Don’t Give up on the Dream - The First-Gen Latino College Journey

Season 7 Episode 3    Summary:  First Generation Students Michelle Castrillo Garcia and Amy Cajamarca Leiva join us on the podcast to talk about their college journeys. Milexy, Xander, Amy and Michelle discuss being Hispanic in Albany and being the first in their family to attend college. From trouble finding good tortillas to machismo and religion, listen in for a special episode.    Time Stamps:    0:00 – Guest Introductions  0:30 – Michelle and Amy’s Majors  0:57 – What made you want to do your major? What is Human Development?  2:20 – Long term goals, teaching  5:00 – Choosing what you like doing instead of money  5:50 – Xander's change in career choice  6:55 – Parent opinions/doing things with passion  10:30 – Being first generation in college  11:30 – Family Heritage, Visiting   16:13 – No Tortillas?!?!, Adjusting to Albany as a Hispanic Person  19:50 – Fitting in, making your own community  22:00 – First generation program, peer education  23:00 – Balancing academics, work, transitions  31:50 – Being a Christian, finding time and place for church  38:50 – Watching Novelas  44:40 – Machismo – An extreme sense of masculinity, talking about emotions, pride, vulnerability  52:30 – Being away from home, guilt or a service to your family?    1:01:00 – Parents education level, coming to the U.S.  1:09:00 – Future goals, wrapping things up    Contributors:  Milexy Campos (Co-host, Marketing), Xander Guevara (Host, Editing), Angel Gomez (Co-host), Leann Nicholas (Podcast support), Carmen Serrano (Executive Producer), Michelle Castrillo Garcia (Guest), Amy Cajamarca Leiva (Guest).    Special thanks to Ryan C. Clow, Digital Scholarship Center Training Specialist, for allowing us to use the equipment and recording studio.     Email Carmen Serrano:      Interested in supporting future podcast programming? Please donate to LLC and specify “UAlbany Student Stories”. Click on the following link:    https://securelb.imodules.com/s/1642/18-giving/form.aspx?sid=1642&gid=2&pgid=399&cid=1042&bledit=1&dids=156.157.158.159.160.241.177.178&sort= 

Season 7 Episode 2    Summary:  Two D1 student-athletes from the Track and Field team, Ja’Lil Reynolds (High Jump) and Hannah Solomon-Hollander (Pole Vault), join the podcast to talk about their experiences.   (Warning: Explicit Language)    Time Stamps:    0:00 – Guest Introductions  3:30 – Getting recognition  6:45 – Discussing Field Events  11:40 – Why are we still doing track? How did we get to UAlbany?  20:45 – Closure of Saint Rose, Parking is crazy now  22:15 – Most challenging part about being a student-athlete   25:00 – Heritage, Parental History  29:50 – Health issues, showing up for your team  32:50 – Ja'Lil’s MBA, Business and Finance  35:00 – Our passions outside of our sport  37:30 – Ja’Lil’s Quad Strain  39:10 – Seeing your teammates get hurt, Injuries  43:50 – What is the best part of being on the team?  48:50 – What's next for you?  51:30 – Closing, what message do you want to put out into the world?    Contributors:  Angel Gomez (Co-host, Editing), Leann Nicholas (Co-host), Milexy Campos (Editing, Marketing), Xander Guevara (Host Support), Carmen Serrano (Executive Producer), Ja’Lil Reynolds (Guest), Hannah Solomon-Hollander (Guest).    Special thanks to Ryan C. Clow, Digital Scholarship Center Training Specialist, for allowing us to use the equipment and recording studio.     Email Carmen Serrano:      Interested in supporting future podcast programming? Please donate to LLC and specify “UAlbany Student Stories”. Click on the following link:    https://securelb.imodules.com/s/1642/18-giving/form.aspx?sid=1642&gid=2&pgid=399&cid=1042&bledit=1&dids=156.157.158.159.160.241.177.178&sort= 

Meet the Podcast Team: Season 7 Season 7 Episode 1 Summary: Welcome to the first episode of the UAlbany Student Stories Podcast Season 7. We, Leann, Milexy, Angel, and Xander, as the hosts of the podcast introduce ourselves, share where we’re from, and how we got here. We also talk about some interesting stories as young adults and students. Look forward to 5 more great episodes! (Warning: Explicit Language)   Time Stamps:   0:00 – Introduction, Welcome UAlbany Student Stories Season 7 0:50 – Who are we? Xander, Milexy, Leann, Angel 1:55 – Milexy’s Back Strain 3:30 – Stomach problems in Mexico, Warning vomit mentioned 5:50 – How did we get into the podcast? 9:50 – So, there was this girl... 12:25 – Where did we descend from? 14:38 – Freshman experience at UAlbany 22:50 – Milexy's First Generation Student Program (Non-STEM) 28:10 – Our passions/Trades, BOCES 32:45 – What do you want to be remembered for? 38:22 – We have been recording for too long, BYE   Contributors: Milexy Campos (Co-host, Marketing), Xander Guevara (Co-host), Angel Gomez (Co-host, Editing), Leann Nicholas (Co-host), Carmen Serrano (Executive Producer).   Special thanks to Ryan C. Clow, Digital Scholarship Center Training Specialist, for allowing us to use the equipment and recording studio.   Email Carmen Serrano: [email protected]   Interested in supporting future podcast programming? Please donate to LLC and specify “UAlbany Student Stories”. Click on the following link:   https://securelb.imodules.com/s/1642/18-giving/form.aspx?sid=1642&gid=2&pgid=399&cid=1042&bledit=1&dids=156.157.158.159.160.241.177.178&sort=

Season 6: Episode 6  Title: Meet the Podcast    Summary: In this episode, UAlbany students Arely Gonzalez Hernandez, Asia Harris, Bianca Zazzarini-Leon, and Alexa Crespo discuss their experience while working on the podcast. They talk about their favorite moments and episodes, their plans for the future, and the creative and editing processes of the podcast. The four of them reflect on how working on the podcast helped them grow together and individually. They also give advice to future teams on how to schedule, how to come up with ideas for each episode, how to create a title, and how they repurposed an idea from last season’s team.     Warning: Explicit Language  Time Stamps:   00:00 Introduction  00:35 Introducing the team   01:21 Why we joined the podcast  04:51 Our favorite moments/episodes   07:38 Editing   09:08 Advice for women in editing   11:30 Tips for next season’s team   15:27 The team’s plans for their futures  17:23 Editing while not being technologically advanced  19:54 Resources in teams   21:16 The creative process  22:14 Bianca’s experience between different seasons   24:33 Creating titles   25:44 The experience of being a smaller team   28:17 Stepping out of our comfort zones  32:32 The microphones  33:04 Making a schedule and coming up with topics   34:28 Growing with the podcast  39:28 How Bianca helped guide us   40:15 Making old episode ideas our own   42:46 What we think our most popular episode will be   43:27 Reflecting on our work   44:52 Thanks for watching! See you next season!       Contributors:    Arely Gonzalez Hernandez (Co-host), Asia Harris (Co-host/Editor/Marketing), Bianca Zazzarini-Leon (Co-host), Alexa Crespo (Co-host/Editor), Carmen Serrano (Editor/Executive Producer). UAlbany Student Stories, Season 6, Episode 2 [podcast]. Music from El Pañuelo de Pepa by Javier Colina and Pepe Rivero. José Cruz, Executive Producer.         Special thanks to Ryan C. Clow, Digital Scholarship Center Training Specialist, for allowing us to use the equipment and recording studio.         Email Carmen Serrano: [email protected]         Interested in supporting future podcast programming? Please donate to LLC and specify “UAlbany Student Stories”. Click on the following link:         https://securelb.imodules.com/s/1642/18-giving/form.aspx?sid=1642&gid=2&pgid=399&cid=1042&bledit=1&dids=156.157.158.159.160.241.177.178&sort=        

Season 6: Episode 5 Title: Get to Know Serendipity A capella!   Summary: In this episode, UAlbany students Arely Gonzalez Hernandez, Alexa Crespo, Asia Harris, and Chia Salisbury talk about the student group, Serendipity. Serendipity is the first and only femme identified, SMAT (soprano, mezzo, alto, tenor) acapella group on campus. They talk about the importance of student orgs, sisterhood, and music. This is a heartfelt episode in which Asia, the President, and Chia, the Community Outreach Chair, share their experience with the group and their fondness of it. The women also touch on the impact of femme leadership on campus and in society as a whole.  This episode gives a great inside look at what Serendipity is and all it has to offer the UAlbany community. Serendipity can be found on Instagram: @ualbanyserendipity. They are hosting a show on campus in the Campus Center on Sunday, April 28th at 7 pm (doors at 6:30). It’s free and open to all students and staff, they’d love to see you there! All you have to do is RSVP via the link in their Instagram bio.   Warning Explicit Language Time Stamps: 0:00 Intro  0:45 What even is a capella?! 2:35 The history of Serendipity 3:15 So... Why Serendipity? 7:55 The audition process 10:06 Come one, come all, no prior music experience required! 12:25 Balancing cohesion and individuality 16:38 How does Serendipity select music?     18:42 Choreography! 21:50 From rehearsal to stage 25:00 Fine tuning your musical ear (pun intended) 29:12 A trip down memory lane 34:40 Self-expression and more on solos! 40:00 Reminiscing on performances 46:23 The Serendipi-fication of music 48:40 Advice for prospective members 52:48 Shameless plug, come see Serendipity perform! 54:54 Peace out     Contributors:  Chia Salisbury (Guest), Arely Gonzalez Hernandez (Co-host/editor), Asia Harris (Co-host/Marketing), Alexa Crespo (Co-host/Editor), Carmen Serrano (Editor/Executive Producer). UAlbany Student Stories, Season 6, Episode 2 [podcast]. Music from El Pañuelo de Pepa by Javier Colina and Pepe Rivero. José Cruz, Executive Producer.     Special thanks to Ryan C. Clow, Digital Scholarship Center Training Specialist, for allowing us to use the equipment and recording studio.     Email Carmen Serrano: [email protected]    Interested in supporting future podcast programming? Please donate to LLC and specify “UAlbany Student Stories”. Click on the following link:     https://securelb.imodules.com/s/1642/18-giving/form.aspx?sid=1642&gid=2&pgid=399&cid=1042&bledit=1&dids=156.157.158.159.160.241.177.178&sort=      

Season 6: Episode 4  Threads of Change: Dissecting the Fashion World   Summary: In this episode, UAlbany students Arely Gonzalez, Alexa Crespo, and Asia Harris have a roundtable style discussion about the fashion industry, including important topics such as self-expression, trends, and sustainability. Each of the women go in depth about their own individual relationships with fashion and open to a broader conversation about the fashion industry’s societal impact. They further talk about social media’s impact on trends and fast fashion, and fast fashion’s impact on the environment. They touch on topics such as ethics in shopping, capitalistic overconsumption, and the fate of the fashion industry at large. Their collective perspective as college students contributes greatly to the conversation.     Warning Explicit Language  Time Stamps:  0:00 Intro   0:40 Our relationships with fashion and self-expression  3:26 Plus size fashion and inclusivity   7:25 The fateful battle: short legs vs bell bottoms    9:20 Social media, fashion trends, and body image  14:00 Trend participation and individuality   16:50 Internal and external perceptions of self    18:35 Gen Z’s relationship with fashion       21:15 TikTok’s negative impact: fast fashion and overconsumption  24:06 Stop throwing out your clothes!!   25:44 Ethical and environmentally conscious shopping  36:58 The college student dilemma  42:02 The future of the fashion industry    45:36 Signing off    Contributors:   Arely Gonzalez Hernandez (Co-host/editor), Asia Harris (Co-host/Marketing), Alexa Crespo (Co-host/Editor), Carmen Serrano (Editor/Executive Producer). UAlbany Student Stories, Season 6, Episode 2 [podcast]. Music from El Pañuelo de Pepa by Javier Colina and Pepe Rivero. José Cruz, Executive Producer.       Special thanks to Ryan C. Clow, Digital Scholarship Center Training Specialist, for allowing us to use the equipment and recording studio.       Email Carmen Serrano: [email protected]       Interested in supporting future podcast programming? Please donate to LLC and specify “UAlbany Student Stories”. Click on the following link:       https://securelb.imodules.com/s/1642/18-giving/form.aspx?sid=1642&gid=2&pgid=399&cid=1042&bledit=1&dids=156.157.158.159.160.241.177.178&sort=      

Season 6: Episode 2 Title: “You are Kenough” Summary: In this episode, UAlbany students Dylan Fumarola, Asia Harris, and Arely Gonzalez discuss how Barbie, a movie that communicates the effects of patriarchy and feminism, reinforced their views on society. Dylan discusses his view on how the standards in society affect people and how he stays true to his authentic self. They discuss topics such as, the violence and standards associated with the patriarchy, what feminism is to them, and how to recognize misogyny. They also reference how to navigate the world while combatting the patriarchy. This discussion incorporates both the male and female perspective on the patriarchy and how it affects both sexes, respectively.   Warning Explicit Language Time Stamps: Introduction:  0:00 Intro  0:30 Host and Guest Introductions  1:30 How do you feel about Barbie land?  3:10 Social Consciousness and Toxic Masculinity   5:00 Effects of the Patriarchy  8:20 Objection in the Real World  14:00 What does Feminism look like?  18:31 Calling out Contributors: How to recognize misogyny  23:23 Homoeroticism and Hyper Masculinity   29:15 How Capitalism Profits off the Fear of Women  33:36 A System Created by Men for Men  36:48 Being your Authentic Self v. Conformity  39:27 The Emasculation of Black Women  41:02 Navigating Space through Barbie Lenses  42:00 Team Ken or Allen  42:51 Final Thoughts and Credits    Contributors:  Dylan Fumarola (Guest), Arely Gonzalez Hernandez (Co-host/editor), Asia Harris (Co-host/Marketing), Alexa Crespo (Editor), Carmen Serrano (Editor/Executive Producer). UAlbany Student Stories, Season 6, Episode 2 [podcast]. Music from El Pañuelo de Pepa by Javier Colina and Pepe Rivero. José Cruz, Executive Producer.     Special thanks to Ryan C. Clow, Digital Scholarship Center Training Specialist, for allowing us to use the equipment and recording studio.     Email Carmen Serrano: [email protected]    Interested in supporting future podcast programming? Please donate to LLC and specify “UAlbany Student Stories”. Click on the following link:     https://securelb.imodules.com/s/1642/18-giving/form.aspx?sid=1642&gid=2&pgid=399&cid=1042&bledit=1&dids=156.157.158.159.160.241.177.178&sort=   

Season 6: Episode 2 Don’t Give up on the Dream - The First-Gen Latino College Journey   Summary: In this episode, UAlbany students Ariel Gonzalez, Alexa Crespo, and Arely Gonzalez Hernandez, discuss the process of applying to colleges and becoming first generation Latino students. The conversation explores the resources and meaningful mentors throughout high school that were crucial in the college application and selection process. Furthermore, the conversation goes into detail about the factors that may be driving Latino students away from pursuing into higher education, including lack of resources and concerns over affordability. Ariel, Arely, and Alexa give advice to Latino and First-generation students to persist through the hardships presented throughout the college application process.   Warning Explicit Language Time Stamps: :00 Introduction 00:41 The college application process 7:42 Ariel committing to the College of St. Rose 9:28 Academic support at UAlbany 12:26 Ariel’s High School Mentor 16:29 High school support systems for Latino Students 22:44 Navigating the cost of college 28:04 Pressures of going and staying in college 33:36 Advice for Latino high school students 38:21 Thanks for listening!

Season 6: Episode 1  Title: Exploring the LGBTQ+ Experience and Allyship   Summary:  In this episode, UAlbany students Mia Cannizzo, Alexa Crespo, Arely Gonzalez Hernandez, and Bianca Zazzarini-Leon discuss the experiences of being members and allies of the LGBTQ+ community. The conversation explores navigating sexual identity and confronting biphobia. Furthermore, the conversation goes into detail about the transition to college life, with a more supportive system and safe space for the LGBTQ+ community, including the vibrancy of drag shows and pride parades. Mia’s background in sociology helps highlight the media misrepresentation of the community as well as the intersectionality of the LGBTQ+ identity with other aspects including race, gender, and religion.     Warning Explicit Language  Time Stamps:  :00 Introduction  00:30 Self-Discovery of Sexual Identity  2:33 Confronting Biphobia  4:53 Transitioning to college   9:09 Our first Drag shows and Pride parades  13:47 The dulling down and overexaggerating of the LGBTQ+ community in the media  23:17 Attack on LGBTQ+ rights   34:44 Exploring the intersectionality of sexuality, gender, race, and religion  55:42 How do we make sexual health education more LGBTQ+ inclusive?  1:05:05 Unsafe relationships  1:08:00 Final thoughts  1:12:39 Thanks for listening!  Contributors: Alexa Crespo (Host/Editor), Arely González-Hernández (Host/Editor), Asia Harris (Host/Marketing) Bianca Zazzarini-León (Host/Editor/Graduate Consultant) (Host/Marketing), Carmen Serrano (Editor/Executive Producer). UAlbany Student Stories, Season 6, Episode 1 [podcast]. Music from El Pañuelo de Pepa by Javier Colina and Pepe Rivero. José Cruz, Executive Producer.   Special thanks to Ryan C. Clow, Digital Scholarship Center Training Specialist, for allowing us to use the equipment and recording studio. Email Carmen Serrano: ⁠[email protected]⁠  Interested in supporting future podcast programming? Please donate to LLC and specify “UAlbany Student Stories.” Click on the following link: ⁠https://securelb.imodules.com/s/1642/18-giving/form.aspx?sid=1642&gid=2&pgid=399&cid=1042&bledit=1&dids=156.157.158.159.160.241.177.178&sort=

Season 5 Episode 6 Title: Meet The Podcast Summary:  In this episode, UAlbany Student Stories podcast team, Ryan Pare, Sophia Smith and Bianca Zazzarini-León give you a sneak preview into who they are and what it was like to be part of the podcast team! Each one of us dives into how unique this podcast team is from previous seasons and what brought us to join this season. We each explore our personal highlights throughout the season and hopefully highlight discussions to include next season! We’re so happy you tuned in this season! We can’t wait for you to tune in for Season 6! Warning Explicit Language Time Stamps: 0:00 - Introduction 0:52 - Get to know the podcast team! 5:54- Differences from previous teams! 10:30- Our personal highlights! 18:10- Our goals after the Podcast! 27:29- Our aspirations for future seasons! 33:20 - Our future in the Podcast! 36:51-Goodbye! See you next season!    Contributors: Ryan Pare (Host, Editor), Sophia Smith (Host), Bianca Zazzarini-León (Host/Marketing), Carmen Serrano (Editor/Executive Producer). UAlbany Student Stories, Season 5, Episode 6 [podcast]. Music from El Pañuelo de Pepa by Javier Colina and Pepe Rivero. José Cruz, Executive Producer.   Special thanks to Ryan C. Clow, Digital Scholarship Center Training Specialist, for allowing us to use the equipment and recording studio. Email Carmen Serrano: [email protected]  Interested in supporting future podcast programming? Please donate to LLC and specify “UAlbany Student Stories.” Click on the following link: https://securelb.imodules.com/s/1642/18-giving/form.aspx?sid=1642&gid=2&pgid=399&cid=1042&bledit=1&dids=156.157.158.159.160.241.177.178&sort=