The Writing on My Mind Podcast

In today's episode, I speak to Dr. Lynell S. Hodge about her experience pursuing her EdD. Dr. Hodge shares her expertise in trauma and how it relates to the doctoral process. We discuss everything from the importance of creating community, ways that women can support one another through their journey, and navigating Eurocentric academic spaces.

Lynell S. Hodge, Ed.D is a practitioner-scholar with decades of professional and research experience. Dr. Hodge currently serves as the Assistant Director of Occupancy Management for Housing and Residence Life at the University of Central Florida (UCF). Her expertise includes vicarious/secondary trauma, social justice, and women’s equity. She earned her Doctorate from the University of Central Florida in Higher Education and Policy Studies and Master’s from The Florida State University in Higher Education.

Follow Dr. Hodge on Instagram, Twitter, & LinkedIn. Visit her website.

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About the Writing on My Mind Podcast

Dr. Emmanuela Stanislaus, a certified career services provider, author and researcher, discusses the ups and downs of pursuing a graduate degree. Tune in as she shares personal stories and revealing conversations with other women of color who share their graduate school journey and provide inspiration for graduate students to level up.

Follow Dr. Emmanuela Stanislaus on Instagram and Twitter. Connect with Dr. Emmanuela Stanislaus on LinkedIn. Don't forget to rate and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

4 Ways to Support the Podcast:

• Rate
• Review
• Share the show with 2 women of color graduate students
• Share an episode on social media & tag me

It is so frustrating to feel stuck during the doctoral journey. In today's episode, Dr. Emmanuela Stanislaus discusses the importance of acknowledging what's standing in the way of your success during the doctorate journey. Find out the 6 things that may be keeping you stuck and how to claim your power over them.

Things Mentioned in this Episode:

The Big Leap by Gay Hendricks
Episode 8 with Dr. Ashley Adams
Episode 1 with Dr. Emmanuela Stanislaus

This episode is brought to you by 87Treasures. A lifestyle brand with products including T-shirts, sweaters, tote bags, and small canvas pouches each displaying various designs to help celebrate everyday life and milestones. Head over to  87treasures.com and use the special code WOMM to get 15% off.

Support the show

About the Writing on My Mind Podcast

Dr. Emmanuela Stanislaus, a certified career services provider, author and researcher, discusses the ups and downs of pursuing a graduate degree. Tune in as she shares personal stories and revealing conversations with other women of color who share their graduate school journey and provide inspiration for graduate students to level up.

Follow Dr. Emmanuela Stanislaus on Instagram and Twitter. Connect with Dr. Emmanuela Stanislaus on LinkedIn. Don't forget to rate and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

4 Ways to Support the Podcast:

• Rate
• Review
• Share the show with 2 women of color graduate students
• Share an episode on social media & tag me

In today's episode, I speak to Dr. Ashley Adams about her experience while pursuing her PhD. She discusses everything from isolation, mentorship, and managing your identity outside of your degree. We also talk about the importance of strategic career planning for doctoral students.

Ashley A. Adams, PhD is the senior director of student affairs at an R1 institution in the Northeast and an adjunct professor in the university's college of education. When she's not working with college students, she leads a different classroom as the founder of the podcast and lifestyle brand, Schoolin Life (schoolinlifepod.com) and CEO of Mentor Me (mentor-me.org), a career development platform for professional women. Through Mentor Me, she offers small group mentoring services to help high-achieving women advance their careers. With more than 10 years of professional experience in corporate, non-profit, and educational leadership, she uses mentoring to serve women and teach them how to leverage their leadership skills to thrive personally and professionally.

Follow Dr. Adams on Instagram, Twitter, & LinkedIn. Visit her website.

Support the show

About the Writing on My Mind Podcast

Dr. Emmanuela Stanislaus, a certified career services provider, author and researcher, discusses the ups and downs of pursuing a graduate degree. Tune in as she shares personal stories and revealing conversations with other women of color who share their graduate school journey and provide inspiration for graduate students to level up.

Follow Dr. Emmanuela Stanislaus on Instagram and Twitter. Connect with Dr. Emmanuela Stanislaus on LinkedIn. Don't forget to rate and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

4 Ways to Support the Podcast:

• Rate
• Review
• Share the show with 2 women of color graduate students
• Share an episode on social media & tag me

Everything around us seems to be in chaos so it is important to engage in self-care practices that go beyond self-care Sunday. Listen to my 9 self-care ideas to fill your cup and help with productivity.

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About the Writing on My Mind Podcast

Dr. Emmanuela Stanislaus, a certified career services provider, author and researcher, discusses the ups and downs of pursuing a graduate degree. Tune in as she shares personal stories and revealing conversations with other women of color who share their graduate school journey and provide inspiration for graduate students to level up.

Follow Dr. Emmanuela Stanislaus on Instagram and Twitter. Connect with Dr. Emmanuela Stanislaus on LinkedIn. Don't forget to rate and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

4 Ways to Support the Podcast:

• Rate
• Review
• Share the show with 2 women of color graduate students
• Share an episode on social media & tag me

In today's episode, I speak to Nicole Telfer about her experience everything with microaggressions while pursuing her PhD and talks about what inspired her latest book, A Black Woman's Guide to Earning a PhD.

Nicole A. Telfer is currently a third-year doctoral student in Applied Developmental Psychology at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC). She received her Bachelor of Science degree in Human Development and Family Studies from the Pennsylvania State University and her Master of Arts in Applied Developmental Psychology from UMBC. Nicole’s research focuses on the academic success and achievement of Black children, adolescents, and young adults, as well as the influence of socio-cultural (e.g., neighborhood quality) and systematic (e.g., racial discrimination) factors on Black individual’s outcomes. Her research also examines the retention of women of color in STEM undergraduate programs. Furthermore, Nicole’s research is critically guided by the theory of intersectionality, such that there is a focus on multiply marginalized social identities and the role of power, privilege, and oppression. Aside from academia, Nicole is a mentor to Black girls in elementary to high school, the founding President of the Black Graduate Student Association at UMBC, and the author of the book, “A Black Women’s Guide to Earning a Ph.D.” Nicole’s commitment to serving the Black community is very well influenced by the meaning of her name, “Victory of the People” and by the scripture, 1 Peter 4:10: Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others.

Follow Nicole on Instagram & Twitter. Visit her website. Buy her book, "A Black Woman's Guide to Earning a PhD: Surviving the First 2 Years"

Support the show

About the Writing on My Mind Podcast

Dr. Emmanuela Stanislaus, a certified career services provider, author and researcher, discusses the ups and downs of pursuing a graduate degree. Tune in as she shares personal stories and revealing conversations with other women of color who share their graduate school journey and provide inspiration for graduate students to level up.

Follow Dr. Emmanuela Stanislaus on Instagram and Twitter. Connect with Dr. Emmanuela Stanislaus on LinkedIn. Don't forget to rate and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

4 Ways to Support the Podcast:

• Rate
• Review
• Share the show with 2 women of color graduate students
• Share an episode on social media & tag me

It's vision board season and today, Dr. Emmanuela Stanislaus discusses:

• benefits of vision boards and how they can help you during the doctorate journey and beyond,
• steps to creating a vision board,
• ways to make your vision boards successful, &
• what's on her vision board.

Get your free copy of my digital vision board template by clicking here.

Article Referenced

Burton, L., & Lent, J. (2016). The use of vision boards as a therapeutic intervention. Journal of Creativity in Mental Health, 11(1), 52-65.

Support the show

About the Writing on My Mind Podcast

Dr. Emmanuela Stanislaus, a certified career services provider, author and researcher, discusses the ups and downs of pursuing a graduate degree. Tune in as she shares personal stories and revealing conversations with other women of color who share their graduate school journey and provide inspiration for graduate students to level up.

Follow Dr. Emmanuela Stanislaus on Instagram and Twitter. Connect with Dr. Emmanuela Stanislaus on LinkedIn. Don't forget to rate and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

4 Ways to Support the Podcast:

• Rate
• Review
• Share the show with 2 women of color graduate students
• Share an episode on social media & tag me

In today's episode, Dr. Emmanuela Stanislaus discusses the importance of celebrating your wins during the doctorate journey. Listen in to see how this practice can help you.


This episode is brought to you by 87Treasures. A lifestyle brand with products including T-shirts, sweaters, tote bags and small canvas pouches each displaying various designs to help celebrate everyday life and milestones. Head over to  87treasures.com and use special code WOMM to get 15% off.

Article Referenced

Moore, M. R. (2017). Women of Color in the Academy: Navigating multiple intersections and multiple hierarchies. Social Problems, 64(2), 200-205.

Support the show

About the Writing on My Mind Podcast

Dr. Emmanuela Stanislaus, a certified career services provider, author and researcher, discusses the ups and downs of pursuing a graduate degree. Tune in as she shares personal stories and revealing conversations with other women of color who share their graduate school journey and provide inspiration for graduate students to level up.

Follow Dr. Emmanuela Stanislaus on Instagram and Twitter. Connect with Dr. Emmanuela Stanislaus on LinkedIn. Don't forget to rate and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

4 Ways to Support the Podcast:

• Rate
• Review
• Share the show with 2 women of color graduate students
• Share an episode on social media & tag me

In today's episode, I speak to Dr. Kristal McGreggor about everything from the power of networking and the importance of support systems and safe spaces.

Born and raised on the beautiful island of Jamaica, Dr. Kristal McGreggor immigrated to the United States when she was 16 years old. Dr. McGreggor received her Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing and Master’s degree in Sport Administration from Hampton University. She recently graduated from the University of Michigan, School of Kinesiology with her Ph.D. in Sport Management. She holds a certificate in African American and Diasporic Studies from the Department of African American Studies and a certificate in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion from Rackham Graduate College. During her time at Michigan, she served as the HBCU Alliance Liaison within the School of Kinesiology, where she actively supported the department’s diversity initiatives.

Follow Dr. McGreggor on Instagram, Facebook & LinkedIn

Support the show

About the Writing on My Mind Podcast

Dr. Emmanuela Stanislaus, a certified career services provider, author and researcher, discusses the ups and downs of pursuing a graduate degree. Tune in as she shares personal stories and revealing conversations with other women of color who share their graduate school journey and provide inspiration for graduate students to level up.

Follow Dr. Emmanuela Stanislaus on Instagram and Twitter. Connect with Dr. Emmanuela Stanislaus on LinkedIn. Don't forget to rate and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

4 Ways to Support the Podcast:

• Rate
• Review
• Share the show with 2 women of color graduate students
• Share an episode on social media & tag me

In today's episode, I speak to Dr. Ayana Martin about everything from advocating for yourself, using mental health counseling to get unstuck, and dealing with imposter syndrome.

Ayana Martin, PhD completed her degree in Molecular Medicine and Translational Science at Wake Forest University. While in grad school, Ayana served as the President of the Black Graduate Student Association, the graduate representative of the Student Wellness Center, and led membership recruitment for the Winston Salem Urban League Young Professionals. Ayana went on to pursue a career in scientific communication and is currently a Clinical Educator Liaison in Rheumatology at Bristol Myers Squibb. In her spare time, Ayana enjoys being a dog mom and “the cool aunt”, sewing, and even started a garden during the pandemic.

Follow Dr. Martin on Instagram. Check out her blog at www.insertverbhere.com.

Support the show

About the Writing on My Mind Podcast

Dr. Emmanuela Stanislaus, a certified career services provider, author and researcher, discusses the ups and downs of pursuing a graduate degree. Tune in as she shares personal stories and revealing conversations with other women of color who share their graduate school journey and provide inspiration for graduate students to level up.

Follow Dr. Emmanuela Stanislaus on Instagram and Twitter. Connect with Dr. Emmanuela Stanislaus on LinkedIn. Don't forget to rate and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

4 Ways to Support the Podcast:

• Rate
• Review
• Share the show with 2 women of color graduate students
• Share an episode on social media & tag me

Welcome to the very first episode of the Writing on My Mind Podcast. In this episode, your host, Dr. Emmanuela Stanislaus shares her vision for the podcast as well as a little about herself.

Support the show

About the Writing on My Mind Podcast

Dr. Emmanuela Stanislaus, a certified career services provider, author and researcher, discusses the ups and downs of pursuing a graduate degree. Tune in as she shares personal stories and revealing conversations with other women of color who share their graduate school journey and provide inspiration for graduate students to level up.

Follow Dr. Emmanuela Stanislaus on Instagram and Twitter. Connect with Dr. Emmanuela Stanislaus on LinkedIn. Don't forget to rate and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

4 Ways to Support the Podcast:

• Rate
• Review
• Share the show with 2 women of color graduate students
• Share an episode on social media & tag me