April 29, 2025 • 21 mins
From struggling with self-doubt to graduating with a Master of Public Health, Tanya shares her transformative journey through graduate education and the lessons learned along the way.
• Starting grad school wasn't a glamorous decision but stemmed from feeling called to make a bigger impact in maternal health
• Pivoting from a failed nursing career to public health created unexpected opportunities for growth and impact
• Finding supportive community at the University of South Carolina's Arnold School of Public Health transformed the educational experience
• Balancing full-time work, nonprofit leadership, and graduate studies required prioritization and workplace flexibility
• Major life lessons include: starting before you're ready, valuing progress over perfection, nurturing community, celebrating milestones, and embracing your unique path
• Your journey is valid even when it doesn't resemble anyone else's path
If you've been waiting for a sign to start your own journey, this is it. What dream are you ready to move toward? Let me know by sending a DM or message on Instagram @TeawithTanyaPodcast. Don't forget to subscribe to the weekly Tea Talk newsletter and rate the show on Apple or Spotify.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to Tea with Tanya.
I'm your host, tanya Ambrose,an average millennial navigating
life as a maternal healthprofessional, non-profit founder
and grad student.
Join me in the tea tasting roomwhere we spill the tea on
finding balance and promotingpositive living while doing it
all.
(00:20):
Hey friend, welcome back toanother episode of Tea with
Tanya.
Thank you for joining me herein the Tea Tasting Room for yet
another week of spilling moretea.
Spilling more tea.
I hope you have done somethingfor yourself, something
meaningful.
I don't care how big or smallit is.
(00:41):
I hope you've done somethingfor yourself.
That could have been drinkingmore water this week, that could
be going for whatever it is.
You know how we do here in theTea Tasting Room Take care of
yourself above anything else,okay, so I hope you've done
something meaningful foryourself.
Me, on the other hand, your girlhas been knee deep in, you know
, the final stretch of gradschool.
(01:02):
Like right now, I'm basicallyin the anchor aspect of things.
I'm like, literally, I'm aboutto be Usain Bolt.
You know when Johan Blakepassed that baton to Usain Bolt?
I think it was the 2012 SummerOlympics.
Listen, I know I like to talkabout sports, but the point is
I'm in the home stretch and bythe time you hear this episode,
essentially I will be inliterally the last week of grad
school.
This episode is on a Tuesday,and next day I have a final exam
(01:26):
, like my final exam ever ofgrad school, and then, on a
Thursday, I will have my finalpresentation of grad school.
And let me tell you, my friend,I don't know, I don't know how
to feel, like I've said thisbefore in a previous episode,
but I really don't know how tofeel.
It is, it is surreal, it'semotional, it's also deeply
rewarding and you know, I don'tknow, it's just bittersweet.
(01:48):
But I will be taking you alongwith me.
You know, along the journey,how I got here, what I learned
along the way and, mostimportantly, why.
I believe you can start yourown journey too, no matter where
you are right now.
All right, so grab your tea oryour drink of choice and let's
get into it.
Okay, we're going to talk abouttrusting the journey, starting
scared and celebrating everystep along the way.
(02:10):
Now, my friend, if you came intothis tea tasting, if you would
have told me a few years agothat I would be sitting here
hosting a podcast, running anonprofit working in maternal
and reproductive health and nowgraduating with my master's of
public health.
Listen, I am not sure I wouldhave believed you, to be honest,
(02:33):
because when I first startedthis grad school journey, you
know it wasn't necessarily aglamorous decision per se.
It wasn't the Instagram perfect.
You know I have it all figuredout moment.
Because, let me be honest withyou, when I graduated with my
bachelor's in public health fromthe Georgia State University
shout out to my Panthers when Igraduated that you know I
started my Instagram live Teawith Tanya live, and you know I
(02:54):
was doing, I guess, speakingengagements, so just having a
new guest online every week.
But I would have graduated inthe heart, literally the heart
of the pandemic, back in 2020.
And I didn't know what thatjourney would look like Because,
for me again, I was stillchasing that nursing degree.
I wanted to be a midwife, Iwanted to be a nurse
practitioner.
I even applied to go to PAschool as well.
(03:15):
That's how uncertain I was asit relates to what would be my
next step, because for somereason, I still wanted to be a
nurse practitioner.
But, of course, if you, ifyou've been around here in the
podcast, you've known, you willknow why I'm not even a nurse or
a nurse in school.
If you knew here, I would havefailed out of nursing school
many years ago by 0.5 points andthat essentially allowed me, or
(03:37):
made me pivot, to where I amnow, as it relates to not only
having a degree in public healthbut also about to graduate with
my master's in public health,but just working in public
health altogether from thewomen's reproductive, women's
health aspect of things.
But, to be honest, I metdifferent people on social media
.
Like I often say, social mediais the good, the bad and the
ugly, and I've been fortunateenough to meet a lot of my peers
(04:00):
in public health and they wereon Instagram.
They either were undergradswhere they graduated, or they
were, you know, getting theirMPH and these different things.
And for me, I often know that Iwanted to be something important
as far as, like you know whatis going to be a nurse, a doctor
, a physician assistant.
I wanted to work in healthcare,no matter what, and I always
had the ambition.
But sometimes, again, you knowwhen you feel it and you get to
(04:22):
a particular point in your life,you're like you know what?
You're getting too old, whatare you going to do.
So it wasn't necessarily alwayslike a glamorous decision, like
I knew I wanted to do it in theback of my mind, but at the
same time there was still somedoubt.
It was more like a I feel, or Ifelt called to do more.
You know, I know there, bitscared, I'm willing to try.
(04:45):
So it was more like I feelcalled to do more.
I know there's more impact Ican make and even though I'm
scared, I'm willing to try.
That's literally how my brainprocess this whole situation as
it relates to going to gradschool.
And, to be honest, my friend,that's what got me here, talking
to you now, in this presentweek of grad school Not
(05:06):
perfection, not certainty, justa willingness to say yes to the
next step or to the next rightstep.
And that's not always easy, butyou definitely have to listen
to your mind, listen to yourheart and see if that's
something that you truly want.
And for me, that's what it was.
I wasn't chasing perfection.
There was a point in time whereI was, but I just wanted to say
(05:27):
yes to the right step, the nextright step, and, to be honest,
I think I made a great.
It was a wise choice for me toeven attend or even apply to the
University of South Carolina.
I will say again I must sayI've never said this before
Before I applied to my MPHprogram, at one point in time I
actually applied to the nursingprogram because they had like an
(05:50):
MSN entry program where if youhad a bachelor's degree, it
doesn't matter what it was in,you know, once you have your
classes up to date as it relatesto your science subject you
know anatomy, physiology,microbiology Once you had all of
that, you'll be able to go inget your master's of science in
nursing.
But of course you would havetaken the core classes like
someone would take in their BSNprogram bachelor's of science in
(06:10):
nursing.
And I did that and they had meon the wait list.
I'm like okay, now what?
Maybe I'm doing somethingslightly right because I'm on
the wait list.
You know what?
I know the pool can be a bittough.
But again it was thatwillingness to make the right
step, because I know in the backof my mind that I no longer
wanted to be a nurse, because Iknow I can make impact outside
of the clinical setting.
(06:30):
So what I did was let me seewhat I can do, let's pay it
again and I started at theUniversity of South Carolina in
the maternal and child healthcertificate program.
So, before I even got to my MPH, I said you know what, let's
see, I've been out of schoolbecause I started in 2023, I
think it was so at this point Iwould have been almost three
years out of school, out of mybachelor's of science you know,
(06:51):
undergrad, right and theworkforce trying to figure out
what is life going to be like,and I would have lost my job
back in November of 2021, Ithink it is, you know.
And then I got this job rightnow here in South Carolina, in
February of 2022.
But I decided my plan was okay,I want to take the next right
(07:12):
step.
I work in maternal health, andso be it.
The University of SouthCarolina, the Honor School of
Public Health they had amaternal and child health
certificate program.
I said, okay, let me get intothis because this is a passion
of mine.
So let me start, let me get myfoot wet, essentially, and let
me apply to this program.
I did.
I had all the interviews withthe heads of department Like
(07:33):
that was my first interview everas it related to anything
school wise and I remember oneof the person who was
interviewing me coincidentallythey were over the data
management as it relates to thejob that I have my day job Right
and I remember her asking meyou me, how are you going to
balance your school and you havea nonprofit and you're working
full-time and how are you goingto manage this?
And I just remember saying toher I said you know what, let me
(07:55):
tell you this, and this may notbe exactly word for word, but
you'll get the theme of it.
I said, when it comes to myschoolwork, I do not play.
Nothing comes before me and myschoolwork.
And that's the mindset that Ihad then and it's still the
mindset that I have now.
So you know, I was able toreassure her.
She's like, yeah, I understand,but X, y, z, I said no, at the
(08:16):
end of the day, again, I knowwhat I am set out to do.
So nothing is going to come inbetween me and my schoolwork.
And you know, after thatinterview got accepted, got
offered a scholarship andeverything, and that was my
first step per se back inacademia, as it relates to that,
but also at the master's level.
And you know, I did a semesterof, you know, one semester I
(08:41):
took one class because they'relike you know what, we want you
to easier way into the school sothat you can be successful.
So let's start with one class.
And I did that and I think thefirst class was something to do
with rural health butnevertheless, you know.
So after I did that you know Idid the first semester I was
like, okay, you know what I gotthe hang of it.
Now.
You know my writing is up there.
You know it's doing its thing.
You know I'm making all newfriends and everything.
And I said you know what, whydon't in public health?
(09:03):
And I did, and I got in intothe program.
My concentration is healthservices policy management and I
just never looked back.
I just never turned back aftergetting that acceptance letter
into the MPH program.
So I'm doing a maternal andchildhood certificate along with
an MPH program master's inpublic health as well.
(09:24):
And I will say the University ofSouth Carolina has been such a
pivotal part of my story.
You know it wasn't just aboutgetting a degree.
It was about building community, gaining clarity and growing as
a leader, you know, as a leader, a public health professional,
and, of course, as a woman aswell as a Black woman living in
America.
The professors, theopportunities, the challenges,
(09:47):
they all stretched me, stretchedme thin honey.
Okay, they pushed me out of mycomfort zone and it also helped
me to step fully into my purposeand I cannot speak highly
enough of this institution.
When I think about it I getemotional because one I didn't
know what to expect, but thefirst time that community it
(10:08):
just really and truly just feltlike home.
You know, I was able to deepenmy focus on maternal and child
health with a certificateprogram and then I was able to
apply by learning directlythrough Scrub, life Cares and my
work in the community as well.
You know, I met mentors who sawme not just for what I could
produce but for the vision Icarried for the world.
Like I have a mentor that Ireally hope that we're able to
(10:31):
connect even outside of school,and I think we were because we
have you know what I mean, butshe has a wealth of knowledge.
I got to give a shout out to DrDeborah Billings.
She is just amazing and whenthey paired her, paired me with
her, so she can be my mentor.
You know, I remember one of theprogram directors was like you
know what she intentionallyplaced me under.
You know Dr Billings, because,again, she knew my passion for
(10:53):
maternal reproductive health.
And Dr Billings is a stalwartLike she, is a genius, a
powerhouse when it comes tomaternal and child health.
So, again, you know, I was ableto just meet, have a mentor,
essentially that just saw me,for me, the community within the
program at the Honor School ofPublic Health.
(11:16):
It's just, I don't know.
It makes me speechless becauseI just cannot believe that a
college campus can be thissupportive and, mind you, I've
had that in my undergrad as well.
So I have honestly beenfortunate to attend two
institutions that really caredabout me.
You know what I mean.
But the thing that I love aboutthe University of South
Carolina, you know, it's reallyand truly transformed me into
who I am right now, into metalking to you here in the tea
tasting room.
It's not just about finishing,it's just really about becoming,
(11:39):
and that's exactly whathappened for me.
Right, grad school didn't justgive me a degree or is about to
give me a degree.
It gave me evidence that I canstart something hard and finish
stronger than I imagine.
I'm going to say this again, myfriend, because I feel it in my
(11:59):
chest.
Okay, grad school didn't justgive me a degree.
It gave me the evidence that Ican start something hard and
finish stronger than I imagine.
And let me tell you thecommunity, the camaraderie like
my classmates, whether we areonline or in person, you know
the relationships that I've beenable to develop.
(12:20):
You know the belief that myschool essentially having me for
giving me opportunities,whether it's speaking
opportunities, an opportunity toshowcase my nonprofit, or even
my podcast, because I've had thepodcast shared in classes on
Blackboard, because teachers andprofessors essentially believed
in me and what I was doing, onebecause I was showing up
consistently as well here in thetea tasting room.
(12:42):
So again, my consistency is notgoing in vain, because again
you're listening and then peopleare also seeing.
But I really, you know it's just, it just brings joy to my heart
and it's why it's sobittersweet knowing that I'm
going to be graduating in a weekor so.
Because what?
What am I going to do afterthat?
Because most of my life hasbeen grad school the last two
and a half years or so.
You know what I mean.
(13:02):
But I will say there are a fewlessons that I want to leave
with you, because they're notjust about lessons for grad
school, they're, honestly,lessons for life.
If I'm being honest with you,my friend, and that is you know,
(13:24):
start before you're ready.
You will never, ever feel 100%ready to take a big leap, but
just start anyway.
Start anyway.
Clarity is going to comethrough action.
I will tell you that.
Just start anyway, becauseyou're going to get that clarity
through your action.
And then just remember and thiswas a big one for me as well
progress matters more thanperfection.
There were semesters where I wastired, let me tell you, because
, again, I'm working full timeon my day job, I'm going to
(13:46):
class after school, I have apodcast that I'm growing, my
nonprofit that is growing Someof these.
There were projects that justhonestly stretched me beyond
what I thought I could do.
And you know what?
I didn't need to be perfect, Ineeded to keep going.
Honestly, that's the messagethat came to me.
(14:07):
There were times where I had toput something on the back
burner in order for me to reallylock in and focus, because,
again, I have to make sure thatI'm performing at my day job,
because, you know, I'm veryblessed and fortunate to be able
to be in school without itbeing an issue Like my MPH
program is online, but there isthe MCH program.
(14:28):
One of the each core classes hasto be in person.
So I was like you know what I'mgoing to be private.
I don't want nobody in mybusiness, especially when it
comes to my job or whatever.
But I'm like girl, first of all, the person who's over the data
when it comes to epidemiology.
She is part of the program.
So how are you going to hideRight?
Then two I was like you know, Ineeded to have the permission to
essentially be in class forthese three hours when it's
(14:50):
during the workday, you know.
So I'm like, okay, I'm going totake an extended lunch, I'm
going to have my lunch and thenI'm going to just use my PTO for
the 15, I think, 12 to 15 weeksof the semester that I had,
because, again, I wasn'texpecting that my job would be
that flexible to give me thetime.
But you know what I did I wentdirectly to my program manager
and, before I knew it, she hadme in the director's office.
I'm coming to you.
Why are you sending mesomewhere else?
(15:11):
You know what I mean.
But I'm very fortunate that theyhave given me the flexibility
and the space for me to attendmy class during the day, the one
class that will be during theworkday.
When that semester came around,the other two has been outside
the workday.
But I've just been very blessedto have my day job be
understanding and flexible toallow me to go to my one
(15:32):
in-person class throughout thetwo years that I've been in grad
school.
You know what I mean.
So I really have to just givethem that credit because, again,
not many would do that.
I've had them question me ohwhy are you taking full class?
That's too much.
Because I have a goal, ma'am.
Though nothing is too much forme, I have a goal when it comes
to my education.
Nothing is too much.
But I also understood theirconcern.
But, nah, I don't need it, I'mgood.
(16:00):
You know what I mean.
So definitely you know progressmatters more than perfection
and I just kept going.
One of the biggest lessons thatI'm taking with me even more is
community is everything, whetherit was classmates, professors,
mentors or even friends.
I leaned on community.
Good happens in relationships,not isolation, and I've had to
learn that the hard way,especially on this grad school
journey.
Sometimes you may end up losingrelationships because again,
(16:21):
not intentionally For me, Ithink, I you know some, some
relationships have not been thesame, because I've just been
really locked in, especiallythis last year as it relates to
grad school, because I have myeye on a prize, I have a goal
that I'm trying to achieve and Ican't afford anybody, nobody,
can stop this journey.
You check, nobody's going tostop that journey.
So I definitely, you know, hadto lean on community, and the
(16:50):
community itself within theHonor School is why it's so hard
for me to even think aboutwalking across that stage and
graduating and no longer be astudent there.
But of course, I'll be involvedin some other way, shape or
form.
But definitely, community iseverything and you definitely
want to celebrate yourmilestones, my friend.
I had to learn this lesson thehard way too, because I'm so
(17:11):
used to going, going, going,what's next, what's next, what's
next.
And he's like, no, you can't dothat.
Every paper, every presentation, every tough day you get
through, celebrate it, becauseevery small win is evidence that
you are building somethingbigger.
And that is really true.
Take it from me, okay, and alesson one of the biggest
lessons, my friend, that I hadto learn was your path is yours.
(17:34):
I wonder why.
I think I learned this lessonas well, because it took me back
to when I failed out of nursingschool and then I saw all my
other peers, you know,succeeding and they went on to
nursing school and some of themare even NPs now and you know
they're working in that fieldand they're doing what they have
to do, they're making an impactin that way, and I was like,
(17:55):
well, you know, that could havereally been me.
You know I've turned, I've beenblessed enough to turn my
stumbling blocks into steppingstones.
But there was a point in timewhen I would compare myself,
like comparison will try tocreep in, especially in grad
school too, or when you'rebuilding anything new.
So I had to realize, you knowwhat my journey, my path is my
path.
We're not going to have thesame path.
(18:19):
You listening, my friend, wemay cross each other's path, but
we're not going to ever jointhat same path, essentially
because your path is yours andmy path is mine.
So you know, when comparisontry to creep in, especially when
you know when you're startingsomething new or you're building
something new, stay rooted inyour why.
Why?
Because your journey is valid,even if it doesn't look like
anyone else's.
So stay rooted in your why.
(18:41):
And there's been times, let metell you, your friend, honey, I
doubt myself, I cry or I startsecond guessing, or you know, me
and my therapist, we're workingthrough so many different
things because, again, sometimesthat composing can creep in.
But I'm out of space now.
I'm like you know what girl,you are where you're supposed to
be and you're doing what you'resupposed to do.
This is not to say that everyday I have that same mentality,
but at some point in time I goback to it Because, again, I
(19:03):
have to stay rooted in my why.
So every time I may venture offand I feel comparison creeping
in, I was like nope, nope,that's not why we're here, this
is why we're doing something,because what?
My journey, your journey, isvalid, even if it doesn't look
like anyone else's.
All right, well, my friend, I'mnot going to keep it here too
long because, like I say, youknow, a girl got to make sure
(19:23):
everything is set for this weekas it relates to the semester.
But if there's one thing I hopeyou take away from today's
episode is this you are allowedto start right now with what you
have, even if you're scared,even if you don't know exactly
(19:43):
how it's going to unfold.
Maybe for you it's going to beit's a grad school, it could be
starting a nonprofit, it couldbe maybe launching that business
, maybe it's applying for thejob you feel unqualified for.
Whatever it is, trust thatnudge.
So just trust the nudge, okay,honor the call and know that the
journey itself will shape youin ways you can't even imagine
(20:06):
yet.
And when you look back yearsfrom now, my friend, you will
realize you were buildingsomething beautiful the whole
time.
And that's how I feel andthat's what I want you to take
away from this episode.
So you know what You're goingto start before you're ready.
Remember that progress mattersmore than perfection.
Community is everything.
Celebrate your milestones andremember that your path is your
(20:29):
path.
And one thing I want you totake away you are allowed to
start.
Remember that again Right now,with what you have, even if
you're scared, even if you don'tknow exactly how it's going to
unfold.
Just start, my friend, that'sall.
Just start, just start, that'sit.
And that's all I got for youtoday in the Tea Tasting Room.
Thank you for letting me share alittle piece of my heart today.
(20:51):
You know I am still soaking inthe moment.
I'm still reflecting on all thesteps that led me here, and
again it's bittersweet, but I amgrateful, you know, if you've
been waiting for a sign to startyour own journey, whatever it
is, well, friend, this is itokay, because celebrate where
you are, trust where you'regoing and never underestimate
(21:11):
the power of small beginnings.
That's all I got you know.
Let's think about it.
What's the dream you're readyto start moving toward?
Let me know.
Send me a DM, send me a message, let me know, cause, again, I'm
going to be always rooting foryou, always.
So what's the dream you'reready to start moving towards?
Let me know.
Thank you for joining me foranother episode of Tea with
(21:34):
Tanya.
If you liked this episode, besure to share it with a friend.
Don't forget to follow onInstagram at Tea with Tanya
Podcast.
Be sure to subscribe to theweekly Tea Talk newsletter and,
of course, rate on Apple orSpotify and subscribe wherever
you listen.
See you next time.
I love you for listening.
Welcome to Tea with Tanya.
I'm your host, tanya Ambrose,an average millennial navigating
life as a maternal healthprofessional, non-profit founder
and grad student.
Join me in the tea tasting roomwhere we spill the tea on
finding balance and promotingpositive living while doing it
all.
(00:20):
Hey friend, welcome back toanother episode of Tea with
Tanya.
Thank you for joining me herein the Tea Tasting Room for yet
another week of spilling moretea.
Spilling more tea.
I hope you have done somethingfor yourself, something
meaningful.
I don't care how big or smallit is.
(00:41):
I hope you've done somethingfor yourself.
That could have been drinkingmore water this week, that could
be going for whatever it is.
You know how we do here in theTea Tasting Room Take care of
yourself above anything else,okay, so I hope you've done
something meaningful foryourself.
Me, on the other hand, your girlhas been knee deep in, you know
, the final stretch of gradschool.
(01:02):
Like right now, I'm basicallyin the anchor aspect of things.
I'm like, literally, I'm aboutto be Usain Bolt.
You know when Johan Blakepassed that baton to Usain Bolt?
I think it was the 2012 SummerOlympics.
Listen, I know I like to talkabout sports, but the point is
I'm in the home stretch and bythe time you hear this episode,
essentially I will be inliterally the last week of grad
school.
This episode is on a Tuesday,and next day I have a final exam
(01:26):
, like my final exam ever ofgrad school, and then, on a
Thursday, I will have my finalpresentation of grad school.
And let me tell you, my friend,I don't know, I don't know how
to feel, like I've said thisbefore in a previous episode,
but I really don't know how tofeel.
It is, it is surreal, it'semotional, it's also deeply
rewarding and you know, I don'tknow, it's just bittersweet.
(01:48):
But I will be taking you alongwith me.
You know, along the journey,how I got here, what I learned
along the way and, mostimportantly, why.
I believe you can start yourown journey too, no matter where
you are right now.
All right, so grab your tea oryour drink of choice and let's
get into it.
Okay, we're going to talk abouttrusting the journey, starting
scared and celebrating everystep along the way.
(02:10):
Now, my friend, if you came intothis tea tasting, if you would
have told me a few years agothat I would be sitting here
hosting a podcast, running anonprofit working in maternal
and reproductive health and nowgraduating with my master's of
public health.
Listen, I am not sure I wouldhave believed you, to be honest,
(02:33):
because when I first startedthis grad school journey, you
know it wasn't necessarily aglamorous decision per se.
It wasn't the Instagram perfect.
You know I have it all figuredout moment.
Because, let me be honest withyou, when I graduated with my
bachelor's in public health fromthe Georgia State University
shout out to my Panthers when Igraduated that you know I
started my Instagram live Teawith Tanya live, and you know I
(02:54):
was doing, I guess, speakingengagements, so just having a
new guest online every week.
But I would have graduated inthe heart, literally the heart
of the pandemic, back in 2020.
And I didn't know what thatjourney would look like Because,
for me again, I was stillchasing that nursing degree.
I wanted to be a midwife, Iwanted to be a nurse
practitioner.
I even applied to go to PAschool as well.
(03:15):
That's how uncertain I was asit relates to what would be my
next step, because for somereason, I still wanted to be a
nurse practitioner.
But, of course, if you, ifyou've been around here in the
podcast, you've known, you willknow why I'm not even a nurse or
a nurse in school.
If you knew here, I would havefailed out of nursing school
many years ago by 0.5 points andthat essentially allowed me, or
(03:37):
made me pivot, to where I amnow, as it relates to not only
having a degree in public healthbut also about to graduate with
my master's in public health,but just working in public
health altogether from thewomen's reproductive, women's
health aspect of things.
But, to be honest, I metdifferent people on social media
.
Like I often say, social mediais the good, the bad and the
ugly, and I've been fortunateenough to meet a lot of my peers
(04:00):
in public health and they wereon Instagram.
They either were undergradswhere they graduated, or they
were, you know, getting theirMPH and these different things.
And for me, I often know that Iwanted to be something important
as far as, like you know whatis going to be a nurse, a doctor
, a physician assistant.
I wanted to work in healthcare,no matter what, and I always
had the ambition.
But sometimes, again, you knowwhen you feel it and you get to
(04:22):
a particular point in your life,you're like you know what?
You're getting too old, whatare you going to do.
So it wasn't necessarily alwayslike a glamorous decision, like
I knew I wanted to do it in theback of my mind, but at the
same time there was still somedoubt.
It was more like a I feel, or Ifelt called to do more.
You know, I know there, bitscared, I'm willing to try.
(04:45):
So it was more like I feelcalled to do more.
I know there's more impact Ican make and even though I'm
scared, I'm willing to try.
That's literally how my brainprocess this whole situation as
it relates to going to gradschool.
And, to be honest, my friend,that's what got me here, talking
to you now, in this presentweek of grad school Not
(05:06):
perfection, not certainty, justa willingness to say yes to the
next step or to the next rightstep.
And that's not always easy, butyou definitely have to listen
to your mind, listen to yourheart and see if that's
something that you truly want.
And for me, that's what it was.
I wasn't chasing perfection.
There was a point in time whereI was, but I just wanted to say
(05:27):
yes to the right step, the nextright step, and, to be honest,
I think I made a great.
It was a wise choice for me toeven attend or even apply to the
University of South Carolina.
I will say again I must sayI've never said this before
Before I applied to my MPHprogram, at one point in time I
actually applied to the nursingprogram because they had like an
(05:50):
MSN entry program where if youhad a bachelor's degree, it
doesn't matter what it was in,you know, once you have your
classes up to date as it relatesto your science subject you
know anatomy, physiology,microbiology Once you had all of
that, you'll be able to go inget your master's of science in
nursing.
But of course you would havetaken the core classes like
someone would take in their BSNprogram bachelor's of science in
(06:10):
nursing.
And I did that and they had meon the wait list.
I'm like okay, now what?
Maybe I'm doing somethingslightly right because I'm on
the wait list.
You know what?
I know the pool can be a bittough.
But again it was thatwillingness to make the right
step, because I know in the backof my mind that I no longer
wanted to be a nurse, because Iknow I can make impact outside
of the clinical setting.
(06:30):
So what I did was let me seewhat I can do, let's pay it
again and I started at theUniversity of South Carolina in
the maternal and child healthcertificate program.
So, before I even got to my MPH, I said you know what, let's
see, I've been out of schoolbecause I started in 2023, I
think it was so at this point Iwould have been almost three
years out of school, out of mybachelor's of science you know,
(06:51):
undergrad, right and theworkforce trying to figure out
what is life going to be like,and I would have lost my job
back in November of 2021, Ithink it is, you know.
And then I got this job rightnow here in South Carolina, in
February of 2022.
But I decided my plan was okay,I want to take the next right
(07:12):
step.
I work in maternal health, andso be it.
The University of SouthCarolina, the Honor School of
Public Health they had amaternal and child health
certificate program.
I said, okay, let me get intothis because this is a passion
of mine.
So let me start, let me get myfoot wet, essentially, and let
me apply to this program.
I did.
I had all the interviews withthe heads of department Like
(07:33):
that was my first interview everas it related to anything
school wise and I remember oneof the person who was
interviewing me coincidentallythey were over the data
management as it relates to thejob that I have my day job Right
and I remember her asking meyou me, how are you going to
balance your school and you havea nonprofit and you're working
full-time and how are you goingto manage this?
And I just remember saying toher I said you know what, let me
(07:55):
tell you this, and this may notbe exactly word for word, but
you'll get the theme of it.
I said, when it comes to myschoolwork, I do not play.
Nothing comes before me and myschoolwork.
And that's the mindset that Ihad then and it's still the
mindset that I have now.
So you know, I was able toreassure her.
She's like, yeah, I understand,but X, y, z, I said no, at the
(08:16):
end of the day, again, I knowwhat I am set out to do.
So nothing is going to come inbetween me and my schoolwork.
And you know, after thatinterview got accepted, got
offered a scholarship andeverything, and that was my
first step per se back inacademia, as it relates to that,
but also at the master's level.
And you know, I did a semesterof, you know, one semester I
(08:41):
took one class because they'relike you know what, we want you
to easier way into the school sothat you can be successful.
So let's start with one class.
And I did that and I think thefirst class was something to do
with rural health butnevertheless, you know.
So after I did that you know Idid the first semester I was
like, okay, you know what I gotthe hang of it.
Now.
You know my writing is up there.
You know it's doing its thing.
You know I'm making all newfriends and everything.
And I said you know what, whydon't in public health?
(09:03):
And I did, and I got in intothe program.
My concentration is healthservices policy management and I
just never looked back.
I just never turned back aftergetting that acceptance letter
into the MPH program.
So I'm doing a maternal andchildhood certificate along with
an MPH program master's inpublic health as well.
(09:24):
And I will say the University ofSouth Carolina has been such a
pivotal part of my story.
You know it wasn't just aboutgetting a degree.
It was about building community, gaining clarity and growing as
a leader, you know, as a leader, a public health professional,
and, of course, as a woman aswell as a Black woman living in
America.
The professors, theopportunities, the challenges,
(09:47):
they all stretched me, stretchedme thin honey.
Okay, they pushed me out of mycomfort zone and it also helped
me to step fully into my purposeand I cannot speak highly
enough of this institution.
When I think about it I getemotional because one I didn't
know what to expect, but thefirst time that community it
(10:08):
just really and truly just feltlike home.
You know, I was able to deepenmy focus on maternal and child
health with a certificateprogram and then I was able to
apply by learning directlythrough Scrub, life Cares and my
work in the community as well.
You know, I met mentors who sawme not just for what I could
produce but for the vision Icarried for the world.
Like I have a mentor that Ireally hope that we're able to
(10:31):
connect even outside of school,and I think we were because we
have you know what I mean, butshe has a wealth of knowledge.
I got to give a shout out to DrDeborah Billings.
She is just amazing and whenthey paired her, paired me with
her, so she can be my mentor.
You know, I remember one of theprogram directors was like you
know what she intentionallyplaced me under.
You know Dr Billings, because,again, she knew my passion for
(10:53):
maternal reproductive health.
And Dr Billings is a stalwartLike she, is a genius, a
powerhouse when it comes tomaternal and child health.
So, again, you know, I was ableto just meet, have a mentor,
essentially that just saw me,for me, the community within the
program at the Honor School ofPublic Health.
(11:16):
It's just, I don't know.
It makes me speechless becauseI just cannot believe that a
college campus can be thissupportive and, mind you, I've
had that in my undergrad as well.
So I have honestly beenfortunate to attend two
institutions that really caredabout me.
You know what I mean.
But the thing that I love aboutthe University of South
Carolina, you know, it's reallyand truly transformed me into
who I am right now, into metalking to you here in the tea
tasting room.
It's not just about finishing,it's just really about becoming,
(11:39):
and that's exactly whathappened for me.
Right, grad school didn't justgive me a degree or is about to
give me a degree.
It gave me evidence that I canstart something hard and finish
stronger than I imagine.
I'm going to say this again, myfriend, because I feel it in my
(11:59):
chest.
Okay, grad school didn't justgive me a degree.
It gave me the evidence that Ican start something hard and
finish stronger than I imagine.
And let me tell you thecommunity, the camaraderie like
my classmates, whether we areonline or in person, you know
the relationships that I've beenable to develop.
(12:20):
You know the belief that myschool essentially having me for
giving me opportunities,whether it's speaking
opportunities, an opportunity toshowcase my nonprofit, or even
my podcast, because I've had thepodcast shared in classes on
Blackboard, because teachers andprofessors essentially believed
in me and what I was doing, onebecause I was showing up
consistently as well here in thetea tasting room.
(12:42):
So again, my consistency is notgoing in vain, because again
you're listening and then peopleare also seeing.
But I really, you know it's just, it just brings joy to my heart
and it's why it's sobittersweet knowing that I'm
going to be graduating in a weekor so.
Because what?
What am I going to do afterthat?
Because most of my life hasbeen grad school the last two
and a half years or so.
You know what I mean.
(13:02):
But I will say there are a fewlessons that I want to leave
with you, because they're notjust about lessons for grad
school, they're, honestly,lessons for life.
If I'm being honest with you,my friend, and that is you know,
(13:24):
start before you're ready.
You will never, ever feel 100%ready to take a big leap, but
just start anyway.
Start anyway.
Clarity is going to comethrough action.
I will tell you that.
Just start anyway, becauseyou're going to get that clarity
through your action.
And then just remember and thiswas a big one for me as well
progress matters more thanperfection.
There were semesters where I wastired, let me tell you, because
, again, I'm working full timeon my day job, I'm going to
(13:46):
class after school, I have apodcast that I'm growing, my
nonprofit that is growing Someof these.
There were projects that justhonestly stretched me beyond
what I thought I could do.
And you know what?
I didn't need to be perfect, Ineeded to keep going.
Honestly, that's the messagethat came to me.
(14:07):
There were times where I had toput something on the back
burner in order for me to reallylock in and focus, because,
again, I have to make sure thatI'm performing at my day job,
because, you know, I'm veryblessed and fortunate to be able
to be in school without itbeing an issue Like my MPH
program is online, but there isthe MCH program.
(14:28):
One of the each core classes hasto be in person.
So I was like you know what I'mgoing to be private.
I don't want nobody in mybusiness, especially when it
comes to my job or whatever.
But I'm like girl, first of all, the person who's over the data
when it comes to epidemiology.
She is part of the program.
So how are you going to hideRight?
Then two I was like you know, Ineeded to have the permission to
essentially be in class forthese three hours when it's
(14:50):
during the workday, you know.
So I'm like, okay, I'm going totake an extended lunch, I'm
going to have my lunch and thenI'm going to just use my PTO for
the 15, I think, 12 to 15 weeksof the semester that I had,
because, again, I wasn'texpecting that my job would be
that flexible to give me thetime.
But you know what I did I wentdirectly to my program manager
and, before I knew it, she hadme in the director's office.
I'm coming to you.
Why are you sending mesomewhere else?
(15:11):
You know what I mean.
But I'm very fortunate that theyhave given me the flexibility
and the space for me to attendmy class during the day, the one
class that will be during theworkday.
When that semester came around,the other two has been outside
the workday.
But I've just been very blessedto have my day job be
understanding and flexible toallow me to go to my one
(15:32):
in-person class throughout thetwo years that I've been in grad
school.
You know what I mean.
So I really have to just givethem that credit because, again,
not many would do that.
I've had them question me ohwhy are you taking full class?
That's too much.
Because I have a goal, ma'am.
Though nothing is too much forme, I have a goal when it comes
to my education.
Nothing is too much.
But I also understood theirconcern.
But, nah, I don't need it, I'mgood.
(16:00):
You know what I mean.
So definitely you know progressmatters more than perfection
and I just kept going.
One of the biggest lessons thatI'm taking with me even more is
community is everything, whetherit was classmates, professors,
mentors or even friends.
I leaned on community.
Good happens in relationships,not isolation, and I've had to
learn that the hard way,especially on this grad school
journey.
Sometimes you may end up losingrelationships because again,
(16:21):
not intentionally For me, Ithink, I you know some, some
relationships have not been thesame, because I've just been
really locked in, especiallythis last year as it relates to
grad school, because I have myeye on a prize, I have a goal
that I'm trying to achieve and Ican't afford anybody, nobody,
can stop this journey.
You check, nobody's going tostop that journey.
So I definitely, you know, hadto lean on community, and the
(16:50):
community itself within theHonor School is why it's so hard
for me to even think aboutwalking across that stage and
graduating and no longer be astudent there.
But of course, I'll be involvedin some other way, shape or
form.
But definitely, community iseverything and you definitely
want to celebrate yourmilestones, my friend.
I had to learn this lesson thehard way too, because I'm so
(17:11):
used to going, going, going,what's next, what's next, what's
next.
And he's like, no, you can't dothat.
Every paper, every presentation, every tough day you get
through, celebrate it, becauseevery small win is evidence that
you are building somethingbigger.
And that is really true.
Take it from me, okay, and alesson one of the biggest
lessons, my friend, that I hadto learn was your path is yours.
(17:34):
I wonder why.
I think I learned this lessonas well, because it took me back
to when I failed out of nursingschool and then I saw all my
other peers, you know,succeeding and they went on to
nursing school and some of themare even NPs now and you know
they're working in that fieldand they're doing what they have
to do, they're making an impactin that way, and I was like,
(17:55):
well, you know, that could havereally been me.
You know I've turned, I've beenblessed enough to turn my
stumbling blocks into steppingstones.
But there was a point in timewhen I would compare myself,
like comparison will try tocreep in, especially in grad
school too, or when you'rebuilding anything new.
So I had to realize, you knowwhat my journey, my path is my
path.
We're not going to have thesame path.
(18:19):
You listening, my friend, wemay cross each other's path, but
we're not going to ever jointhat same path, essentially
because your path is yours andmy path is mine.
So you know, when comparisontry to creep in, especially when
you know when you're startingsomething new or you're building
something new, stay rooted inyour why.
Why?
Because your journey is valid,even if it doesn't look like
anyone else's.
So stay rooted in your why.
(18:41):
And there's been times, let metell you, your friend, honey, I
doubt myself, I cry or I startsecond guessing, or you know, me
and my therapist, we're workingthrough so many different
things because, again, sometimesthat composing can creep in.
But I'm out of space now.
I'm like you know what girl,you are where you're supposed to
be and you're doing what you'resupposed to do.
This is not to say that everyday I have that same mentality,
but at some point in time I goback to it Because, again, I
(19:03):
have to stay rooted in my why.
So every time I may venture offand I feel comparison creeping
in, I was like nope, nope,that's not why we're here, this
is why we're doing something,because what?
My journey, your journey, isvalid, even if it doesn't look
like anyone else's.
All right, well, my friend, I'mnot going to keep it here too
long because, like I say, youknow, a girl got to make sure
(19:23):
everything is set for this weekas it relates to the semester.
But if there's one thing I hopeyou take away from today's
episode is this you are allowedto start right now with what you
have, even if you're scared,even if you don't know exactly
(19:43):
how it's going to unfold.
Maybe for you it's going to beit's a grad school, it could be
starting a nonprofit, it couldbe maybe launching that business
, maybe it's applying for thejob you feel unqualified for.
Whatever it is, trust thatnudge.
So just trust the nudge, okay,honor the call and know that the
journey itself will shape youin ways you can't even imagine
(20:06):
yet.
And when you look back yearsfrom now, my friend, you will
realize you were buildingsomething beautiful the whole
time.
And that's how I feel andthat's what I want you to take
away from this episode.
So you know what You're goingto start before you're ready.
Remember that progress mattersmore than perfection.
Community is everything.
Celebrate your milestones andremember that your path is your
(20:29):
path.
And one thing I want you totake away you are allowed to
start.
Remember that again Right now,with what you have, even if
you're scared, even if you don'tknow exactly how it's going to
unfold.
Just start, my friend, that'sall.
Just start, just start, that'sit.
And that's all I got for youtoday in the Tea Tasting Room.
Thank you for letting me share alittle piece of my heart today.
(20:51):
You know I am still soaking inthe moment.
I'm still reflecting on all thesteps that led me here, and
again it's bittersweet, but I amgrateful, you know, if you've
been waiting for a sign to startyour own journey, whatever it
is, well, friend, this is itokay, because celebrate where
you are, trust where you'regoing and never underestimate
(21:11):
the power of small beginnings.
That's all I got you know.
Let's think about it.
What's the dream you're readyto start moving toward?
Let me know.
Send me a DM, send me a message, let me know, cause, again, I'm
going to be always rooting foryou, always.
So what's the dream you'reready to start moving towards?
Let me know.
Thank you for joining me foranother episode of Tea with
(21:34):
Tanya.
If you liked this episode, besure to share it with a friend.
Don't forget to follow onInstagram at Tea with Tanya
Podcast.
Be sure to subscribe to theweekly Tea Talk newsletter and,
of course, rate on Apple orSpotify and subscribe wherever
you listen.
See you next time.
I love you for listening.
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