Persistence in Adversity with Dr. Adame

Dr. Maria Harper-Marinick, a Dominican Republic native, holds a Master and Ph.D. degrees in education from ASU. She has been a teacher and a mentor to many, is a national leader in higher education and a strong advocate for access to

opportunity, equity, and student success. In this episode she discusses her background, what drives her and provides life advice.

Dr. Harper-Marinick served the Maricopa Community College District for almost 30 years in a variety of leadership roles, including as Chancellor for the system. She is a Senior Fellow for the College Excellence Program and The Aspen Institute. She is very committed to service in the community and has actively engaged in national and local boards including American Association of Community Colleges, Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities, and many others. She currently serves on the Boards of Excelencia in Education, Creighton University, and numerous others. In addition, Dr. Harper-Marinick has been the recipient of various awards and recognitions, including: 2017 Valley Leadership Woman of the Year, and 2017 One of the Valley’s Most Admired Leaders, to name a few. Dr. Harper-Marinick was featured in Diverse: Issues in Higher Education magazine as one “25 women who have made a difference in the world by tackling some of higher education’s toughest challenges and exhibiting extraordinary leadership skills”.

Dr. Maria Harper-Marinick shares about her life of service, the discrimination she has faced and how she defines success. She mentions, "life is about choices and smiles are free!" She also provides a bit in Spanish, "es una sola vida, no la desperdicies, y tenemos que empoderar a nuestros jovenes latinos a desarollarse!

#REGARDLESS Series

Igdalia Covarrubias, grew up in a small agricultural town located in the San Joaquin Valley region of California and is now a PhD student at Ohio State University. In this episode, she shares her story of abuse and how she overcame adversity to pursue her dreams. From growing up in poverty to being awarded 11 scholarships in high school, including the prestigious Gates Millennium Scholarship and Dell Scholarship, Igdalia did not let her adversities stop her from "moving forward." Currently, she holds a Bachelor's degree in English, a Master's degree in Counseling, and very soon she will be Doctora Covarrubias. REGARDLESS of her adversities, Igdalia has used her painful circumstances to create a better future for herself. In this episode, she talks about how speaking up liberated her and helped her reach her full potential in life. She also provides advice about setting short-term goals and then reaching the long-term ones and says, "we must always live life to the fullest."

Alex Sarabia, Valedictorian of his Roma High School Class and a DELL Scholar, shares his story growing up in the Rio Grande Valley. He describes his childhood growing up in a border town and provides insight on the skills necessary to succeed. Alex has been a psychology professor for over 10 years and a licensed professional counselor (LPC) for over 8 years. He possesses two Bachelor’s Degrees in Psychology and Sociology, and a Master’s Degree in Clinical Psychology. Alex shares on the importance of soft skills, provides life advice, and why he chose to stay in the valley to pursue his career.

Alex Sarabia also serves as co-host of the YouTube show “RGV Stars,” where he has interviewed the top celebrities and community leaders of the Rio Grande Valley. Alex practiced individual, couples, group and family psychotherapy/counseling at Abundant Grace Counseling Center and at Renaissance Behavioral Hospital both in Edinburg, TX. Alex is a member of the American Psychological Association (APA), American Counseling Association (ACA), other associations, and has received numerous recognitions for his community involvement.

Dr. Robert Vela, President of San Antonio College and 2021 Aspen Institute Prize winner shares about his childhood growing up in Alice Texas and having his grandmother as a major influence in his life. Dr. Vela dives deep into his memories as a young boy, his adversities and struggles as he fails his first semester in college. He describes misconceptions and stereotypes of men and how that shaped the rest of his life. Dr. Vela encourages everyone to dream big, use the magic sauce to succeed, be genuine, and a role model to others. “My mission is to be an educator; you have something special in you, find a way to connect with someone that truly cares about you, and believe in yourself,” Dr. Vela.

Dr. Vela possesses over 20 years in higher education administration, he currently serves as President of the National Community College Hispanic Council, an affiliate council of the American Association of Community Colleges, where he also serves on the Commission for

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion and has many other organizational involvements. He holds many honors such as the 2019 Malcolm Baldrige Award for Performance Excellence, and 2015 Distinguished Alumni from Texas A&M University-Kingsville.

Dr. Ali Esmaeili, Dean of Mathematics, Science, IT, Bachelor Degree Programs, and University Relations talks about his struggles growing up, his adversities and how he overcame them. He shares life advice and the characteristics of a visionary leader. Dr. Esmaeili with 30 years of higher education experience describes his passion for the students he serves and how he sees himself in them.

Dr. Esmaeili has a Doctorate in Education, Master of Science, Master of Education and sits on the National Community College Baccalaureate Association (CCBA) Board. He was instrumental in the development, implementation, and evaluation of four unique bachelor’s degree programs at South Texas College and has many other accomplishments. An evident one that students remember is his love for his profession and the positive footprint he has left in each and every one he has crossed paths with.

Growing up in Puerto Rico to parents who never attended college, Dr. San Miguel didn’t have many role models. But her passion for science propelled her forward as she obtained a bachelor’s degree in Biology, a master’s degree in Biotechnology, and a doctorate in Higher Education Administration, all despite challenges, stereotypes, and skepticism.

In this episode, she shares her story of perseverance as she pursued her career. Her purpose in life is helping Latina leaders to discover, develop, and maximize their potential to achieve their goals. She also describes the importance of mentoring and taking small steps towards success and how her faith in God has helped her in her journey. Dr. San Miguel believes that everything is possible if you trust, believe, and take action. She encourages everyone to break barriers and not to give up!

Rosalinda Serna, author, discusses her adversities, her mom life, her journey as an author and how she overcame the loss of a child. She has self-published 3 children's books: Glorious Wings, Four Eyed Freddy and His Amazing Glasses, and Momma Who Made. Rosalinda is a wife, mother of 3 children and also a blogger at Traditional Mom in a Modern-Day World. Also, she talks about her upbringing, marrying at a young age, the adversity of loosing her first child, provides her insight on loss and the book readings she gives at churches.

An Asherton Texas native, Dr. Martinez has dedicated himself to education, and been a strong role model for Latinos in academia. When he was 14 his family joined the migrant farm worker stream, but his parents’ commitment to education paid off. He received a PhD from the University of Colorado at Boulder. Dr. Martinez shares about his childhood, his adversities, persistence and the importance of goal setting. He is a retired president of three community colleges in Chicago, San Diego, and Los Angeles. Dr. Ted Martinez, Jr. serves as Executive Director of the National Community College Latino Leadership Fellows Program. His commitment to excellence in education has been recognized by several honors including the 2016 Alfredo G. De Los Santos Jr. Distinguished Leadership in Higher Education Award.

Pat Bubb, a passionate educator, describes her early years in her career and all her efforts in grant writing to start the Tech Prep program. She led many initiatives and partnered with chambers of commerce and economic development agencies in numerous efforts to create better opportunities for Rio Grande Valley (RGV) students. For more than 30 years she directed RGV Lead, a Texas non-profit corporation, with purpose. Mrs. Bubb provides life advice and explains how her faith and a strong work ethic helped her succeed. She discusses some adversities and how she persisted in her journey. Mrs. Bubb also talks about the importance of having realistic expectations and the importance of being nice to oneself.

Julian Alvarez the III, Commissioner Representing Labor of the Texas Workforce Commission shares about growing up in the Rio Grande Valley, the adversities he faced and his definition for success. He also touches on his diverse experiences while working as the Texas Regional Director for U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchinson and as a State Trooper for the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS). Mr. Alvarez provides life advice and discusses on the importance of being an integral and visionary leader.