Скачать или смотреть From Working-Class to PhD: Dr. Justin Rittenhouse’s Blueprint for STEM Success

How do you go from not knowing how to fill out a FAFSA to earning a PhD in mechanical engineering?

In this powerful episode, Dr. Ayo Olufade sits down with Dr. Justin Rittenhouse, an engineer, author, and first-gen college graduate, to unpack his journey through education, resilience, and real-world STEM success.

His book, The Secret Keys to a STEM Degree, distills the lessons he learned the hard way about scholarships, internships, AI as a tutor, and succeeding without a roadmap.

Whether you are a student, educator, or mentor, this episode is full of actionable insights for navigating STEM from any starting point.

Watch this if you want to learn:
How to stack scholarships and get through college debt-free
How to leverage internships and school projects to build your career
Why AI might be the best tutor for underrepresented learners
How to support first-gen students from home or the classroom
What it takes to go from “I don’t know what FAFSA is” to “Dr.”

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👇 Chapters (clickable timestamps in description)

0:00 – 1:45 Welcome & Podcast Purpose
1:45 – 4:10 Meet Dr. Justin Rittenhouse
4:10 – 7:30 The Book: 'Secret Keys to a STEM Degree'
7:30 – 11:00 Writing Challenges
11:00 – 13:00 Advice for Aspiring Authors
13:00 – 18:00 Student Strategies
18:00 – 23:30 Preparing for Industry
23:30 – 28:00 Educators in Transition
28:00 – 34:00 Dr. Rittenhouse’s Journey
34:00 – 38:00 CTE to College
38:00 – 42:00 First-Gen Challenges
42:00 – 46:30 How Parents Can Support
46:30 – 52:00 Scholarships & FAFSA
52:00 – 56:00 Supporting Marginalized Students
56:00 – 1:02:00 AI as a Learning Tool
1:02:00 – 1:06:30 STEM Nerd Identity
1:06:30 – 01:08:21.4 Closing Thoughts

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