This project was a collaboration between the Career Development Centre, Access Centre, Digi Champs and the CELT Studio, supported by funding from the EDI Project Fund.

Conversations in this series explore some of the different experiences, challenges and opportunities alumni have encountered in their lives and careers, and how aspects of identity, background and circumstance can shape those journeys. The project gave students the opportunity to hear directly from people with very different experiences and gives space to stories and perspectives that may not otherwise be heard.

Six podcasts will be released through University channels each Wednesday, with one episode launching each week for the first six weeks of term. One conversation was recorded through Gaeilge.

EPISODE 1: Councillor Helen Ogbu, Mayor of Galway and Sophia Saetes

What does it take to navigate the journey from university student to researcher and professional? In this episode, newly elected Galway Mayor Helen Ogbu shares her story with PhD Candidate Sophia Saetes, reflecting on the challenges, opportunities, and people that shaped her path. Together, they discuss academic life, career choices, resilience, and the advice Helen wishes she had heard earlier.

STUDENT PROFILE: Sophia Saetes, BA, MS, MHRS, SC

Sophia Saetes is a PhD researcher in Ireland, originally from California, with multiple undergraduate degrees in psychology and more than five years of frontline advocacy experience supporting women and children with disabilities.