Graduate Student Trainee – Population Research Center
Sociology Department, University of Texas at Austin
After graduating from UNO from the masters of sociology program, I entered the PhD program at the University of Texas at Austin. I am a research assistant and graduate student trainee at the Population Research Center, currently working on two research projects exploring how secondary educational opportunities shape long term labor market outcomes and health trajectories.
When I started the Masters in Sociology program at University of New Orleans, I wasn’t sure what I was going to do after completing the two-year program or what aspects of education I wanted to research. As soon as my first semester of study, professors at UNO helped me figure out my interests and pointed me in a direction of study, which I continue to this day. During my first semester, one professor encouraged everyone to apply to present at an academic conference, and during the second semester we traveled to San Diego to speak at our first sociology conference. Presenting at the conference was an experience that helped me realize that wanted to pursue a doctorate degree. The professors I worked with and encountered during my time at UNO always supported my interests and goals and gave me the confidence I needed to continue through my graduate career. Being an independent learner, I appreciated the ability to design my own thesis project at UNO, but I had support from many professors along the way. Continuing my studies at University of Texas at Austin has been challenging, but my experience at UNO prepared me well for handling the coursework and research demands of my current program.