Ryan Houston-Dial

Ryan Houston-Dial is a PhD student studying ethnic racial socialization, identity association, and minority mental health outcomes.

On connecting with others

One of the things that surprised me is the community that I've been able to build here in a short amount of time. I’ve been able to connect with others from different disciplines, find different ways in which our work might overlap, and also look into other methodologies that I didn't necessarily consider before. I’ve been able to make friends and learn a little bit about individuals outside of the statistical training that we get here.

Coming into this I was a little bit shy, but I think the willingness of other individuals to put themselves out there, to just get to know me, had me feeling a little more comfortable and confident to do the same with other people. Sometimes grad school can feel like you're in your inner world, but it was nice to connect with others that have a similar path or journey, even if the things we might be learning or our research topics are different.

How would you describe the Summer Program to someone who isn't familiar with it?

The first word that comes to my mind is phenomenal. I really enjoyed my time. When you have so many different people coming from different places, and some of us are the only people from our institution, you may think it might be isolating. You're trying to find your path, and you're in a new area. But it's been phenomenal, this community that's been cultivated and the connections I've been able to make.

Advice for newcomers

Be willing and open to allow yourself to get out of your comfort zone and engage people, because there are other individuals that want to talk to somebody, and maybe they're having similar feelings.

Also come ready to learn, and not feeling like you have to know everything right off the top. Just allow yourself to connect with your peers, connect with your instructor, ask questions, and work with others in groups to help facilitate that process of learning.

"One of the things that surprised me is the community that I've been able to build here."