Isabel García Valdivia, a 2010 graduate of Joliet Central High School, is an Assistant Professor of Sociology. She holds a Ph.D. from the University of California, Berkeley, and has published award-winning research on immigrant experiences.

Isabel’s research focuses on immigrants and their families. She is currently working on a book manuscript exploring the experiences of older immigrants in late adulthood. Her first solo-authored article, Legal Power in Action (Social Problems), won multiple awards. Other work has been published in Social Forces (forthcoming) and Educational Researcher. Isabel’s work has been funded by numerous fellowships, awards, and grants.

Education and intensive mentorship have transformed Isabel’s life and that of her immediate family. As the eldest sibling and a child language/cultural broker for her immigrant parents, Isabel's first teaching role began at home. She and her siblings—all Joliet Central alumni (go Steelmen!)—have gone on to earn at least a Bachelor’s degree and now work in various fields, including education, healthcare, human and social services, transportation, and utility infrastructure.

Connect here for information on Isabel Garcia Valdivia

Career Highlights:
•    Published award-winning research on immigrants and their families
•    Recipient of multiple fellowships and grants for her work

Advice for Students: "Read, read, read! If you pick up a book or article and learn one valuable lesson, it’s worthwhile. You can learn so much by reading credible sources; your local public/school/digital libraries have many underutilized resources.

Try new things even when you are afraid—if they are uncomfortable or scary, it often means you are growing.

Ask a lot of questions and advocate for yourself! If you don’t ask, you won’t know.

Everything is negotiable, including deadlines, job offers, and household duties (you would be surprised what people ask for). Always ask; if you get a “no,” remember you practiced asking for more.

Find your people! Finding mentors and networks who can support you at different stages in your life and career is key to living a balanced and joyful life. I am where I am due to the intensive mentoring I have received (and I continue to pass it forward)."

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