“I’m a daughter of a Mexican immigrant,” says Cristina Lash, ’06, PhD ’18, whose doctoral research at the GSE explored how U.S. schools teach about American identity in a context of increasing diversity. “My identity on campus was underrepresented, so I had few role models of people within the academy.” She found support through the Diversifying Academia, Recruiting Excellence (DARE) doctoral fellowship program, which she credits with helping her think about what she could contribute to a higher education institution.

Now in her first year as an assistant professor of educational leadership at the University of Nevada, Reno, a priority for her is making an inclusive climate for all students. “Because of DARE, I felt like I was equipped with the knowledge to think about how I could contribute to diversity within my new institution.”

Lash returned to Stanford in November 2018 for the 10th anniversary of DARE. She shared her experience with current students and reunited with her DARE peers.