The Way to College Podcast
Educational consultant Dr. Jose L. Saldivar, Jr. aims to help students navigate the sometimes twisty journey toward their dreams
Photo: Dariusz Grosa
When you tell people that you have a podcast or plan to start one, the first thing they ask is, "What's it about?"
When I set out to start my podcast, I wanted it to be about people’s journeys. For over 20 years, I have worked in higher education. My students are mostly first-generation, low-income, and Latinx. Over the years, I have found that my students often have a very narrow view of what it is they’d like to do professionally. Some have chosen their path alone, some with help from parents or teachers, and some with help from who or what they see around them. Many have a title and a job description in mind, but few students know how to get from where they are to where they would like to be. And for others, the thought of not knowing what they want to do can be an anxiety-inducing, sometimes paralyzing experience. These students fear they’re not going to be successful because they don’t know what they want to do. I spend a lot of time reassuring them, letting them know that, when I was their age, I didn’t know what I wanted to do, either—in fact, I still didn’t have a clear idea of the kind of work I wanted to do even when I graduated from college.
So, my podcast was born out of my students’ fears and worries and of my desire to demonstrate that uncertainty around career choice is normal. In fact, most people, regardless of age, do not have it figured out, and many are still struggling with that age-old question: What do you want to be when you grow up?
The Way to College Podcast, then, is about people's journeys. How they got from point A to—well, to wherever it is that they are. Their journeys are seldom a straight line, with some deviating from initial plans and others choosing the path less traveled. The stories are also reminders for my students that it’s okay to not know where you’re going. The reality is, most college graduates change their majors and their professions, and really, to borrow from the cliché, it is about the journey and not the destination. This may not sit well with parents, who would like their children to know what they want to do; this has been the theme throughout all of my interviews. Most of my guests are working professionally in an area that they did not set out to pursue. When they were in college, most wanted to do something else but found their way to the work they are currently doing.
Additionally, the journeys shared on the podcast have also served as de facto roadmaps for my listeners and my students. When I was growing up in the Rio Grande Valley of south Texas, I knew what doctors and lawyers do, but I didn’t know any I could talk to and ask, “How do I actually become a doctor or lawyer?” And, despite the access the internet has given us, so many of my students have a limited view of the kinds of careers they could pursue, much less how to get there. The stories shared on the podcast offer my listeners directions and advice for both the what and the how.
As I reflect on the last three years of hosting the podcast, I am proud of the space I have created and honored to be able to share the stories that have been shared with me. I also know that so much more work needs to be done to support young people as they attempt to navigate their post-high school lives. So I’ll continue to collect and share the stories while also reminding my listeners that not knowing where you’re going is normal, but what’s important is to keep moving forward.
The Way to College Podcast Trailer
Selected Episodes
“Dr. Felipe Hinojosa is a Professor of History at Texas A&M University [now at Baylor University], but like so many of my guests, he never planned on becoming a professor. He originally wanted to be a high school history teacher and football coach. As always, life had other plans for Dr. Hinojosa.” December 2022
Sabrina Walker-Hernandez “is an entrepreneur. She provides support to non-profit organizations via her company Supporting World Hope. She shares her educational and professional journey and offers some great advice for those of us who are struggling to find our way, professionally.” August 2022
Latest Episodes
