The Back to Me Podcast

We’re back from Spring Break and we hope you had some time to rest! Financial Literacy Month is here and our ‘Money Masterclass’ series of well-sought after financial educators and professionals are going to make you want to share them with all of your friends! This series opens with Patricia Kelly, University of California, Santa Cruz Lecturer, Speaker, and Financial Literacy Advocate, who is also the mastermind behind the popular course, COWL52 Personal Finance and Investing that is now available throughout the University of California system. From initially 30 students to now over 1,000 students enrolled, this former Wall Street Analyst shares the five pillars of finance and offers great tips from her course on how to start implementing them in your financial plan today. Don’t miss the free financial templates and resources she offers as well. ⁠ Ms. Kelly completed her MBA at Harvard Business School in Boston, Massachusetts, and received her Bachelor of Arts in Economics at University of California, Santa Cruz. In 2019, prior to the pandemic, she received a grant from the Office of the President of the University of California to produce an online version for UC Systemwide. The course now reaches 1,000 students per term throughout the UC System. Ms. Kelly's professional career was spent in the financial industry, beginning as an investment banking analyst on Wall Street in the 1980s, to a partnership at a Palo Alto-based investment management firm responsible for managing $2.5 billion for institutional clients, including the Vanguard Equity Income Fund. She was a past President of the Harvard Business School Association of Northern California and is on the Harvard Business School Alumni Board. She also serves on the investment committee of the Community Foundation of Santa Cruz County. To learn more about Ms. Kelly and her work, visit her website at PatKelly.Sites.UCSC.edu or connect with her on LinkedIn.

Our ‘Women Leading with Heart’ series for Women’s History Month closes powerfully with the return of Dr. Theresa Price, CEO and Founder of The National College Resources Foundation (NCRF) - home of the renowned Black College Expo and Latino College Expo. This beloved community trailblazer shares her philosophy and secrets to living and investing in a spiritually filled life. She believes being smart is not enough, but being overprepared and well-rounded can ensure you thrive in a world not designed for everyone’s success. Find out how you can thrive with NCRF’s holistic wraparound services, student-athlete programs, financial literacy, and transfer portal tips that have unlocked over $200 million in scholarships for students just like you! College scholarships are waiting and Dr. Price urges all “creatives” to apply now! Dr. Price completed her Bachelor of Arts in Broadcast/Journalism with a minor in Speech Communications at California State University, Long Beach. In 2016, she received an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from Virginia University of Lynchburg. After noticing a surge in high school dropout rates, primarily among the underserved and underrepresented students, she was determined to make a difference. Since NCRF's inception, this Compton native’s organization has secured and distributed more than $5 billion in scholarships & grants and has helped over 700,000 students (over two-thirds first generation students) get into college, hosting over 300 College Expos produced by NCRF. In addition to The Black College Expo™, a fifteen-city U.S. tour, NCRF also offers the Latino College Expo™, and the Students Think S.T.E.A.M. Expo. In 2022, Dr. Price worked with HBCU presidents to launch a dual enrollment program for high school students to get college credits. To donate, support and learn more about Dr. Price and her work, connect with her on IG @ncrfoundation and @blackcollegeexpo or visit her website at NCRFoundation.org.

Our ‘Women Leading with Heart’ series for Women's History Month continues with Dr. Khalilah Doss, the Vice President for Student Affairs and Strategic Enrollment Management at California State University, Fullerton. This first-generation Jamaican track scholar became an educational trailblazer who simply wanted to “be who I needed.” Dr. Doss shares why seeing the humanity in students—as someone’s children—guides every decision she makes. She models heart-led leadership and relationship-building with a deep commitment to ensuring students never feel like a bother—only seen, valued, and supported. Find out why asking for help, admitting “I don’t know,” and understanding that seeking support is actually a strength, not a weakness. ⁠ Dr. Doss completed her Ph.D. in Educational Administration and Higher Education at Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, and she received her Bachelor of Business Administration in Economics, Finance and Marketing at McKendree University. She has been in the field of student affairs for over 20 years and most recently served as the Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students at Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU). In this capacity, Dr. Doss had oversight for a portfolio of units that are germane to the successful transition, support, and engagement of the students who call MTSU home. Throughout her career, Dr. Doss has been successful in developing and executing innovative programs that are rooted in diversity and inclusion; and has been known to foster a culture of evidence-based decision making, that is tied to community and campus wide partnerships on the campuses she has served. To learn more about Dr. Doss, connect with her via email at [email protected] or visit her at Fullerton.edu.

Women’s History Month continues with our ‘Women Leading with Heart’ series! In this week’s episode, we spotlight an emerging change-maker in education, the Assistant Director of the First Gen Scholars Program at Jackson State University, Ms. Shandell Lewis. She is a first-generation college graduate, former counselor, and passionate advocate for Mississippi education that is bridging K-12 and higher ed to empower the next generation. Drawn to Jackson State’s standalone first-gen program, she brought her K-12 lens to fill critical gaps—modeling transparent engagement rooted in her own first-gen journey and counseling expertise. Find out how she builds student agency by showing how “love is in the details” when recognizing the family sacrifice to attend college. Her approach helps students and families choose schools that match their ambitions, proving one woman’s calling can transform lives across generations. Shandell completed her M.Ed. in Counselor Education at the University of Mississippi and received her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology at Tougaloo College in Jackson, Mississippi. She is known as a light-giver, community servant, and temperature changer in education. As a proud first-generation graduate herself, her work is deeply personal and rooted in expanding access, support, and opportunity for students navigating college for the first time. A proud Southern belle from Vicksburg, Mississippi, she served as a licensed school counselor for four years before transitioning into higher education at Mississippi State University, where she began her career in Higher Education. Shandell is also the Founder and Owner of A Touch of Magnolia Fragrance Company, a southern luxury fragrance brand inspired by scent memory and her Mississippi roots. She is also a proud active member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated. To learn more about Shandell, connect with her on IG @ATouchofMagnolia or email her at [email protected].

To wrap up our Love Series, “Rooted in Love”, we dive into agape love—selfless, unconditional care for others with LaMar-Octavious L. Scott, Vice President of Student Affairs at LeMoyne-Owen College. As a leader at the fifth oldest HBCU, Mr. Scott shares his journey from early ministry roots to helping students develop unapologetic critical thinking and global cultural understanding. Spirituality is weaved into campus life through weekly schoolwide spiritual pauses rooted in liberation theology, prayer, and relational depth that welcomes tough questions like “How does this campus connect to your spirit and your personal goals?” Mr. Scott reminds us that you’re never alone in pursuing your purpose. So tap into your innate power, and choose college based on your why—not your parents’. Mr. Scott completed his Master of Arts in Pastoral Counseling at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia, and he received his Bachelor of Arts in General Studies at Alcorn State University. He is a strategic higher education leader specializing in Enrollment Management and Student Affairs transformation. His academic foundation informs his holistic leadership philosophy—one that blends access, belonging, accountability, and spiritual grounding into institutional practice. Beyond higher education, Mr. Scott serves as CYYA Pastor at Berean Missionary Baptist Church, where he mentors and develops young adults in faith and leadership. His commitment to service extends through his membership in Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., initiated in March 2016. To learn more about Mr. Scott and his work, connect with him on IG @_sirscott6_ or email him at [email protected], and visit FutureMagician.loc.edu.

As we continue our ‘Rooted in Love’ series, this week’s episode explores the power of conviction and community love with Marita Asamoah, a first-generation Political Science major at Coppin State University. Born in the Bronx and raised partly in Ghana, Marita brings a global perspective to student leadership as Vice President of the NAACP and Chief Justice of Coppin’s SGA Executive Board. Dedicated to creating change where she sees injustice, she pours her energy into building bridges between students, faculty, and the broader community. Rooted in love for her people and her purpose, Marita reminds us that community love means using knowledge, empathy, and action to lift others—and that while it may be a privilege to be ignorant, Black students cannot afford to be.⁠ Marita is a Junior Political Science major at Coppin State University with a passion for Black civic engagement, community organizing, and social justice. Originally from Ghana, she brings a global lens to her leadership on and off campus, serving as the National Council of Negro Women Chair for Social Justice and as an Army ROTC National Guard cadet. Her interests span policy research, community development, and legislative affairs, all rooted in her mission to create equitable opportunities for others. To learn more about Marita and her work, connect with her on IG @ritaaricch or LinkedIn.⁠