For many graduate students, their path begins with a moment when a dream becomes attainable. For Chelsey Nievez, a first-year student in the educational specialist (EdS) program in school psychology at Temple University’s College of Education and Human Development (CEHD), that moment emerged from a journey that stretches from Puerto Rico through Reading, Pennsylvania, to North Philadelphia, where she is now balancing graduate coursework with an on-campus job, carving a path rooted in bilingual advocacy and supporting children in schools. 

Nievez grew up in Puerto Rico before her family relocated to Reading, a Pennsylvania city with a strong Hispanic community, which helped her stay connected to her heritage. There, she completed middle school, intermediate school, high school and her undergraduate degree.  

Choosing graduate school wasn’t random for Nievez, who double-majored in psychology and Spanish at Albright College. “I thought, what can I do with this?” She says. “Do I want to become a therapist? Do I want to be a counselor? Ultimately, I’ve always really loved working with kids, and that’s why I chose school psychology.” She also sought a program mirroring the diverse communities she knew, prioritizing community space within an institution that emphasizes diversity within the program. “I think that was the main draw for why I chose Temple University—the way the program incorporates diversity and encourages being culturally and linguistically responsive within your practice.”  

Nievez was already considering Temple University, and when she attended Albright's graduate fair, that spark truly ignited. There, she met Joie Nearn, CEHD admissions recruiter. Nearn shared an insider’s view of campus life, bridging student dreams with everyday realities. That chat proved pivotal. Not only did she apply to and ultimately choose Temple’s CEHD, that connection led to a student worker job in the enrollment management office. 

During her virtual interview, she was reunited with Nearn. “It’s funny because when I joined the virtual meeting, Joie said, ‘I think we’ve met before,’ I didn’t realize Joie would end up being my supervisor, but here we are.” Nievez calls it a “full-circle moment” that eased her nerves in a new city and program. “Now, Joie isn’t just a supervisor. She’s a mentor to me.”  

Financial needs and flexibility drew Nievez to her enrollment assistant role in CEHD. As an applicant engagement student worker, her day-to-day role involves helping prospective students navigate the graduate application process at Temple University. She answers questions by email and phone, guiding applicants through each step. “I wish I would have utilized these services when I was applying,” she says. “Applying to a graduate program, specifically as a first-generation student, is really scary. I didn't know what to do, and I'm so glad that I'm able to be that person for other students who need that assistance as well.”  

In her graduate program, a class moment highlighted the importance of Nievez's Spanish fluency for her career as a school psychologist when her professor asked her to read the Spanish version of some test instructions aloud. This realization deepened her drive toward becoming a certified bilingual school psychologist. "I'll be starting a practicum placement in the fall in a bilingual school setting in Philadelphia, allowing me to learn about the field not only through courses but also hands-on fieldwork," she shares. Nievez is determined to transform the educational system, starting with what she learns in graduate school. 

Nievez says her journey has felt challenging at times, shaped by her experience as a first-generation student and the process of finding her own way in higher education. Without family members who had gone through graduate school, much of it felt unfamiliar. Still, she constantly reminds herself and others: 

“You were accepted for a reason, you’re here for a reason… buckle up, keep moving forward and don’t look back.” 

To those considering applying, she adds:  

“Just apply! Taking that step, showing the initiative to submit an application, or even just considering a graduate program, is proof that you’re worthy. Just as much as you want a graduate program, a graduate program wants you.”