Grad School Femtoring: Inclusive Grad School Stories, Personal Development, and Productivity Tips for First-Gen BIPOCs

A podcast on thriving in graduate school for first-generation BIPOC students, offering insights on academic success, career development, mental health, and navigating diversity and inclusion in higher education.
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The Signal Award-winning Grad School Femtoring Podcast provides first-generation BIPOC students and professionals with conversations about graduate school and growth to help you sustainably achieve your goals.  I’m your host, Dra. Yvette Martinez-Vu, a first-gen Chicana, mama, neurodivergent, and chronically ill grad school and productivity coach, consultant, author and speaker. For over fifteen years I’ve been empowering first-gen students of color along their personal and professional journeys, and I’m really excited to support you too. Listen every week to solo and guest episodes where you’ll be listening in on inclusive grad school stories. You'll also learn more about grad school and academic success, career and professional development, personal development and mindset, productivity and time management, social justice and community building, wellbeing and mental health, money and financial literacy, first-gen student of color experiences, and more!  This podcast is a proud member of the Genuina Media network. Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts and share this resource with a friend.

  1. 11h ago

    394: Toxic Advisor Horror Stories That Keep Grad Students Up at Night

    In this episode of the Grad School Femtoring podcast, I share five toxic advisor horror stories inspired by recurring themes from coaching conversations and online graduate student discussions. These anonymous composite stories explore humiliating feedback, hurtful comments after qualifying exams, advisors who disappear, constantly changing expectations, and delayed dissertation signatures. Along the way, I reflect on my own experience receiving a painful comment about my writing and affirm that graduate students deserve respectful communication and meaningful support. I also discuss what you can reasonably expect from an advisor, including constructive feedback, clear turnaround times, guidance through academic milestones, and appropriate boundaries. I share ways to clarify expectations, seek additional mentorship, explore changing advisors, and process difficult experiences while rebuilding your sense of agency. In this episode, you will learn: How to recognize constructive academic feedback and identify humiliating comments.What communication, feedback, and guidance you can reasonably expect from an advisor.How to clarify revision priorities and feedback timelines when expectations keep changing.What to consider before changing advisors, including funding, research, and graduation timelines.How to seek support and regain a sense of agency after a hurtful advising experience.Work with me If you’re navigating a difficult advising relationship or preparing for a major academic milestone, I offer personalized support to help you clarify your options and create a plan aligned with your capacity and goals. Learn more about my coaching services here: https://gradschoolfemtoring.com/coaching/Free resource Download your Grad School Femtoring Resource Kit: https://gradschoolfemtoring.com/kit/Explore more Listen to more episodes on Grad School Hidden Curriculum: https://gradschoolfemtoring.com/podcast_catergory/grad-school-hidden-curriculum/Support the podcast with a one-time or monthly donation: https://donate.stripe.com/bJedR8dGRcs6ewGdwq38401Access transcripts and additional resources: https://gradschoolfemtoring.com/podcast/Audio and transcript edited by Yessi Sanchez: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yessisanchez/This podcast is a proud member of the Genuina Media network.The Grad School Femtoring Podcast is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for therapy or other professional services. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    394: Toxic Advisor Horror Stories That Keep Grad Students Up at Night

  2. Oct 12

    393: How to Write an Inclusion and Belonging Statement, Formerly Known as Diversity Statement

    In this episode of the Grad School Femtoring podcast, I share how to write an inclusion and belonging statement, an application essay you may or may not recognize as a diversity statement. If you’re applying to graduate school and wondering how to approach this prompt, I walk you through a sample 250-word essay question and explain how to identify experiences that demonstrate your contributions to a community. Drawing on my work supporting graduate school applicants, I offer brainstorming questions about your identities, lived experiences, research, leadership, and service. I also share my “what, how, and so what” framework to help you describe the context, explain your role, and communicate your impact. These strategies can help you choose meaningful examples, show your values through action, and address each part of the prompt within the word limit. In this episode, you will learn: How to recognize an inclusion and belonging prompt that resembles a traditional diversity statement.How to brainstorm connections between your lived experiences and your contributions to community.How research, mentorship, employment, and service can provide meaningful essay examples.How to use the “what, how, and so what” framework to explain your actions and impact.How to select focused examples, reflect on what you learned, and respond to the full prompt.Work with me Get strategic, culturally informed support with your graduate school applications: https://gradschoolfemtoring.com/consulting/Free resource Download your Grad School Femtoring Resource Kit: https://gradschoolfemtoring.com/kit/Explore more Listen to more episodes on Applying to Grad School: https://gradschoolfemtoring.com/podcast_catergory/applying-to-grad-school/Support the podcast with a one-time or monthly donation: https://donate.stripe.com/bJedR8dGRcs6ewGdwq38401Access transcripts and additional resources: https://gradschoolfemtoring.com/podcast/Audio and transcript edited by Yessi Sanchez: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yessisanchez/This podcast is a proud member of the Genuina Media network.The Grad School Femtoring Podcast is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for therapy or other professional services. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    393: How to Write an Inclusion and Belonging Statement, Formerly Known as Diversity Statement

  3. Oct 5

    392: Money Trauma, Wealth Culture, and the BIPOC Grad Student Experience with Esther Saehyun Lee

    In this episode of the Grad School Femtoring podcast, I’m joined by Esther Saehyun Lee, founder of Elevate Philanthropy Consulting and a Trauma of Money certified fundraiser, to explore money trauma, wealth culture, and the financial struggles of first-generation and BIPOC graduate students. Drawing on our experiences navigating higher education, we discuss how hidden costs, unequal access to resources, and family responsibilities shape students’ choices and sense of belonging. Together, we explore how scarcity develops through experiences of survival and can continue influencing our decisions as our circumstances change. We discuss recognizing the systemic roots of financial shame, honoring the full context of our money stories, and reclaiming agency within our current circumstances. Esther also shares guidance for graduate students interested in transitioning into nonprofit and philanthropic work. In this episode, you will learn: How wealth culture shows up in higher education and shapes your sense of belonging.Why graduate school’s hidden costs create financial, emotional, and capacity burdens.How real and internalized scarcity can affect future planning and career decisions.How family financial responsibilities and immigrant experiences shape money stories.Ways to understand financial shame in its systemic context and recognize your agency.How informational interviews, courses, and writing practice can support a transition into nonprofit work.Work with me Join the Grad Empowerment Coaching Circle for community, compassionate accountability, and support navigating graduate school’s hidden curriculum: https://gradschoolfemtoring.com/group-coaching/Express your interest by October 8 for a cohort tentatively beginning October 26. If the cohort moves forward, enroll by October 19 to receive my Sustainable Productivity Toolkit, a $99 value.Connect with today’s guest Connect with Esther Saehyun Lee on LinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/esther-saehyun-leeScarcity vow article, “Are nonprofit leaders unknowingly taking a ‘scarcity vow’?”: https://candid.org/blogs/nonprofit-leaders-scarcity-vow/Wealth culture article, “Money, Power, Respect: What Fine Dining Taught Me About Fundraising”: https://communitycentricfundraising.org/2024/12/02/money-power-respect-what-fine-dining-taught-me-about-fundraising/Book recommendations: The Psychology of Money by Morgan Housel, Loaded by Sarah Newcomb, and Scarcity Brain by Michael Easter.Free resource Download your Grad School Femtoring Resource Kit: https://gradschoolfemtoring.com/kit/Explore more Listen to more episodes on Financial Literacy and Grad Funding: https://gradschoolfemtoring.com/podcast_catergory/financial-literacy-and-grad-funding/Support the podcast with a one-time or monthly donation: https://donate.stripe.com/bJedR8dGRcs6ewGdwq38401Access transcripts and additional resources: https://gradschoolfemtoring.com/podcast/Audio and transcript edited by Yessi Sanchez: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yessisanchez/This podcast is a proud member of the Genuina Media network.The Grad School Femtoring Podcast is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for therapy or other professional services. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    392: Money Trauma, Wealth Culture, and the BIPOC Grad Student Experience with Esther Saehyun Lee

  4. Sep 28

    391: How to Choose the Right Graduate Program Beyond Rankings and Prestige

    In this episode of the Grad School Femtoring Podcast, I share how to choose a graduate program based on the outcome you're seeking and the people you hope to learn from. When I help applicants build a program list, I encourage them to look beyond rankings and get clear on the conditions that will help them succeed. I walk through how to identify your non-negotiables, research potential faculty mentors, examine funding and program conditions, and learn from current students and alumni. This research takes time, especially when program information is hard to find, but it can help you build a list of schools you would seriously consider attending. In this episode, you will learn: How to distinguish your non-negotiables from strong preferences and bonuses.Why you should identify at least two potential faculty mentors at each program.What to ask about stipends, funding duration, health insurance, and other program conditions.How to connect with faculty, current students, and alumni for firsthand perspectives.How to track your findings and build a graduate program list that reflects your goals.Work with me If you would like support clarifying your goals and navigating graduate applications, explore my coaching services: https://gradschoolfemtoring.com/coaching/Free resource Download your Grad School Femtoring Resource Kit: https://gradschoolfemtoring.com/kit/Explore more Listen to more episodes on Applying to Grad School: https://gradschoolfemtoring.com/podcast_catergory/applying-to-grad-school/Support the podcast with a one-time or monthly donation: https://donate.stripe.com/bJedR8dGRcs6ewGdwq38401 Access transcripts and additional resources: https://gradschoolfemtoring.com/podcast/Audio and transcript edited by Yessi Sanchez: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yessisanchez/This podcast is a proud member of the Genuina Media network.The Grad School Femtoring Podcast is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for therapy or other professional services. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    391: How to Choose the Right Graduate Program Beyond Rankings and Prestige

  5. Sep 21

    390: Low-Energy Writing Strategies: How to Keep Writing with Limited Capacity

    In this episode of the Grad School Femtoring Podcast, I share low-energy writing strategies for college students, graduate students, and professionals completing major projects with limited capacity. Whether you are navigating chronic illness, disability, burnout, caregiving, sleep deprivation, travel, or an especially demanding season, these strategies can help you keep making progress to meet a hard deadline. I explain how to assess your capacity, match tasks to your available energy, break long-term projects into specific actions, and prioritize the work that matters most. I also discuss writing triage, a process for completing high-energy tasks during periods when higher-capacity moments may never come. In this episode, you will learn: How to assess your energy and focus using a low-, medium-, or high-capacity scaleHow to sort writing tasks according to the energy they requireHow to define a project’s starting point, required outcome, and short-term timelineHow to turn broad goals into specific, manageable actionsHow to reduce unnecessary scope and protect your highest-priority sectionsHow to complete demanding work through writing triage, scaffolding, and community supportWork with me Receive personalized structure and compassionate support for your academic, professional, or personal goals through one-on-one coaching: https://gradschoolfemtoring.com/coaching/Free resource Download your Grad School Femtoring Resource Kit: https://gradschoolfemtoring.com/kit/Explore more Listen to more episodes on Dissertation and Writing Strategies: https://gradschoolfemtoring.com/podcast_catergory/dissertation-and-writing-strategies/ Support the podcast with a one-time or monthly donation: https://donate.stripe.com/bJedR8dGRcs6ewGdwq38401 Access transcripts and additional resources: https://gradschoolfemtoring.com/podcast/Audio and transcript edited by Yessi Sanchez: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yessisanchez/This podcast is a proud member of the Genuina Media network.The Grad School Femtoring Podcast is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for therapy or other professional services. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    390: Low-Energy Writing Strategies: How to Keep Writing with Limited Capacity

  6. Sep 14

    389: Dopamine, Rewards, and Novelty: How to Keep Writing When the Excitement Fades

    In this episode of the Grad School Femtoring Podcast, I discuss why the excitement surrounding a long-term writing project can fade and how dopamine, executive functioning, and your working conditions can shape motivation. I offer a more compassionate approach for academics, students, and other writers who are struggling to return to work that still matters to them. I share practical ways to make writing more approachable. You will learn how to build a personalized menu of writing tasks and rewards that reflects your energy and capacity while recognizing when you may need rest, accommodations, redistributed labor, or additional support. In this episode, you will learn: How dopamine, feedback, novelty, and executive functioning can influence your ability to begin and sustain writingWhy fading interest can point to your conditions, workload, health, access needs, or an unclear next stepHow to add supportive cues and sources of comfort, purpose, or connection before and during a writing sessionWays to make progress visible beyond word counts How to create novelty by changing your medium, environment, sequence, social setting, or level of challengeFour questions for building a flexible writing menu that includes options for low-capacity daysWork with me If you want structure and compassionate support as you work toward a dissertation, qualifying exam, writing project, career transition, or another important goal, learn more about one-on-one coaching: https://gradschoolfemtoring.com/coaching/Free resource Download your Grad School Femtoring Resource Kit: https://gradschoolfemtoring.com/kit/Explore more Listen to more episodes on Dissertation and Writing Strategies: https://gradschoolfemtoring.com/podcast_catergory/dissertation-and-writing-strategies/Support the podcast with a one-time or monthly donation: https://donate.stripe.com/bJedR8dGRcs6ewGdwq38401Access transcripts and additional resources: https://gradschoolfemtoring.com/podcast/Audio and transcript edited by Yessi Sanchez: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yessisanchez/This podcast is a proud member of the Genuina Media network.The Grad School Femtoring Podcast is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for therapy or other professional services. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    389: Dopamine, Rewards, and Novelty: How to Keep Writing When the Excitement Fades

  7. Sep 7

    388: Exploring STEM PhD Careers Through a GSF Externship with Reem Salem

    In this episode of the Grad School Femtoring Podcast, I speak with Reem Salem, a fourth-year molecular engineering PhD candidate at the University of Chicago, about career development for STEM PhD students. Drawing from the research she conducted during her Grad School Femtoring externship, Reem shares why graduate students need greater access to career guidance, mentorship, and opportunities to explore the many paths available beyond academia. We discuss how to identify and communicate the transferable skills you are already developing through your doctoral training. Reem also offers practical steps for exploring careers that align with your strengths and values. In this episode, you will learn: What research reveals about the career development needs and pathways of STEM PhDsHow limited mentorship and professional networks affect historically excluded and first-generation graduate studentsHow to identify transferable skills within your doctoral research and trainingWhy career exploration can begin before you know exactly where you want to end upHow to approach career planning as a gradual and systematic process grounded in your strengths and valuesWork with me If you are exploring new career paths or navigating a major academic or professional transition, I offer personalized coaching to help you clarify your goals, communicate your strengths, and create an action plan aligned with your capacity and values. Learn more at: https://gradschoolfemtoring.com/coaching/Connect with today’s guests Connect with Reem Salem on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/reem-yasser-salemFree resources Download the Career Development Brief for STEM PhDs: https://gradschoolfemtoring.com/career-development-brief-stem-phd-students/Download the Grant-Writing Toolkit for STEM Graduate Students: https://gradschoolfemtoring.com/grant-writing-toolkit-stem-graduate-students/Download your Grad School Femtoring Resource Kit: https://gradschoolfemtoring.com/kit/Explore more Listen to more episodes on Career and Professional Development: https://gradschoolfemtoring.com/podcast_catergory/career-and-professional-development/ Support the podcast with a one-time or monthly donation: https://donate.stripe.com/bJedR8dGRcs6ewGdwq38401 Access transcripts and additional resources: https://gradschoolfemtoring.com/podcast/Audio and transcript edited by Yessi Sanchez: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yessisanchez/This podcast is a proud member of the Genuina Media network.The Grad School Femtoring Podcast is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for therapy or other professional services. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    388: Exploring STEM PhD Careers Through a GSF Externship with Reem Salem

  8. Aug 31

    387: Seven Graduate School Myths That Hold Students Back

    In this episode of the Grad School Femtoring podcast, I unpack seven common graduate school myths that can leave students questioning their abilities, belonging, support systems, timelines, and career prospects. These myths can be especially harmful for historically excluded students—including those who are first-generation, BIPOC, disabled, neurodivergent, chronically ill, parenting, caregiving, and nontraditional students—who are navigating uneven access to resources and insider knowledge. I explain why graduate school success depends on learned skills, supportive relationships, and sustainable practices rather than intelligence, independence, constant productivity, or a perfectly linear path. You will also learn how to treat struggle as information, build a broader support team, ask for help before challenges become a crisis, account for your changing capacity, and begin exploring career possibilities before the final year of your program. In this episode, you will learn: Why academic confidence often reflects prior exposure, resources, mentorship, and insider knowledge How to interpret struggle as information about the support, accommodations, strategies, or rest you may need Why one advisor cannot meet every need and how a broader support team can fill important gaps How to ask for help by sharing relevant context, explaining what you have tried, and making a specific request Why rest, revised timelines, pauses, and redirection can all be part of a successful graduate journey How to begin translating your skills and exploring career options before completing your degree Work with me Explore my coaching services for culturally relevant support as you navigate graduate school, build sustainable systems, strengthen your support network, and plan your next steps: https://gradschoolfemtoring.com/coaching/ Free resource Download your Grad School Femtoring Resource Kit: https://gradschoolfemtoring.com/kit/ Explore more Listen to more episodes on Grad School Hidden Curriculum: https://gradschoolfemtoring.com/podcast_catergory/grad-school-hidden-curriculum/ Support the podcast with a one-time or monthly donation: https://donate.stripe.com/bJedR8dGRcs6ewGdwq38401 Access transcripts and additional resources: https://gradschoolfemtoring.com/podcast/ Audio and transcript edited by Yessi Sanchez: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yessisanchez/ This podcast is a proud member of the Genuina Media network. The Grad School Femtoring Podcast is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for therapy or other professional services. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    387: Seven Graduate School Myths That Hold Students Back
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About

The Signal Award-winning Grad School Femtoring Podcast provides first-generation BIPOC students and professionals with conversations about graduate school and growth to help you sustainably achieve your goals.  I’m your host, Dra. Yvette Martinez-Vu, a first-gen Chicana, mama, neurodivergent, and chronically ill grad school and productivity coach, consultant, author and speaker. For over fifteen years I’ve been empowering first-gen students of color along their personal and professional journeys, and I’m really excited to support you too. Listen every week to solo and guest episodes where you’ll be listening in on inclusive grad school stories. You'll also learn more about grad school and academic success, career and professional development, personal development and mindset, productivity and time management, social justice and community building, wellbeing and mental health, money and financial literacy, first-gen student of color experiences, and more!  This podcast is a proud member of the Genuina Media network. Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts and share this resource with a friend.

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