Blk + In Grad School

In the next episode of the FLOWERS mini-series, we give flowers to Isabel Wilkerson. Inspired by Ava DuVernay's latest film, "Origin," I discovered the compelling narrative of Wilkerson's life and work. Winner of the Pulitzer Prize and the National Humanities Medal, Wilkerson's storytelling prowess illuminates the human condition and our nation's history like no other. From past to present, Wilkerson's voice resonates, offering wis...

This episode is part one of a mini-series, FLOWERS: An Ode to Modern Black Scholars

Explore the captivating work of Professor Tressie McMillan Cottom, a renowned cultural critic, sociologist, and award-winning writer. Her insights challenge conventional wisdom and reshape our understanding of society. Allanté uncovers the breadth and depth of her intellectual contributions; from dissecting societal norms to redefining the discourse ...

BIG ANNOUNCEMENT BELOW!

This is a very special episode of the podcast, where Allanté is celebrating her 34th birthday and the first anniversary of defending her dissertation (aka her Doctorversary). She shares with you 34 reflections on the past year, both personal and professional, that have helped shape her into Dr. Whitmore.

Reflecting on the past year has been a great opportunity to recognize the progress she's made, the challeng...

In this week's episode, Maximizing Your Professional Network in Grad School, I share my insights and some tips on how to build meaningful professional relationships during your graduate school journey. You'll hear:

• Why professional relationships are important
• Where to go to meet your professional people (in person and virtually)
• How to follow up with them after the initial connection.

Resources Mentioned During The Episode:

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In this episode, hear from Angela Crumdy, Ph.D., a Provost Postdoctoral Fellow who is currently researching the social lives of Black women primary school teachers in Latin America and the United States. Angela is also the creator behind the Instagram page, Grad Girl Wellness. We discuss wellness barriers you may encounter on your grad school journey as well as the coping mechanisms and strategies you can employ to maintain your we...

Happy 2023! On this new episode listen to Allante's reflections on life in 2022 and life after grad school. Big thanks to Tyler The Creator for this week's musical inspiration--hear what song (is it really a song?) is selected for the Lesson From The Trap. If you are also in a reflective mood for the New Year, follow along and fill out these three questions on this journal page created for grad students.

Link: https://blkingradscho...

Happy [Early] Valentine's Day!

Blk + in Grad School is returning with the grad school love story. Meet Dr. & Dr. Grimes two love-birds who met in graduate school. In this week's episode, they share their paths to the doctorate degree and then to each other. It's a love story like no other as they managed to both finish and defend their dissertations, wed, and secure jobs (at the same university!) all in one year's span.

A testa...

Meet Latoya! She’s a mom, manuscript editor, and recently finished her MA in Humanities. In 2020, she retired from the military then started her graduate program. Juggling her own classes, homeschooling, and her business Latoya realized she needed more support to get to and through her grad school journey. She joined The Scholar Circle (TSC) in 2021 and in this episode she shares her experience inside our coworking community. Liste...

This episode gets straight to the point by digging deep into a problem we all face at one point or another in our grad school journey - writer’s block. It doesn’t matter if you love writing or hate it; writer’s block will come kicking in your door and live in your brain rent-free for as long as it wants.

Enter Dr. Lacy, founder of Qual Sisters. Qual Sisters is a writing and coaching platform developed to help you create and finish y...

In honor of Insecure's #SeasonByeve this week's rewind comes from the archives way back in 2018 when Blk + in Grad School collaborated with WokeSTEM for “Hella Intersections: The Digital Insecure Kickback”. This isn't your typical Insecure chat. It was a really dope, really big kickback talking about INSECURE...and not just the #basic stuff, but the intersectionality of the narratives that the show powerfully brings to life. No spo...

*IT'S A REWIND*

Meet Alana, a social worker that balanced her coursework and full-time work while in grad school with very intentional self-care. During a conversation inside Blk + in Grad School's private community, The Scholar Circle, Alana brought up the topic of rest and how it differs from restoration. In this week's episode, we dive into these two different types of self-care and practices you can implement in your self-care r...

This episode is formally called Emotional Rollercoaster because sometimes grad school can leave you feeling like a Mr. Krab’s meme.

In Allanté's journey, November definitely had some twists and turns, and with it came a range of emotions. In this episode, she shares an update about everything that has gone down, from a guilt-free personal trip to the internal struggle of combating negative self-talk. There were more than thug tears ...

"I know there's always rooting before blossoming." - Tracy G.

This affirmation is a whole word, which inspired this week's episode on setting your goals. If you're a scholar, rooting is the planning and blossoming is the goal achieved. That goal could be a paper, a research project, building your network, etc. Setting a goal in our heads may be as easy as writing that goal down however the process of actualizing the goal can b...

Moving to a new city can be hard, so is finding a place with all your personal comforts. Don’t worry though, Allanté’s got your back! Preparation is your friend so the first step is getting ahead of the curve and really understanding your needs and wants. Listen in this week for the 6 critical steps to success as you prepare to step forward into your new city. If you want advice and insight into finding a place (within...

If you’re used to using social media solely for your personal enjoyment with memes, quotes and the like, it’s a different ballgame when it comes to using it as a rising thought leader (that’s you!). This episode explores some of the ways you can navigate the Twitterverse, with some practical tips on handling clapbacks and finding your community. Listen in for advice to find your people--fellow grad students, faculty and researchers...

Issa Rewind! Enjoy a quick update from Allanté and a list of communities to support you along your journey.

Grad School doesn’t usually come with a course on how to navigate all the things that come along with it. These things are often described as the “hidden curriculum” — things you’re just expected to know or somehow learn on your own—or else. Sometimes these topics are addressed briefly during orie...