Our Academic Story: Dr. Shandra and Dr. Dar
In this episode Dr. Shandra and Dr. Dar come together to share their personal journeys from challenging beginnings to academic and professional success. They reflect on overcoming adversity, building resilience, and the importance of seeking and accepting help along the way. Both hosts discuss their struggles with confidence, academics, and family circumstances, as well as pivotal moments—like advocating for themselves and appreciating the support of mentors—that helped them navigate from high school through college and beyond. Their candid conversation offers relatable stories, practical advice, and inspiration for students at any stage of their academic journey, especially those who identify as first-generation or face their own obstacles.
Key Takeaways:
1. Your Background Doesn't Limit Your Potential: Both Dr. Shandra and Dr. Dar faced significant personal and academic challenges, but by seeking support and staying persistent, they achieved their goals. Where you start does not determine where you finish.
2. Advocacy and Community Matter: Speaking up for yourself and building a supportive community are crucial in overcoming barriers. Dr. Shandra’s experience with Upward Bound and Dr. Dar’s mentors highlight how outside help can make a huge difference.
3. Set Your Own Standards: The hosts challenge listeners to define their own goals rather than accept other people's low expectations. Whether it’s aiming for straight A’s or imagining a bigger future, specificity and belief are vital steps toward success.
Check-out an earlier episode with Dr. Dar here:
https://www.academicsurvival.com/inclusive-leadership-for-students/
Check-out an earlier episode with Dr. Shandra here:
Walk to class with this podcast!
Academic Survival: The Podcast That Gets Freshman to Graduation
Shandra L McDonald
Podcaster | Public Servant | Student Success Strategist | Lifelong Learner | Determined
Shandra L. McDonald, DPA, is a student success strategist. She's an Upward Bound Alumni and a former Educational Opportunity Program student. She’s passionate about helping college freshman survive and thrive during their first year of college so that they can graduate within 5 years. She knows first-hand what it is like to struggle academically as a college freshman. Completely overwhelmed her first year of college, she often felt like giving up. She had a difficult time adjusting to the fast pace and the workload. She eventually developed strategies to improve her grades because she knew that a college education was her ticket to a better life. She’s on a mission to teach self-awareness and her SELF-Discipline System to college freshmen.
Dr. McDonald's strategy took her from clueless to Cum Laude. She's earned three college degrees (Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice, Master of Public Administration, and Doctor of Public Administration), entered Federal service under the Outstanding Scholars Program, served as an adjunct professor, and appears as a guest lecturer. She is the author of Academic Survival: Simple Strategies for Improving Your Grades, contributing author of the textbook Government at Work: Policy Making in the Twenty-First-Century Congress, and host of the Academic Survival Podcast.
Dar Mayweather, Ph.D.
Professional Speaker
As a professional speaker, Dar will teach you inclusive leadership strategies so that you can close the gap between your intention and action. His inclusive leadership activities will equip you with the tools to understand your leadership superpowers and how to use them across l identity to discuss critical conversations with peers, supervisors, and more!
