In this episode, Dr. Jones speaks with Robert Valdez (Assistant Director for Conference and Events) about careers in student affairs, the power of storytelling, and chasing the dream through education. This episode was part of Careers in Student Affairs Month (October) and Celebration of First-Gen Week (Nov. 9-13).<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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[0:00:09 Speaker 0] welcome to live leadership, innovation, ventures and entrepreneurship. Ah, podcast that showcases the talents, skills and abilities of U T faculty, staff and students. I’m your host. Brandon Jones, associate director for student learning and development in housing and dining, and we’re excited to have you listening to us. You welcome everybody to the Careers and Student Affairs Month episode of Live Leadership, Innovation Ventures and Entrepreneurship. Podcast. I’m your host. Brandon Jones, associate director for a student learning and development in university housing and dining at the University of Texas at Austin. And today we have a very, very special guest, none other than Robert Valdez, who serves as the assistant director for conferences and events services, also in housing and dining. He’s my colleague, and I’m really looking forward. Toa having Robert tell us a little bit about himself and just talked to everyone about what he does and his pathway to his current vocation and also the doctoral journey that he’s on a swell. So, Robert, how you doing today? Doing<\/p>\n
[0:01:20 Speaker 1] great, doing great, excited to be here and to talk to you and to kind of share my story and learn more about this whole process so thanks for having me.<\/p>\n
[0:01:27 Speaker 0] Yeah. No, No problem at all. Very glad that we got a chance. Toe not only work together these past couple of years, but I’m also really glad that we’re gonna have you on the show today. So first thing, Robert, tell us a little bit about yourself. Let the audience know who you are and you know, then we can dive in the how you got to where you are today.<\/p>\n
[0:01:47 Speaker 1] Yeah. So little about me. I’ve been at UT Austin for 10 years now. I just celebrated my 10 year anniversary this past September, and my journey goes back to San Antonio, where I grew up. All of my family have been social workers and educators, and that’s where kind of the dream began. My grandmother was a migrant worker. She settled in San Antonio with her family and became a housekeeper for a private university on. That’s where the dream began for a higher education degree for her Children. And I got passed down to her grandchildren. Eso as you could see, it was pretty much embedded to me from day one as to where I was going to college versus if I was going to college, I went to U T. Austin of Proud Longhorn. I graduated in 09 with a bachelor’s in social work. Um, didn’t know what I really wanted to do, but knew I wanted to help people. I wanted to make a difference, and I found that the college demographic was my way to go. I always had a passion for business, so my goal was to get an MBA. And right after my undergrad, I went right into my business administration degree in accounting and finance, and I kept on working at UT Austin, moving up through the ranks, working with Texas Global and as well as with university housing and dining aan den. Currently right now working on my PhD and higher education leadership, my dream still stands to make greater change and to help the college demographic feel mawr inclusive and to bring diversity to this very much unique demographic of the college life.<\/p>\n
[0:03:10 Speaker 0] Wow, Robert, that’s a That’s a very powerful story, just just going back to what you were saying about your grandmother on just developing that, uh, instilling that drive to not only work hard but also go into education and do something with it. I think that there’s another connection. Not only is this the careers and student affairs a month, but November is the celebration for first Gen college students, and so we’re essentially building a bridge connecting the dots here at the end of the month going into the next one. But can you go back for just a second and kind of talk to us a little bit? Mawr about what that meant for you. Thio understand your family story being first generation, but then also learning about your grandmother serving as a housekeeper for for basically in higher education. And then all these years later, her grandson eyes working in higher education in housing but also in a definitely in in a high capacity. Can you talk a little bit about that for us?<\/p>\n
[0:04:10 Speaker 1] Yeah, for sure. So growing up it was always a part of sharing stories. So part of like, the Latino community, storytelling is huge and so growing up. My grandmother, my grandfather, passed away very young when my mother was 17, so I never got to meet my grandfather. So my grandmother was the matriarch and kind of leading the family and instilling great wisdom through her stories. Um, she always told us, like, never get never forget where you came from and always keep driving for the best and keep going for what you want to be like. Don’t let anyone stop you because she didn’t. She didn’t let anything get in her way. Uh, so I kind of use that, Like to instill myself to kind of grow my confidence and kind of figure out myself and through my identities and kind of figure out what do I fit? What do I want to do? And who am I? As a person? I was the oldest male, so me and her became very close very quickly. She told me I looked a lot like my grandfather. So we automatically have this quick connection where she always told me she was like, I don’t have favorites, but she does. But when I look at you, I see your daddy. I see your grandfather on DSO. She always shared a lot of great things and stories of like how he waas and how he had so much confidence in the same demeanor as myself. So it gave me a lot of boosting confidence growing up to achieve what I wanted to dio. I remember being, uh, in middle school and I would go visit. My mom worked across the street and that’s where the university Waas are living the university and I would see my grandmother in the hallways and there was just so much respect given to her of just pride Joy on guy. See that still today, like when I walk around UT campus like I give so much respect to everyone, no matter what level they are, because everybody has a duty and a job to serve and to make this university great and inclusive in all angles. So my grandmother very much instilled that to me, and she passed away when it was my senior year. She had a massive stroke, and I remember she was a strong woman alive. And I remember the last point of where I had to say my goodbyes. We had to do it solo one by one in the I C. U. So I walked up to her bed crying, but I didn’t know how to say goodbye or what to do next. So I just started saying goodbye. I was wearing my class ring, and she only had mobility in that hand. And as I was saying goodbye, I started noticing she was twisting my ring. So then I broke down some more, and then I made a promise to her that I would achieve the highest education that I could in my life, and it was gonna be honored her into carry on her legacy. And that’s kind of where it all kind of fell into my life of, like, really chasing this dream of education. All of her grandchildren. I have all received a bachelor’s of some sort. My sister was the first to receive her doctorate, and my cousin just this past week graduated with his doctorate. So I will be the third in line for the family to achieve to achieve a doctorate. Um, it all became the dream of heard on that piece of never forgetting where you came from, but also to better the community and keep pushing forward, especially the Latino vote, the Latino’s voice that needs to be out there to make greater change for this community, especially at this time. Uh, yeah,<\/p>\n
[0:06:53 Speaker 0] it’s kind of the<\/p>\n
[0:06:53 Speaker 1] story on that piece.<\/p>\n
[0:06:55 Speaker 0] No, thank you for sharing that, Robert, and I really appreciate you, you know, sharing that story of how much your grandmother really meant to you and your family. But also seeing the fruits of her labor come to fruition all these years later through her grandchildren. And I know that that that’s definitely something that’s a point of pride for you and your family. And so I really appreciate you sharing that. You said something else in there about fit. And that’s something that, you know when we, a lot of a lot of the people that listen to this podcast are your students, but also faculty and staff all over the country, not just here at UT. Can you talk a little bit about the importance of finding your fit first as a student because you did go to the University of Texas, but also as a professional? Can you talk a little bit about what that looks like and why that’s important to find your fit?<\/p>\n
[0:07:43 Speaker 1] Yeah, I think it’s important first, to also find that self confidence and self awareness first in the person. So before I came to U T. Austin, I really dived into my identities. I knew that I was a gay Latino male. Um, coming to U T Austin. But how is this thick? And I was also gonna fit into my life. How is being a student getting fit in my life? Was I gonna live a double life and not being out? And how do I kind of portrayal that stuff? So I had a lot of different factors coming to me and trying to figure out who I waas. When I chose you. T and I chose an institution. I really I did do a tour. I was coming for a to her and it was something to be recognized for. Some scholarship that was gonna be getting and just to kind of show off the university and pretty much to recruit me into ut Austin. When I was sold, I saw how it was so liberal, so giving so inclusive. I saw people on campus who looked like me on. That’s where I felt like was the biggest piece of like I wasn’t gonna I wasn’t sure which institution I was going to attend, but once I stepped on to U T Austin within 10 minutes, I knew this was the place. Um, it felt very warm. It felt very welcoming it. I saw people that looked like me, even professionals. I was seeing people walking around and you could see people in suits and ties and just different stuff. And they were brown people just like me. And I was like, Okay, I see people myself and people who can actually push me to the next level. I wanted to see people who are going to be willing to give me that mentorship and move me up in the ranks as well with them to kind of inspire and create new items and ways to create greater change. So that was the greatest fit for me and I coming to U T. Austin. I took a lot of amazing classes with a lot of diverse faculty. Andi. I knew that this was the greatest toys for me, a za profession, to the reason why I stayed with U. T. Austin is because it’s just there is such a warm feeling about family network. No matter what our backgrounds are, No matter what we do, we all take care of each other. Um, it’s a giving, nurturing place and ethically, I feel very much tied to university. Like within my PhD class. There was, ah, ethics course that we took and they said half of the class after this, uh, have the class will literally leave their current institutions because they’re going to see the ethically, morally, do not line up with the values or they don’t agree with university. But they’re just doing a job that they’re told to dio. I was very proud that when I went through that course, that being a longhorn and just being a part of UT Austin, they really do care about my leadership. They care about my identities, they care about where I’m going, and they also care about me as a human being with all the resources that were given to me. I’m very blessed, very lucky tohave ut Austin a za place to call home and really it is my home, and that’s why I’ve been here for so long. And that’s why these 10 years have completely flown by Andi. Think within that, too. I’m still finding myself like the journey hasn’t ended up finding who I am, what I am, especially through this doctoral program and I love having conversations like this with other colleagues that really inspired kind of pick up my brains of like, what else can I learned about myself? What else am I learning about other people? Is my story out there that might affect another student or another faculty or staff member to say, Hey, we’re on the same road together like Thank you for sharing that. And here’s my journey. And thank you for letting me be seen or be one with you. So I think there’s a lot of ways of trying to find that fit, Um, and trying to find what is called home. And but it takes a while and it takes time. It takes self awareness and self confidence to really start developing and open your eyes to what is out there.<\/p>\n
[0:10:54 Speaker 0] Yeah, thank you for sharing that. You know, I often tell people, you know, some of my friends who see my posts on social media and see some of the things that we’re able to do together, and we’ll talk about that in just a minute. Some of the projects that we’ve been collaborating on recently and people are like y’all just look genuinely happy and I tell people I’m like, That’s not fake as everybody Every time you see me in a photo with somebody from work, I genuinely like these people because we’re genuinely having a good time or were genuinely happy in that moment, even though you don’t have any idea what it took to get to that point. But I legitimately feel like you t is a family. And and I I never could have gone to a school this big and undergrad. But UT was always a place that I wanted to be in the things that you’re saying, just continue toe resonate with you know why I’m here and why I’m like you very tied to the university in more ways than one. And so what I’d like for you to share a little bit more about, since it is Careers and Student Affairs Month how did you land in student affairs, Robert? Out of everything you could be doing, you gotta social work degree. You’ve got business background, which I’ve seen come toe light in more ways than one in several meetings on your working on a doctorate out of everything that you could be doing. What led you down the pathway to student affairs.<\/p>\n
[0:12:16 Speaker 1] Great question. And I think the response is always the same, like just kind of fell into my lap. Eso being a like growing up in a family with social workers and educators. Um, it was always nurtured in me to kind of find a way to give back always to do it. But I didn’t know Andi. I remember one time in social work. It was one of my classes. I think it was like one of the intros, and they were just like, Who’s the demographic you’re wanting to serve? Find that, And through my journey and undergrad, that’s really was the peace. And I did a mentorship unturned ship program with a low income first generation students and trying to get in college based and get him into college. That’s what really inspired me. Seeing the smiles, the laughter, the joy, the parents being like, That’s me. That’s first Gen. And I can lay down the road. I can lay down a road map for students into this pathway and don’t know what to do or are nervous and just being like, Hey, it’s okay. There’s people like me and you that I did it. You can do it on do it in your own way. One of the biggest things to that one of my mentors. During that internship, she gave me the best question of my life and she was like, How do you define happiness and success? And it really challenged me because there were students who were getting accepted into Harvard to Stanford on also to the local community college here in Austin. And I was at that point in my life I was so driven to saying, Go for, start like, go for Harvard, go for Stanford, do it like they full scholarship, don’t turn it down. But then I really my boss is like, step back And she was like, Look at what their happiness is looking your definition, happiness. And I really had to step back and seeing those kids choosing the community college and their life being said. And they were. They had the smile, ear to ear that meant so much to me, have seen where I need to let others first defined what they want and their definition of happiness and success versus me, defining it for them so that shifted my whole world already right there, seeing what college was about to be about. I was became our resident assistant, and that’s what really took off of seeing leadership and how I can do a lot of stuff with business crisis management event event planning, which would lead right into this part of my life. But that’s how it really all began. I was also working for Texas Global, and I got to study abroad three times while I was through my journey of like education. So that was another opportunity that really opened my eyes of like It’s very broad. It’s very out there and what can I do? Thio brought in my life and kind of bring that in. So<\/p>\n
[0:14:30 Speaker 0] and you tell the people, Can you Sorry about that. Can you tell the people what Texas global is for those that don’t know what Texas Global is the Texas<\/p>\n
[0:14:38 Speaker 1] Globalstar International office, so they serve students who study abroad. They do exchange programs to bring international students to U T Austin. On day went through, they were just always known as the international office, but they went through a rebranding of now called Texas Global. This past year.<\/p>\n
[0:14:51 Speaker 0] Sorry about that. I have to define that crowd there<\/p>\n
[0:14:55 Speaker 1] for sure. And so, yeah, that’s really how my journey began. Of kind of moving in the room. So once I graduated my undergrad, I was studying abroad. I’ve gone to London the year before and May Master. Then the next year I went to Ghana. I write up the day after the graduation. I spoke a graduation, and the next day I was on a flight up to Ghana for 18 hours. Um and when I came back, I literally had told myself, Don’t apply for jobs, go to Ghana for the month and kind of figure out your journey. I had been accepted into the MBA program in San Antonio, so I was like, Do I want to be in Austin? Do I want to go back to San Antonio or what do I dio? But I was like, Just focus on finding yourself in Africa and trying to figure out what next steps will come. So as soon as I got back, I applied. I got I start my MBA program, and, uh, the International Office of Texas Global reached out to me, saying, Hey, we have a full time position. Would you like to come work for us? And that literally. I applied that Friday. Um, they gave me the job right there one hour after that, and I literally I moved that weekend, started Monday morning at the international office. And that’s where my journey education And it kind of just that becoming I got my MBA. I needed that credential to become a hall director or like a complex coordinator at UT Austin. I stepped right into that role. I loved housing. I just loved the dynamics on dso. Ever since then, I kind of moved up. And the funny part is, uh, I do love to event when and I love the programming. So this was always a piece of my life When I was looking into the PhD program, our previous executive director, Dr Helena Jaberi, we both had a lunch, but with two different intentions. So my intention was to kind of learn more about the PhD program at Colorado State that I’m currently in and that she graduated was the first graduated program and she had the intention of getting me to apply for the conference manager job and I had. So that’s how this kind of fell into my lap. So literally I was like, Okay, this job looks cool. It sounds great. And she was like, make it your own. She was like, I’m gonna give you the autonomy to create and make this program what you wanted to be. She’s like, Robert, you’re the person for this. So I applied, got the job and literally, it’s been evolving over the past six years of me being in this role and kind of creating a team and dynamic and what it is, especially through covert right now, it’s just been a very unique time to do a lot of unique stuff and working with Dr Jones and his team to put on a major programs and shifting my view. So my job was always the host of the event to kind of helping people, just making sure that they have a spot where they plan everything. But this year has really shifted my world of me being an event planner in having fun and executing a fun student experience in a safe experience during a pandemic. So that’s a very cool, unique ship in my world that I never thought what happened. And I love it because I do love to them program, but also to see those students so excited, um, to get some kind of colleges like experience. And I think that’s what I love my job. It’s so versatile. It’s fun. I get to change that, um, and make it what it is.<\/p>\n
[0:17:45 Speaker 0] E No, that’s That’s great. That’s great. And I think that that’s the thing that I’ve always enjoyed about working with you these last couple of years and even right now is I see. I see the things that bring life to you, you know, watching you during conference season during the summer, the energy you put into your conference and event staff making sure that people have the best experience possible. I love. I’ve always enjoyed watching you think far ahead, because I am not. I’m good at idea hating, as you’re well aware of, but you are very good at executing and following through on the delivery bles and you’re always thinking about Okay, what can I do? Even in the moment you’re constantly thinking about what can I do to make the experience better? So talk a little bit about, You know, when you look at event planning and programming during ah pandemic, Um, talk to the folks out there about what that has looked like and what’s gone into making the decisions about what things that we are doing and some of the things that were like, We’re not there yet, But we’re still gonna push it because a lot of folks in higher ed are scaling back. And here we are, still trying to push forward. Talk to me about what goes through your mind when I come to you with an idea like what we did with 40 acres fair or like what you came up with Fiesta at the Tower. Talk to everybody about that<\/p>\n
[0:19:07 Speaker 1] eso during the pandemic like there’s so much fear. There’s so much worrying. And there there is so much items to be scared about in this pandemic and how to do it safe and how to do stuff and also to not to do it right. There is the pressure of doing everything right and part of creating a cluster or making it become all eyes on that department. So I think the event programming that was the biggest piece of where? UT Austin. I think it’s our leadership like you, Dr Jones, and I appreciate this is where your drive and push it like Let’s do this. Let’s try it. Let’s just see what works like we have to be the trendsetters on. I love that because that’s what gives me the confidence of like, Okay, you got my back, I got yours. Let’s try this out. Let’s e think that’s what really stepped us into the event. Programming was kind of being the guinea pigs and kind of being like, Okay, let’s let’s do this first for campus because nobody’s going to do it if we’re not going to do this way, have the resource is we can do it right? Let’s do it on. Let’s make the student experience become reality, which everybody’s been talking about, but everything is virtual, but let’s do it in person. So yes to the tower, like it was just again. You throw it out a topic of like, Hey, let’s do something And I was like, Let’s let’s do this, Let’s do it outside. Let’s do a movie night. Every action, I think, for mine was safety was number one always that that goes back to my summer conferences. So my summer conferences was in motor ready of like, How do I keep it safe? How do I keep it fun? And how do I keep it educational? Those were the three big component, and that’s what we talked about at our first meeting for these events. And sure enough, that’s how I took off. And I think we’re doing a great thing. I’m talking to other higher education professionals across the nation, and they’re talking about like how they’re not programming yet in person, that there’s a lot of fear. There’s a lot of stigma, but by posting on Facebook and see what we’re doing, it’s literally launching people into, like if they could do it, we can do it and literally list and recommendations and questions of like what people should be thinking about before in between on after the event, just to make sure that it’s safe and also to make sure, like, is this the right way to do this event? Should we keep it in person? Shouldn’t be hybrid or should be our virtual, and it really start thinking that mindset of like this is a very scary time for many. But are we going to run from it or we’re gonna try to shift it and make our world into what we can try to make it safe and still fun for the students. We’ve hosted many big events, and I feel like we’re going bigger and bigger each time. So if yes, if Tower was pride for about 100 students, um, the last 1 to 40 acres fair was a 509 this long corn harvest that we’re throwing in two weeks. So I can imagine it’s gonna be minimum 607 100 students. That will be by the biggest pieces of what people have to just remember is like Okay, so what is the safety? Peace. And so we’ve been doing everything safety of out outdoors. But this is where you’re starting into that mindset of like, what’s next? So we’ve done these outdoor events, we’re gonna be hosting stuff with Texas Global indoors and voices and just how do we keep it personal? And I think that’s what we’re kind of missing. Two is like we’re having all these funny beds. People are grabbing and going and doing some great stuff. But how do we get back to the more personal programming and that it’s touching people’s lives and, like I went to go see this or I feel safe and I don’t wanna be around 500 people, But I wanna be with these 30 people and just have a conversation and just see what other people’s experiences are, which I think that’s gonna be a great one for Texas Global that we’re hosting. Um, and I think that’s happening to and then we have the versatility. So we have the big ones. We have them or intentional ones. We have a very specific group, but, uh, that’s where I see us doing that angle of going into that direction, and I’m glad we’re the first. We’ve also seen many programs now erupt on campus of just events after we did it, and we’ve been kind of consulting and helping others. I literally have, like, 70 miles right now in my account, just groups asking about how do we do this? What we dio can they review? Can I review everything about the program and make sure everything is correctly? Are they missing anything so I would love to help out. We’re all in this together. We’re all the team I love, just helping other professionals of Just let’s do this. Let’s make it work. But also, let’s not run from it. And let’s try to make it safe for everyone.<\/p>\n
[0:22:59 Speaker 0] So there’s two things that happened A Z. You were talking number one. Typically, the way that I come up with the title for every episode is just like a good phenomenology ist. I let it emerge from the conversation. And so when you said talking about keeping it safe, fun and educational, that’s probably gonna be the topic. So that’s probably how I’m gonna title it. Uh, to what I also love was when you started talking about the safety piece. I know that there are some students out there, not just that UT, but on campus is everywhere that have concerns that, you know Halloween is coming up and that, you know, how are you gonna keep the campus safe? And how can you put on an event where 500 people attended and you kept it safe? Can you walk people through the details specifically? Let’s let’s talk about 40 acres fair where we had 509 people come and it was grabbing. Go. But can we talk? Because we can. You share the details with the folks about every measure of safety that we took to ensure that there was minimum minimal contact, minimal risk, minimal exposure to get people in and out of that confined outdoor space. Can you share the details about that?<\/p>\n
[0:24:13 Speaker 1] Yeah, So a lot of the stuff. It goes down to the the PPE equipment and the items that we order for the protection for the safety items. So a lot of the stuff that we that always goes into my place is always the optics of what protection do we have for the students and equipment that we have to keep everyone safe? So for mine, it’s always the optics. So I’m like First, My biggest thing is to do a sketch. So let’s lay out a sketch. It’s gonna be an outdoor event. Figure out OK, where’s the flow? Second of that piece. So now we have not three bent. We’ve selected a space. Let’s create a flow on day in and out, and then also to with us serving food the question came into line of Are they gonna be even the food there? Are they just gonna grab and go? Are we gonna offer places to sit? If there is sitting around there, are we going to allow it? Is there a minimum? A maximum of people per table? Are we shutting off tables, Andi, access into that piece. And also are we make like overseeing that process? Or is that somebody else? Eso There’s a lot of dots that have to be connected to begin at first of the sketch. Look, the flow on Ben, everything starts falling into place as Thio. Okay, How many people are we expected? We knew it was gonna be a big spot with possible with dining hall. It’s serving 1200 people for lunch. There was gonna be a big we don’t have the market it because we knew we were gonna have to get We’re gonna get lawsuits regardless. So we did some marketing for But we knew once that people there, the next piece of mind was, If we’re not gonna marketing and there’s people going upstairs, how do we get him down here? So I was like, I need some noise. I need some attention to this event. E needed to do it safely, But I need to be entertainment. So I was like, Well, let’s get the cheerleaders and let’s get live music. Um, And if we didn’t have live music, I was like, Plan B would be like a Spotify playlist or something. That was, like, life music just going to track people. People get curious s. I wanted that piece of like, Okay, now I have people’s curiosity. How do I line them up? Eso we literally lay down like 150 different, uh, 6 ft bubbled items stickers on the floor to completely layout the flow to go in and out of this grabbing does. That was another big piece of like we needed to determine. Is there two entrances, one entrance, and then where is gonna be the flow? And if there’s gonna be a backup flow as well?<\/p>\n
[0:26:20 Speaker 0] So we created a pathway. So for the folks trying to visualize this, what Robert is referring to is the Bebo stickers that we have on campus that show the 6 ft apart to make sure that people knew the pathway in and the pathway out and where to stand<\/p>\n
[0:26:35 Speaker 1] when they were getting their food correct. And so we created that pathway on DSO times to the biggest piece of catering has their own safety mechanisms to so they already have how they were going to be placed where they socially distance Everything was grabbing, goes so there was no kind of buffet style of touching anything. It literally was like grab and go a bag as you’re going along the way. So catering has their own mechanisms and way and safety protocols that they need to follow. So of course we know buffets, no touching of anything. It’s pretty much our dining staff is touching it. But with gloves with mask on, everything on putting stuff into a bag, literally hanging off to the student way did require all the students well being outside. The students do not have to wear a mask, but literally all of our students, I would say 99% of the students were wearing a mask. The entire<\/p>\n
[0:27:20 Speaker 0] every last one of them had a mask on. I didn’t see a single student without a mask. Everybody.<\/p>\n
[0:27:24 Speaker 1] Yeah, I think it comes a very much tone from the university of keeping us safe. And we’re in this together. Let’s get through this so pretty much. It was easy about creating pathway Theater piece to is that from the beginning of the event, you have to have your hand sanitizers extra mask if needed. So all those details of like is there a proper signage protective signage to saying, Please wear your mask. But please do this, um, kind of instructing the students of what to dio creating that safety but calm and kind of relaxed way of like, Hey, we’re in this. Let’s keep it safe. Stay in your bubble so literally That’s what it was. And we had many volunteers across to from checking doing a QR code, which, which was checking student. So there was no touch, which was amazing to see that where students were checking in, just in case there was a cluster just in case there was anything that we needed information, but also for future marketing. We would love to use this information if you came to this event. Join us at our next event, a multi use process of also safety eso students rapidly getting were hand sanitizing getting on their bubbles, moving along the pathway as they were grabbing food. At least eight different stations, a same time to in between stations. We had live entertainment, like I said, So there was selfie stations where we stand off, our cheerleaders are like musicians. So students were never coming in close contact with those performers. So keeping that the same time and I think that’s what people start forgetting us to keeping other elements safe. At the same time, we created science to to kind of navigate students of like This is different. So we created selfie station signs, and students started taking with the cheerleaders and with the performer what we wanted and what we envisioned. Um, so the students kind of did that. We did block off some tables and we put like minimums on each of the tables that we want to have open. Um, literally. The students follow the rules. It was outdoors. They were eating. They enjoyed the music. It was all safe. But it takes a lot of finding. Is just determining what are the safety mechanisms, But again, to how do we keep it fun and not so overprotective? Where there’s so much fear and resentment. It’s safe. Do this and enjoy the event, so that’s what we really wanted on. But I think that’s what the live entertainment did was taking off the fear, because I can’t imagine walking through something that with the mask on your bubble grabbing food, and there’s no music, no nothing. It would be very interesting of like, this feels very automated or very transactional. So having the music and stuff, it was entertaining to being like They really care about us. I think also it was the intention of our thing is So the state there was not happening here in Texas, where the shootout. So we created this piece for them of like a student experience that they would not be able to redo again. So we wanted to give him a taste of the state there. And that’s how this events all emerges. Kind of being creative. So I would say for any of you are planning events, be creative, seeing what’s not what’s not going on because of covert, and how can you redo it, or how can you twist it up for your students or your community on kind of shipping that dynamic of what is, ah, cool program that you could do and couldn’t put a spin on it. And that’s what we did<\/p>\n
[0:30:15 Speaker 0] And see Robert that that’s the thing that I’ve enjoyed. Like if you’re listening to this and you if you’re a first Gen student and you’re trying to figure out, like, cannot be my authentic self at work, can I bring the best version of me to the job every day? I hope you can hear it in Robert’s voice and how Robert has managed to bring that inspiration from his grandmother all the way to where we are today, on October 23rd of 2020 on how it how Robert shows up to work every single day. Being his authentic and true self, Robert is proof not saying that, you know, Robert and I are special that we’ve done anything different, but I want I want you to hear the passion in his voice and the energy that comes out from being able to come toe work every day, doing something that you absolutely love. And not only that we’re in the middle of a pandemic and do you hear sadness in our voice. No. Do you hear us? Panicked or fearful? Know what you hear is we were trying some things out, and we you know, we vetted this stuff through our university, and we didn’t just put this on without talking to, uh, you know, the medical community, the folks in our administration. We made sure that we dotted every I and crossed every t and Robert does. Robert, you do such an exceptional job off, you know, helping helping us as a team. Thio, try and make sure that we don’t let fear ruined the fun. And that’s what I loved about. I’ve been loving about working with you this year, Mawr in particular, because in previous years we collaborate. But we really working together now, man, we’re talking at least once or twice a week, three times this week because of this podcast. But I’m really just enjoying watching you, you know, taken idea from a from a text message toe execution. I have enjoyed watching that. What advice do you have to those first gen college students that are listening to this episode? Um, those kids that that next Robert Valdez from San Antonio or that kid from down in the Valley that’s listening to this. That’s thinking about coming to U T. And trying to figure out, you know, can I do this? Cannot make it. What advice do you have for that? That student, that’s it. That’s a current college student. Now that’s first Gen. Or is in high school senior thinking about coming to U T and making that transition. What advice do you have? Uh, Thio First Gen students And then the follow up will be. What advice do you have for first? Didn’t staff still trying to find their fit in their way?<\/p>\n
[0:32:57 Speaker 1] Yeah, I would say for If you have that itch or you have that drive or something is kind of like I want to try this out. I wanna for Christian students like that was where mine where I was like I was gonna go away from my family like I would be the second in my entire family to go away in the first male to step out. Andi was scary, like there’s a lot of tradition. There’s a lot of culture. There’s a lot of pressure to stay with the family and be with the family and help the family like to imagine times like covert right now, twice as much pressure like Don’t leave the family, Support the family. Go work and help If somebody’s furloughed or laid off and you’re going to be the breadwinner for the family to help pay the bills. A zoo, we get through this. So I would say each circumstance and each family is different. So whatever it is, if there is a pause and you know what you do need to help your family in some way or a friend. Whatever it is, your partner, find what that is first, and you take care of those business items first. I was privileged enough where I got financial aid. Um, it was scary. I was like, I don’t know what to do with this. I don’t know how Thio, my parents and I were figuring out together. Um, eso I would definitely say, like, figure out each dynamic is different, but And don’t compare yourself to other folks. Like if<\/p>\n
[0:34:08 Speaker 0] something breaks<\/p>\n
[0:34:09 Speaker 1] university or this piece, don’t compare. It’s easy to do it on Facebook and to see it on social media, and everybody’s posting their happiest moments. But people don’t ever talk about their most hardest moments or their saddest moments or they’re they’re challenging moments. So I would say really be that person to step it up and to talk about it saying, Hey, I’m struggling with this or I’m challenged by this or my family is not doing this and I’m gonna take a pause and hey, that’s right. Okay, like you’re going to stay home and work for a while. Um, but I would say, if you have, the resource is and you have the access and you have that privilege go for it Like, that’s one thing that I’ve seen in my life that I did have a lot of resource is I did have a lot of privilege, Um, even knowing being a brown person, I was just like, I know there’s scholarships for Latinos and I need to go for it, and that’s what I did. I used my diversity. I used my race ethnicity to help me to further this along and sharing that that’s really what led me into this for study abroad to like. I didn’t pay one penny for any of my study abroad because it<\/p>\n
[0:35:07 Speaker 0] was more about that talking about that.<\/p>\n
[0:35:11 Speaker 1] I was a Longhorn scholar, which was a program that’s kind of shifted and evolved into a new program at UT Ba Back in my day about 15 years ago, it was called the Longhorn Scholars. Andi, All this money given to first generation low income, typically high schools, are areas of Texas that they wanted to recruit and to get more diversity on campus. So I was given a scholarship to come to U T. But then, on top of that, they partnered with the international office to do the study abroad. Scholarships. Working for study abroad was a big benefit for me. I knew who was gonna be reading my items, that I knew exactly that. My mentorship are this internship they get. That scholarship they gave me was also kind of gonna be giving money into this. So I knew exactly how toe chase it and what to do. And so literally I stepped up to the plate and I check those hands of those people saying, Hey, I ever recipient for the scholarship, and I really want to say, I could do this. Look at my story. I would love to do this opportunity and I could get back. How do I get back? And how do I promote this when I do come back and let other things no, like, people like me can do this. Sure enough, I got scholarships both years to Africa and to London, to Europe to study<\/p>\n
[0:36:16 Speaker 0] of Russia.<\/p>\n
[0:36:17 Speaker 1] Eso definitely say there’s gonna be a lot of fear. It didn’t come easy for me toe. I needed to build that confidence. There was no way I used my extrovert personality to get out there and shake that hand and make a difference. But it all came back to that piece of going back to the grandmother like, don’t forget where you came from. Like there’s a reason why I’m here. Use your opportunities and use your resource is they’re not gonna chasing you. You have Thio or to that opportunity and you have to take that step. We’re talking to faculty. That’s probably the scariest thing, too, is for office hours. I was like this person wrote the book. How am I going to go to the office hours and say I e um But me as a student, I was like, but this is why I’m here is a student. And when I talked to the faculty, you will see that’s why they love what they do. They’re here to make you a better person. They’re passing the knowledge on and they want to make you a better citizen. I have made great choices and kind of challenging choices to S O That was cool as the first person to like see the confidence, See the fear if you’re scared, talk about it. Asked for help. We’re all in it together. I didn’t know how to do my financial aid. I didn’t know how to apply for dorm. I didn’t know I didn’t. Any of my parents have the money to pay those application fees, But there was. Resource is and I just ask the questions like, Can I get that wave or Yes, since you did financially and we can waive that I was like, Okay, check next thing s oh, definitely say, look ahead. Ask questions on DSI. What opportunities you have to help you guide you. The first Gen U T. Austin has created a first gen living learning community report this It’s been fantastic. Have a mentee a part of that program and really helping him navigate the So I would say Really look at the institutions and luckily UT has a bit, and I’m hoping many other institutions do this. But, um, see if there’s an office like this or an initiative and go to those people and they will literally guide you and help you. Your academic advice will also be your greatest help as well. That person laid up my roadmap for me and literally plugged in. Study brought, saying, Do you want to study? But I’m like, Yes, and they were like, Okay, let’s put it into this summer at this time and with this credit and do this and literally they pushed me into my dreams that I never thought would really happen, and they became reality. But all of it say is one. Turn that fear into something good. Don’t compare yourself to anybody else. Andi. Keep chasing those dreams like chase it and there’s a reason why you’re there. There’s the resource. Is there Use your resource is why you have these opportunities<\/p>\n
[0:38:28 Speaker 0] now. What about for first in staff? What advice do you have for first U. N. Staff? Not just at UT but that first gen that that student that was they were a first Gen student. Now they’re in the professional realm there, in higher ed. They’re working at UT. They’re working at different institutions across the country. What kind of advice do you have for, uh, first gen professionals to? Because eventually we graduate your graduate. I was in first, but eventually first in students graduate, right? So I see a<\/p>\n
[0:38:57 Speaker 1] lot of first Gen students and a lot of minorities who go back into higher education because they had either great mentors or they had a very bad experience and they want for their students. So I see it in two different directions when staff now want to come back into higher education. Um, it’s those two elements of eso, I would say one figure out. What is the reason why, like why why you come back to help students and to kind of use that to initiate the light and the drive within. You also should say when you’re looking at institutions, is the institution looking at you as a like a token or like a picture of their pamphlets saying Yes, we have our one round per go for that. And that’s that’s all they need. But they’re gonna You’re not gonna be feel welcome. You’re not gonna have the resource is there on your campus. So I would definitely say, Look at when they’re recruiting you like, is it gonna be a two way? So when you have those on campuses and if you’re fortunate enough or like you’re doing a zoom co vid thing, really see what people are one what do they look like? And how do they talk about their identities? But also Thio, what are you going to be on campus? Are you gonna be that token that they’re going to give you everything? But it’s gonna be the hardest drug of your life trying to be that token, because everybody is saying, Well, we have a diversity initiative, and they point to you just because you’re you’re the different one or you’re the first trip. The other piece, um, kind of see what that university does for you. Luckily at u t. This is why again it was chosen as I saw people who were like me, um, in all leadership positions. It was beautiful to see that component. Um, and I felt safe. And that’s the biggest thing I think for first Gen and other identities of mind of being like a gay person, I was like, I need to feel safe if I’m not in the city or if I’m not a university, that I’m fearing my life from fear and stuff. This is not the place for me. I’m not. It’s not worth it. No money are no salary is going to be worth it for. For my life s I would definitely say for first Gen. Um, go for it. Um, step out of your bubble. Also to like, you are gonna be that person in a meeting. Like I’ve seen it many times where they’re like, we have this issue with the LGBT community and I became, like, the spokesperson of the whole entire manager like Robert, help us solve this, and I’m like, I e can help, but I’m like, I’m not the spokesperson, but being prepared well to you, of your other identities to kind of take that. Or they might say, we have this first gen initiative and you’re the only first gen in the room. They’re gonna put it on to you but use those also times to shine. I think for those meetings I was scared and I was like, Okay, now I become the token, or I become the voice of that identity or that group, But I literally use that to be like what? This is gonna be that then this is going to my time to shine and literally that’s where your drive should come into being like, This is where I could make the greatest change and I have opportunity for change. So if I turn it down, is gonna get fall into the hands of the wrong person or the initiative won’t happen. Or can I literally rise up to the occasion into a challenge and kind of be that person, But, um but yeah, I would say definitely those the first pieces of Just, um it’s either gonna come from a good or bad experience, um, kind of finding yourself in that element, but also make sure that it’s a good fit between yourself of Are they going to use me to be the token, or am I going to be a team with this group and we’re all going to rise to the opportunity together, regardless of identities.<\/p>\n
[0:42:01 Speaker 0] E. I love it. I love it. Well, Robert, we’re nearing the end of our time together. Do you have any final thoughts or considerations that you want to share? Anything that’s coming up? You wanna give students and faculty and staff that are listening a heads up on, um, I would say,<\/p>\n
[0:42:17 Speaker 1] one of the biggest things. I think doing our first event with Dr Jones was amazing. The fiesta, the tower. Like I shared this on my post on Facebook and with this staff at UT Like, um, little did I know 16 years when I first walked onto U T campus like I didn’t see, um, like, I saw people like me, but there was very few. I thought when I first came, I was all the excitement, and they were all there. But then I had to find myself, And through that event 16 years later, um, throwing the first event for a diverse community and seeing these students so excited that there’s people like them on campus and during a pandemic being the first one, um,<\/p>\n
[0:42:54 Speaker 0] and kicking off Hispanic heritage month to Yeah,<\/p>\n
[0:42:57 Speaker 1] you know, Hispanic Heritage Month. It was phenomenal. And it was life changing for myself that I was like, What would Robert Valdez have done 16 years ago if that was the first event? If that was the main piece, would I be in the same dynamic? Would my confidence have boosted? What would I have done? Um And so seeing those students to like, there was one student who came up to me at the end, he was like, Thank you for doing this. He was like, This is my culture. And he was like, You brought home with me here and literally tears that I was like home. Home was the main word. Home is where? Why work? Here? Home is everything. But to make a student experience so much like that component is like I made him feel safe. I made them feel home. Ut Austin is home. That literally I could literally in mind, like check. I belong here. There’s a sense of belonging. Um, so literally when you’re doing that with your students, go for it for yourself. Host, share your stories. Share your stories. And I think that’s what my opportunity of like I literally got to share my story through that event on to really bring my identity through it. So do something that you’re passionate about. People are seeing it. People are watching it. They may not always tell you that they’re doing it, but you are making your mark. You are pushing the change to a greater an element. So please do that and share that with your students, your faculty, your staff, make a journey, Share your stories because people are listening and you are touching lives.<\/p>\n
[0:44:17 Speaker 0] Wow. Well, Robert, thank you so much for being a part of the show today and for sharing your story. And more importantly, for all the work that you’ve done at the university for the last 10 years and here’s toe 10 or however many more you wanna dio here with us, we’re definitely glad to have you. And I’m glad to have you as a colleague, So thank you so much way. Hope you enjoyed today’s episode to catch the next installment. Be sure to follow us on Spotify apple podcasts, Google podcasts and stitcher. We’ll see you next<\/p>\n"},"episode_featured_image":false,"episode_player_image":"https:\/\/podcasts.la.utexas.edu\/live\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/24\/2022\/03\/LIVE-logo-TPN.png","download_link":"https:\/\/podcasts.la.utexas.edu\/live\/podcast-download\/106\/episode-9-keeping-it-safe-fun-and-educational.mp3","player_link":"https:\/\/podcasts.la.utexas.edu\/live\/podcast-player\/106\/episode-9-keeping-it-safe-fun-and-educational.mp3","audio_player":"