“As an undergraduate, I went to a small California state school close to where my family lived,” she says. “The population of minority students was pretty high. I was surrounded by folks who were from underrepresented backgrounds. They understood me. Being away from my family and support system was stressful. And I didn't want to let people know that I was struggling because I didn’t want to let anyone down."

Gonzalez Herrera stayed in school and in 2016 became the first in her family to earn a doctorate in large part because she found a faculty advisor who offered her the guidance and support she needed to succeed at GSAS. Now, the School hopes to enable others to do the same through The Advising Project, an in-depth, two-year initiative focused on improving the advising experience of master’s and PhD students. A top priority of Dean Emma Dench, the project seeks to change the culture of the GSAS by putting advising at the center of the educational experience, enabling faculty to develop the skills to become more effective advisors, and empowering students to get the most out of mentoring relationships.