Nancy Molina-Rogers is a doctoral candidate in Communication at UC Santa Barbara who recently received a postdoctoral fellowship at UCLA through the UC Presidential Postdoctoral Fellowship Program.  Molina’s research explores how social media is perceived by individuals as an effective tool for fostering collective action. Molina has experienced both sides of the UC system through her years as a student and then in the classes she taught in the Communication department. Her time at UCSB includes her undergraduate and postgraduate years, when she decided to return back to Santa Barbara for a second master’s after obtaining her first master’s degree in Cal State Northridge. In a recent interview, she described how hard she worked to obtain a spot in the Fellowship program and how this moment has brought her full circle in her career pathway. 

Q: What is the focus of the proposal that you presented to the postdoctoral fellowship programs you applied to? 

A: The proposal that I submitted for this is based on looking at news and media literacy, as well as how that influences political literacy, ideally understanding what felt efficacious enough to engage in politics. 

How has your experience at UCSB prepared you for the next step in your career?

As a first-generation student, academia in general has been challenging for me and I just learned to push through and take every challenge as a learning opportunity which shaped an impact. I think that is why I have gotten as far as I have. I received my bachelor’s degree and second master’s degree here at UCSB and after this Ph.D. program all I can say is that I wouldn’t be where I am today if it wasn’t for UCSB and the Department of Communication. I am a product of the UC system so it feels wonderful that this support will lead onto the next step in my career which still involves the public school system. 

Do you have any advice that you would like to share with grad students who are looking to apply for similar fellowships?

I want to say that I cannot attribute my success to only myself, because it takes a village and I have had so many amazing mentors and guidance from wonderful professors in my department with whom I have developed a good relationship. I really suggest networking because that will guide you ultimately to the right tools.

 I want to be honest, I never imagined that I’d be able to receive something as competitive as this fellowship. These programs are very competitive and I acknowledge that there are so many great scholars that apply and that within this process, anyone and everyone that applies to these prestigious fellowships are very well-qualified.

This might be too early to ask, but what’s next after the fellowship? Do you plan to continue in academia, policy, or another direction? 

You know it is never certain, to know where you are headed next. I was definitely in the job market before receiving this news, and anything can change at any moment. But ideally, really, I would love to continue teaching in the UC school system with a 10-year track job. 

Valeria Barragan is a third-year Communications major. She wrote this article for her Digital Journalism class.