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In The Margins

In The Margins

By: Diverse Education
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 Achieving equality in higher education. The stakes have never been higher. The issues never more complex. Who graduates, and why? Who is getting hired as faculty and what is their experience? In each episode, we will look at issues surrounding students, faculty, diversity and inclusion, and skyrocketing college costs. From critical conversation to news, numbers, and analysis — we’ve got you covered. You can count on Diverse’s In The Margins to bring you the latest, most relevant thought leadership as it pertains to diversity, inclusion, and equity in higher education. As the national expert, we’ve been doing this for almost 40 years in print and on the web (diverseeducation.com). Now we are excited to expand the conversation via this podcast. We will tackle these topics, and more, head-on. Listen weekly for a mix of deep dives, short briefs, expert panels, interviews, and more. We are thrilled to bring it to you here, in In The Margins.2020 Politics & Government
Episodes
  • EP155: MEET JAYO ADEGBOYO | 2025 Arthur Ashe, Jr. Male Sports Scholar of the Year

    EP155: MEET JAYO ADEGBOYO | 2025 Arthur Ashe, Jr. Male Sports Scholar of the Year
    Jun 19 2025

    In this honest and intimate episode, we celebrate 2025 Arthur Ashe Jr. Male Sports Scholar of the Year Jayo Adegboyo from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC). His story highlights the power of networking, persistence, and interdisciplinary learning.

    As a first-generation pre-med student, Jayo shares enthusiastically about the Meyerhoff Scholars program and its support for students like himself pursuing STEM careers. Jayo is a biochemistry major with a physics minor and a member of the track and field team specializing in 200m and 400m events.

    Tune in as he shares his experience balancing academics and athletics, and his aspirations for neuroscience research (particularly in migraine studies), with Diverse host Ralph Newell. Their conversation also explores Jayo's approach to making lasting impacts in communities, fostering relationships with mentors, and advocating for patients with neurological disorders.

    KEY POINTS:

    - Jayo's background as a first-generation medical student at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC)

    - His involvement in the Meyerhoff Scholars Program, which supports diversity in STEM fields

    - His track and field specialization, influenced by his father's athletic background

    - Jayo’s passion for migraine research inspired by his father's long-term struggle with migraines

    - Jayo’s acceptance into an MD/PhD program

    - Networking and building relationships with mentors who guide his research opportunities

    - Jayo’s commitment to advocating for patients with neurological and psychiatric disorders

    - Jayo’s strategic approach to managing time and priorities as a student-athlete

    - Seeking to elevate and enrich communities, leaving them better than he found them

    QUOTES:

    “I want to not only flourish myself, but also leave whatever space I enter better than I found it.” – Jayo Adegboyo

    “There's only 24 hours in a day, and you should allocate those hours in a way that whatever is the most pressing matter at that time you can focus on that.” – Jayo Adegboyo

    “I'm someone who likes to think a lot, even during my races, I'll be thinking as I'm running.” – Jayo Adegboyo

    “I'm interested in the future mostly… advocacy for people with neurological disorders and psychiatric disorders, just because there is a lot of negative stigma for people with those. Even for people with migraines, sometimes their neurologists either don't believe them in terms of what pain they're facing, or don't believe that they're actually taking the medication that was prescribed to them.” – Jayo Adegboyo

    Resources:

    Diverse’s Arthur Ashe, Jr. Sports Scholars program

    Meyerhoff Scholars Program – UMBC

    Academic Pipeline Programs for Underrepresented Students That Work | Diverse: Issues In Higher Education



    FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA:

    LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/company/diverse-issues-in-higher-education

    Instagram: http://instagram.com/diverseissuesinhighereducation

    Facebook: http://facebook.com/DiverseIssuesInHigherEducation/

    X (formerly Twitter): http://twitter.com/diverseissues



    WATCH THIS VIDEO AND OTHERS ON OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL:

    https://www.youtube.com/@DiverseIssuesInHigherEducation

    Closed captioning and live show transcription are available in the video for this episode.

    In The Margins is produced by Diverse: Issues In Higher Education and edited by EPYC Media Network (visit at https://www.epyc.co/).
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    36 mins
  • EP154: MEET JAIDA ROSS | 2025 Arthur Ashe, Jr. Female Sports Scholar of the Year

    EP154: MEET JAIDA ROSS | 2025 Arthur Ashe, Jr. Female Sports Scholar of the Year
    Jun 5 2025
    In this inspiring episode, we celebrate 2025 Arthur Ashe Jr. Female Sports Scholar of the Year Jaida Ross from the University of Oregon. This conversation explores her journey from a small Oregon town to the Olympic stage, highlighting her excellence in academics, athletics, and community service. Jaida shares her path from discovering shot put in middle school to competing at the 2024 Paris Olympics, where she finished fourth place, missing a medal by just inches. She reveals how she found her athletic calling in a sport that celebrated her body type and natural strength, contrasting with her earlier experiences in other sports. Beyond her athletic achievements, Jaida opens up about her commitment to community service—particularly her work with young people and mental health advocacy. Tune in as this discussion with Diverse host Ralph Newell also touches on Jaida’s realities of being a student-athlete, the challenges of NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) deals in track and field, and her memorable experiences in the Olympic Village. Don’t miss this–press play. KEY POINTS: -Jaida’s background growing up in Medford, Oregon, and her sports journey - The role of mentors and her "village" of supporters—family, friends, coaches, and twin sister - Her decision to stay at the University of Oregon throughout her collegiate career - Balancing academics, athletics, and community service - Making the 2024 U.S. Olympic team and her fourth-place finish at the Paris Olympics - Her experiences in the Olympic Village, meeting world record holders and other elite athletes - The reality of NIL deals in track and field, particularly for throwers vs. more popular events - Her transition to professional athletics (Nike sponsorship and Diamond League competition) - Future career aspirations in social work, focusing on helping children in the community - Her interests in music and guitar, being self-taught through Ed Sheeran’s YouTube videos - Jaida’s advice to young and aspiring athletes QUOTES: “I just wanted to be an Olympian since I was a kid. That’s all I wanted.” – Jaida Ross “I had so many different kinds of role models for all the different aspects of my life that if I can, if I can be that for one person, that's all I need. That's all I want to feel kind of that accomplishment for me.” – Jaida Ross “The biggest part of the sport is finding passion and love for it, and everything else will fall into place. You just have to keep working hard, keep your love for it, and you will find a way to make everything happen.” – Jaida Ross RESOURCES: Diverse - Jaida Ross The Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholar program is part of Diverse’s over 30-year legacy of recognizing young minority men and women who have distinguished themselves in their collegiate academic and athletic pursuits. FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA: LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/company/diverse-issues-in-higher-education Instagram: http://instagram.com/diverseissuesinhighereducation Facebook: http://facebook.com/DiverseIssuesInHigherEducation/ X (formerly Twitter): http://twitter.com/diverseissues WATCH THIS VIDEO AND OTHERS ON OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: https://www.youtube.com/@DiverseIssuesInHigherEducation Closed captioning and live show transcription are available in the video for this episode. In The Margins is produced by Diverse: Issues In Higher Education and edited by EPYC Media Network (visit at https://www.epyc.co/).
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    29 mins
  • EP153: Tech Talent Starts Here: How the Last Mile Fund Supports Student Success

    EP153: Tech Talent Starts Here: How the Last Mile Fund Supports Student Success
    May 22 2025
    In today’s episode, we sit down with Ruthe Farmer, founder and CEO of the Last Mile Education Fund, for a powerful conversation about unlocking opportunity in STEM education. This discussion focuses on the Last Mile’s mission to support students in the final stretch of their degrees—especially those in high-demand fields like cybersecurity. Farmer also describes how the fund provides crucial support for tuition, certification exams, and even basic needs, helping students stay on track when it matters most. The conversation looks at the fund’s innovative partnership with Microsoft to boost community college cybersecurity programs, and its recent expansion into graduate-level support. With data-driven impact in hand, Farmer explains how every graduate supported by the Fund delivers a $510,000 lifetime return—and a ripple effect on the broader economy. Tune in as Farmer, and Diverse host Ralph Newell, also explore the real-world consequences of proposed changes to Pell Grant eligibility and why addressing students' basic needs isn’t just compassionate—it’s smart policy. KEY POINTS: -Farmer’s 20 years of experience in talent pipelines in STEM; and the inspiration behind starting the Last Mile Education Fund in 2017 - How the Last Mile aims to support students in high-demand STEM fields (who are in their last four semesters of a degree) - Partnership with Microsoft and brands to support cybersecurity students and other related majors -The fund's expansion to support graduate students at the master's and PhD levels -The importance of supporting students in high-demand fields – workforce development - Farmer’s previous work with Girl Scouts USA, where she helped develop STEM programs - A look at the GOP-backed bill that could limit Pell Grant access for students who need it most - How the fund goes beyond tuition to cover essential needs—like rent, groceries, dental work, and even funeral expenses - Paying-it-forward with inspiring student success stories - Farmer’s candid advice for future leaders, entrepreneurs, and anyone charting their path QUOTES: “We believe that any student who has made it halfway through a degree in a high-demand STEM field like computer science, engineering, cybersecurity, [or] AI has proven themselves, and they need to graduate.” – Ruthe Farmer “If money is the barrier to you graduating, we're here to help.” – Ruthe Farmer “We need 1.1 million software engineers. By 2034, we need 700,000 cybersecurity workers. Right now, the CHIPS and Science Act is predicting we need 200,000 semiconductor workers per year. We can't afford to be weeding people out. We need to be weeding people in.” – Ruthe Farmer “Students are winning because they're graduating, universities are winning because their students are graduating, employers are winning because they're getting access to more talent, and then society is winning because we're contributing more money to the safety net.” – Ruthe Farmer "Normalize asking for help. You are the future of America. We want you to succeed. So ask for help, because it's out there.” – Ruthe Farmer RESOURCES: Apply — Last Mile Education Fund 2020-2024 Last Mile 5-Year Impact Report FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA: LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/company/diverse-issues-in-higher-education Instagram: http://instagram.com/diverseissuesinhighereducation Facebook: http://facebook.com/DiverseIssuesInHigherEducation/ X (formerly Twitter): http://twitter.com/diverseissues WATCH THIS VIDEO AND OTHERS ON OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: https://www.youtube.com/@DiverseIssuesInHigherEducation Closed captioning and live show transcription are available in the video for this episode. In The Margins is produced by Diverse: Issues In Higher Education and edited by EPYC Media Network (visit at https://www.epyc.co/).
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    50 mins
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