Ep. 116: Dr. Veronica Eyo on Having Three Children While Getting a Doctoral Degree & Working Full-Time
Ph.D. in Educational Leadership University of Southern CaliforniaDr. Veronica Eyo
It’s normal for many of us to choose to essentially put our lives on hold when we pursue a doctoral degree. The same cannot be said for Dr. Veronica Eyo, who had not one but three children while earning her Doctorate in Educational Leadership from the University of Southern California! In today’s episode, we speak with Dr. Eyo about deciding to continue pursuing her doctorate despite her first pregnancy, how things changed during COVID, and what helped her through it all. In our discussion, Dr. Eyo shares the challenges she faced and how her University lacked facilities, financial support, and adequate guidelines for student mothers and pregnant students. We dive into Dr. Eyo’s dissertation and discuss why she chose to focus on student mothers and why COVID made the process so much more challenging. She also shares a distressing anecdote about a committee member and offers some wise words of advice. Dr. Eyo shares how she had to advocate for herself and why she prioritized participating in the social life and campus community, even if it meant she had to use her breast pump while doing it! Later, we discuss why she chose to become a practicing therapist and social worker after her degree despite having intended to follow a more academic path. Tune in for an informative and honest discussion that will inspire anyone considering motherhood while pursuing their doctorate!
Connect with Dr. Veronica Eyo on LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter, or on her website.
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Key Points From This Episode:
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Dr. Eyo shares how she stumbled into her doctoral degree.
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How she ended up studying at the University of Southern California.
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What it was like falling pregnant and qualifying for her doctoral degree simultaneously.
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How Dr. Eyo’s friend and mentor, who is also a mother, was able to support her.
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Not feeling seen and the lack of support from her university during her pregnancy.
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An anecdote from a professor's incorrect assumptions about her work due to her pregnancy.
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How Dr. Eyo had to advocate for herself during her pregnancy and studies.
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Why, despite the obstacles, she prioritized socializing, networking, and fostering community.
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Why Dr. Eyo went back to school two weeks after the birth of her first child.
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Challenging why her university didn’t have guidelines around pregnancy for support and requirements.
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Her doctoral topic, which focused on student mothers and the support they need.
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How COVID affected her doctoral dissertation.
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How motherhood has changed for her, from having one child to having three children.
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Dr. Eyo talks about her work as a therapist and what she specializes in.
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Why she loves working with millennial moms of color like herself.
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The reasons that Dr. Eyo went back to practice social work, even though she had intended to follow a more academic path.
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Why trusting your instincts is critical when you have an unsupportive committee member.
Resources Mentioned:
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Hosted by Cohort Sistas founder Dr. Ijeoma Kola, The Cohort Sistas Podcast brings to life the stories, struggles, and successes of Black women with doctoral degrees and their lives beyond the degree. If you are a Black woman interested in joining the Cohort Sistas community, sign up to do so here, and if you are looking for more information on how to support or partner with Cohort Sistas, please visit our partnerships page. Find us on Twitter and Instagram, and don’t forget to follow The Cohort Sistas Podcast, rate the show, and leave us a quick review.
