Your Next Degree: Graduate School
Wed 5/27 • 5PM PDT
Zoom
Careers and academic interests often evolve over time, and many people choose to pursue graduate education after gaining experience in the workforce or further exploring their fields. Whether you are considering a master’s or PhD, in an academic or professional program, graduate school can be a powerful step toward advancing your goals, shifting career paths, or deepening your expertise.
This UCLA Alumni webinar will explore what it takes to apply to graduate school across a range of disciplines. The application process can differ significantly from other advanced degrees and depends on your individual goals and motivations. You will gain an overview of the process and timeline, hear from a representative from the UCLA Division of Graduate Education, and learn how to evaluate programs such as those offered through the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health. A UCLA Career Center representative will also share insights on how graduate education can help unlock future career opportunities.
Whether you are actively preparing an application or just beginning to consider graduate school, this session will help clarify the process and available pathways.
### **The panel of speakers includes:**
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****Johanna Arias, M.Ed.****
_**Student Affairs Officer for the Executive Master of Public Health (EMPH) Program,** **Executive Programs, Department of Health Policy & Management,** **UCLA Fielding School of Public Health**_
A higher education professional, Johanna Arias is passionate about empowering the next generation of healthcare leaders. Johanna holds a Master of Education in Educational Counseling from the USC Rossier School of Education and a Bachelor of Arts in Public Policy from the University of California, Riverside. Working closely with EMPH Program Director Dr. Isomi Miake-Lye, Johanna offers guidance to EMPH applicants and is the first point of contact for anyone with inquiries about the program or the admissions process. She works closely with EMPH faculty and students and is currently taking 1:1 meetings with prospective applicants to discuss their academic and career goals.
UCLA's Executive Master of Public Health is a two-year graduate program in Health Policy and Management designed to equip working professionals with the essential knowledge, skills, and resources to navigate the complexities of the modern healthcare environment. This in-person, cohort-based program features a full-time curriculum that meets on the UCLA campus every other weekend, allowing students to balance rigorous academic training with their professional careers.
With one start per year in the Fall, the program emphasizes leadership in health policy and management and provides students the opportunity to develop a practical business plan through their coursework. For the capstone project, all students conduct an applied consulting project beginning in the summer following their first academic year; working in two-person teams, students address policy development issues, management consultations, or mentored problem resolutions in coordination with sponsoring organizations or other health-related entities. Upon graduation, students earn an MPH degree and gain access to a robust and active alumni network, ensuring continued professional support and collaborative opportunities. For more information, please visit:https://www.exechpm.ucla.edu/
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****Maria José (MJ) Hidalgo Flores, M.S. (she/her/ella)****
_**Assistant Director, Undergraduate Career Education and Development**_
Maria José (MJ) is a two-time alumna of Mount Saint Mary’s University, Los Angeles, where she earned her M.S. in Counseling Psychology and B.A. in Psychology. As a first-generation Latina, her experiences shaped her passion for guiding others in finding their path.
She is currently the Assistant Director of Undergraduate Career Education and Development at the UCLA Career Center, where she supports Humanities and Social Science students and collaborates with the First To Go and Transfer Student Center offices. MJ is dedicated to helping students build confidence and navigate their careers, grounded in her belief that self-awareness is key to fulfillment.
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****Jenna Mendoza, MA****
_**Student Affairs Officer for the Online Master of Healthcare Administration Program,** **Executive Programs, Department of Health Policy & Management,** **UCLA Fielding School of Public Health**_
Jenna Mendoza holds a Master’s in Clinical Psychology from Pepperdine University and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Loyola Marymount University. Jenna began working in student affairs at UCLA in 2020, where she utilized the counseling skills she developed during her graduate studies and the experiences she gained while working with first-year students at LMU. Jenna has been working with the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health online MHA program since 2021 and is committed to assisting MHA students from around the globe in achieving their academic and professional goals.
UCLA's online MHA program is designed to equip working professionals with the leadership skills to implement effective, value-based care strategies guided by both data and compassion. The program offers a fully online curriculum with asynchronous learning accessible from anywhere, supplemented by two intensive on-campus immersions.
To accommodate diverse professional schedules, the program provides four start dates per year—Fall, Winter, Spring, and Summer—with both full-time and part-time tracks available. With a core emphasis on healthcare management, the degree requirements include a comprehensive capstone project that allows students to apply their knowledge to real-world challenges. Graduates earn an MHA degree and gain entry into a robust and active alumni network, ensuring long-term professional connectivity and support. For more information, please visit:https://www.exechpm.ucla.edu/
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****Tiara Wair****
_**Assistant Dean, Recruitment, Outreach & Admissions, UCLA Division of Graduate Education**_
With more than 18 years of experience in higher education, Tiara is committed to expanding educational access and advancing student success. She holds a B.A. in Communication and an M.A. in Higher Education and Student Affairs Administration from Saint Louis University.
In her current role as Assistant Dean for Recruitment, Outreach, and Admissions at the University of California, Los Angeles, she leads campus-wide strategies to recruit, admit, and enroll exceptional graduate students across more than 130 master’s and doctoral programs. A proud first-generation college graduate, Tiara has guided countless students and families through the complexities of the college search and admissions process.
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