00:02:28.414 --> 00:02:29.916 At the end of the year, I sit down
 53
00:02:29.916 --> 00:02:33.753 and I do my own market research and I go like, what is trending right now?
 54
00:02:33.753 --> 00:02:35.155 What has the most demand?
 55
00:02:35.155 --> 00:02:38.791 What is the major gap? And that's the area that you focus on
 56
00:02:38.791 --> 00:02:40.160 and that's how you try to fill in.
 57
00:02:40.160 --> 00:02:41.194 Certifications.
 58
00:02:41.194 --> 00:02:45.398 I will say you start with Security Plus because it gives you a very good baseline
 59
00:02:45.398 --> 00:02:46.666 on where you want to go next.
 60
00:02:46.666 --> 00:02:48.168 And then from Security Plus,
 61
00:02:48.168 --> 00:02:50.303 that's a level two certification,
 62
00:02:50.303 --> 00:02:53.673 then you go on for your level threes which are like CISM,
 63
00:02:53.673 --> 00:02:56.776 which is a certified information security manager position,
 64
00:02:56.776 --> 00:03:00.446 or CISSP, which is a certified information security professional.
 65
00:03:00.446 --> 00:03:02.115 There's several in there.
 66
00:03:02.115 --> 00:03:04.050 But I will say always start,
 67
00:03:04.050 --> 00:03:06.219 don't even waste your time with level one certifications,
 68
00:03:06.219 --> 00:03:08.888 go straight for level two. You can do it.
 69
00:03:08.888 --> 00:03:11.624 And then from there on you start looking at your level three certs.
 

2024 PGCO Roadtrip
veteran
advanced-degree

I recommend pursuing at least a four-year degree in cybersecurity. That will increase your chances of being considered for a job. Then look into certifications. A lot of people want to start out technical right away but I think it's better to start out at a higher strategic level so that you can get a better grasp on the field. From there, you can start to narrow in on the different technical spaced you're interested in.

I dive into the complex world of cybersecurity, drawing from over two decades of experience to protect federal clients and establish myself as a trusted expert. My work is about problem-solving and educating others, making sure systems are secure while promoting inclusivity within the field. I advocate for more women and minorities in leadership positions because I want to create pathways for those like me who faced obstacles but never gave up.

Risk & Advisory Manager

Skills

Education And Skills Needed To Be Successful In Cybersecurity

Can you talk to us a little bit about how you got your start with writing?
 2
00:00:03.970 --> 00:00:07.741 I know for me, when I was younger, I used to read like, different books,
 3
00:00:07.741 --> 00:00:10.810 like, underneath, like my covers at night and things like that.
 4
00:00:10.810 --> 00:00:14.014 So do you have any type of stories like that in your childhood where you kind
 5
00:00:14.014 --> 00:00:16.716 of, like, can look back and be like, oh, I could see where this came from?
 6
00:00:16.716 --> 00:00:19.319 Maulana I have a very similar childhood.
 7
00:00:19.319 --> 00:00:22.856 I would get in trouble for reading when I was supposed to do chores!
 8
00:00:22.856 --> 00:00:24.557 And so I tell my students now,
 9
00:00:24.557 --> 00:00:27.660 that the best writers are the best readers,
 10
00:00:27.660 --> 00:00:30.964 are people who really love to connect with literature.
 11
00:00:30.964 --> 00:00:35.964 And in order to even be inspired to write, you have to know what has come
 12
00:00:36.302 --> 00:00:39.606 before, what the rules have been so that you can break them, right?
 13
00:00:39.839 --> 00:00:44.210 I remember when I learned how to read, when it transitioned
 14
00:00:44.210 --> 00:00:48.248 from just being this mess on a page to- Wait.
 15
00:00:49.015 --> 00:00:50.784 There is method to this madness.
 16
00:00:50.784 --> 00:00:55.784 And very early wanting to create songs that then translated
 17
00:00:56.056 --> 00:01:00.527 into writing poems, writing short stories, writing plays.
 18
00:01:00.527 --> 00:01:04.497 Writing was a way to express my thoughts, my feelings.
 19
00:01:04.497 --> 00:01:07.467 And it was, from the very beginning, it's been very cathartic for me.
 20
00:01:07.767 --> 00:01:11.171 For undergrad, I went to the university of Maryland, Baltimore County, UMBC.
 21
00:01:11.371 --> 00:01:14.941 At UMBC, when I was there, I went in and I was like,
 22
00:01:14.941 --> 00:01:19.941 I want to major in film, video, psychology, social work, English.
 23
00:01:20.246 --> 00:01:23.183 And then it was like, I can't do all of that.
 24
00:01:23.183 --> 00:01:26.753 And then I found out that they had a major called interdisciplinary Studies.
 25
00:01:27.153 --> 00:01:31.091 And so that was the opportunity to create my own major.
 26
00:01:31.191 --> 00:01:33.593 What I had to do was to get it approved.
 27
00:01:33.593 --> 00:01:36.596 So I came up with African-American studies
 28
00:01:36.696 --> 00:01:39.699 and mass media, and I minored in writing.
 29
00:01:39.799 --> 00:01:44.771 And so what I included in my program was the opportunity to have elements
 30
00:01:44.771 --> 00:01:49.771 of journalism, elements of film and video, a large component was African
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00:01:49.909 --> 00:01:53.646 American history, but including literature and things like that.
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00:01:53.646 --> 00:01:56.649 So it was really this bevy of things that I was interested in.
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00:01:56.850 --> 00:02:00.553 But I also had to in this proposal, justify it.
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00:02:00.553 --> 00:02:02.255 What was I going to do with this?
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00:02:02.255 --> 00:02:06.192 What I explained to justify this major was identifying
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00:02:06.192 --> 00:02:09.829 the intersections of all of this into what I call mass media.
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00:02:09.829 --> 00:02:14.829 And so media being what we are imbibing through broadcast and print.
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00:02:15.235 --> 00:02:15.602 Right.
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00:02:15.602 --> 00:02:19.038 So it could be journalism, it could be the creative arts.
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00:02:19.339 --> 00:02:21.274 But these are messages.
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00:02:21.274 --> 00:02:24.310 There are really three purposes to communicating a message-
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00:02:24.477 --> 00:02:27.447 to inform, to entertain or to persuade.
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00:02:27.447 --> 00:02:28.114 Right.
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00:02:28.114 --> 00:02:32.519 And so when we look at journalism, journalism's purpose is to inform.
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00:02:32.685 --> 00:02:33.586 Whereas when we
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00:02:33.586 --> 00:02:37.657 think of the creative arts, usually the primary purpose is to entertain.
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00:02:37.657 --> 00:02:40.860 But then, there are elements in both to persuade
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00:02:41.027 --> 00:02:44.597 and when that's happening in journalism, that's not journalism anymore.
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00:02:44.597 --> 00:02:45.732 That's propaganda.
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00:02:45.732 --> 00:02:47.467 And so then from UMBC,
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00:02:47.467 --> 00:02:51.571 I went to Towson University and got a master's in mass communication.
 

To be a writer, you just write. Write in a way where you don't sanction yourself—you're not worrying about proofreading or editing. Just let whatever is in your heart and mind flow free. From there, you'll start to learn what's important to you.

I teach at Coppin State University on Mondays, Wednesday, and Fridays during the semester. I perform poetry as commissioned. On any given day, I am also scheduling gigs, writing daily, grading papers, teaching workshops, facilitating public programs, and engaging with the public virtually and in-person.

Poet Laureate

For those who really don't have any idea about law school or are interested
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00:00:04.371 --> 00:00:08.274 in maybe partaking the journey into applying and going to law school,
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00:00:08.375 --> 00:00:10.543 can you give some advice about that?
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00:00:10.543 --> 00:00:13.380 Yeah, I think that before people should apply anywhere,
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00:00:13.380 --> 00:00:15.048 they should ask themselves, Well, why?
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00:00:15.048 --> 00:00:20.048 Sometimes we gravitate toward jobs because we know what they are
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00:00:20.453 --> 00:00:21.388 and we don't do a deep
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00:00:21.388 --> 00:00:24.391 enough dive to discover jobs that we've never heard of before.
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00:00:24.524 --> 00:00:27.761 So even if you want to touch law, you don't have to be a lawyer
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00:00:27.761 --> 00:00:29.195 in order to do it.
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00:00:29.195 --> 00:00:32.866 But if you do want to become a lawyer, then you need to understand why.
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00:00:33.066 --> 00:00:35.335 What is it about the law that I am attracted to?
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00:00:35.335 --> 00:00:37.771 What is it about medical school that I'm attracted to?
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00:00:37.771 --> 00:00:39.606 Is it because of the status of the title?
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00:00:39.606 --> 00:00:43.243 Is it because I envision myself, in some type of unilateral way?
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00:00:43.243 --> 00:00:45.045 But you have to get to the why,
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00:00:45.045 --> 00:00:49.082 but understand that even people that go to law school or medical school
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00:00:49.082 --> 00:00:51.718 or technical school, some of them get halfway through
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00:00:51.718 --> 00:00:54.754 and they realize that it's just not for them because they didn't talk
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00:00:54.754 --> 00:00:59.325 to enough people to give them insight in terms of what they are up against.
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00:00:59.492 --> 00:01:00.827 I'm guilty of it as well.
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00:01:00.827 --> 00:01:03.630 When I went to law school, I had no idea what I was up against
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00:01:03.630 --> 00:01:04.631 because I had never spoken
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00:01:04.631 --> 00:01:08.701 to a real lawyer before and never have I ever even spoken to a law student.
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00:01:09.002 --> 00:01:11.304 But now the information is right in front of you.
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00:01:11.304 --> 00:01:14.441 So if you don't do a deep dive and have conversations with first year
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00:01:14.441 --> 00:01:18.478 law students and second year law students and heck, send an email to a professor
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00:01:18.478 --> 00:01:20.947 at a law school to ask, Can I take 5 minutes of your time
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00:01:20.947 --> 00:01:22.148 because I'm considering this?
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00:01:22.148 --> 00:01:24.551 And this is not just a lesson for law school.
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00:01:24.551 --> 00:01:27.720 This is a lesson for anything that you want to go into,
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00:01:27.720 --> 00:01:30.723 take an opportunity and research it, because these thousand dollars
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00:01:30.757 --> 00:01:32.292 cell phones that are in our hands,
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00:01:32.292 --> 00:01:35.261 those are walking machines that can lead you to get information
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00:01:35.261 --> 00:01:38.331 from anybody from any place that would be helpful to you.
 

2024 PGCO Roadtrip
entrepreneur
advanced-degree

My day starts with waking up early, quiet time, light exercise, shower and dress, and morning coffee. Then I read emails and go over my plan of attack for the day. I head to my bakery for the first few hours. I talk with guests and staff. I work on marketing and sales, and return emails. Then I start on my law practice clients. I read, draft, and create contracts. I'll also talk or meet with law firm clients. I wrap up my day by having dinner with a client or an employee and head home by 10 p.m.

Attorney & Entrepreneur

Do Your Research On The Fields You Want To Pursue

You can go to college or you don't have to go to college.
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00:00:02.268 --> 00:00:05.071 You can get these certifications and designations.
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00:00:05.071 --> 00:00:08.041 I favor finance majors. Right.
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00:00:08.041 --> 00:00:11.044 Because finance has all the disciplines in it.
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00:00:11.111 --> 00:00:13.446 You take a finance major, you got to take accounting.
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00:00:13.446 --> 00:00:16.149 You got to take econ, you got to take marketing,
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00:00:16.149 --> 00:00:18.718 you got to take business and you do finance.
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00:00:18.718 --> 00:00:20.820 And I think it makes you more well-rounded.
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00:00:20.820 --> 00:00:22.122 And that's one way to start.
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00:00:22.122 --> 00:00:24.624 Or any one of those I told you.
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00:00:24.624 --> 00:00:26.359 College is not for everybody right.
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00:00:26.359 --> 00:00:29.629 And you can still enter the financial world by not going to college.
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00:00:29.629 --> 00:00:32.399 And that's getting certifications and designations.
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00:00:32.399 --> 00:00:34.701 Like I told you, stockbrokers don't have to go to college.
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00:00:34.701 --> 00:00:36.669 You have to go take a serious exam.
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00:00:36.669 --> 00:00:39.406 And it's a series seven You can take the series six,
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00:00:39.406 --> 00:00:43.143 which is next down where you can teach, you can sell annuities and make money.
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00:00:43.143 --> 00:00:44.844 Or now they have a SIE.
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00:00:44.844 --> 00:00:46.079 And you can take that and go
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00:00:46.079 --> 00:00:50.550 into giving financial advice and having responsibility as a fiduciary.
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00:00:50.550 --> 00:00:52.485 And that way people trust you more
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00:00:52.485 --> 00:00:55.055 because anybody can say they're a financial planner to be honest.
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00:00:55.055 --> 00:00:55.555 Right.
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00:00:55.555 --> 00:00:56.923 Now, the series seven
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00:00:56.923 --> 00:01:00.727 and the series six, you actually can sell securities investments,
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00:01:00.960 --> 00:01:02.062 but you don't need no degree.
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00:01:02.062 --> 00:01:04.130 So there's certifications and designations.
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00:01:04.130 --> 00:01:06.699 I am a certified financial education instructor.
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00:01:06.699 --> 00:01:11.699 I got that under the National Financial Education Council, NFEC.
 

One of the bigger struggles I've encountered in my career is racial discrimination. I've been left wondering why I wasn't selected for a position despite being qualified. It's held me back at times but I stayed motivated and found success regardless.

Every day, I work to break down the barriers that keep people from financial freedom. As the president of LIFE, a nonprofit for financial literacy, I teach workshops in schools, churches, and community centers. I give people real, practical tools to manage money wisely. It’s not just about numbers. It’s about changing mindsets, challenging a system that holds people back, and making financial knowledge accessible.

I need to get an advanced degree in order to compete with my peers.

Education Required To Work In Finance

and you have to keep it up with continuous education.
 

Every day, I help people move forward—whether it’s finding a book or finding a job. As a public service specialist, I oversee the Life Lab, a space dedicated to workforce development. I meet one-on-one with job seekers, reviewing resumes, connecting them to resources, and guiding them toward new opportunities.

Education

My Educational Path

My Educational Path

Sue Ellspermann

491 videos on Education: