Getting to the final step of a Ph.D. and defending the dissertation you’ve worked on for many years is not a simple task, but it is meaningful to complete such a challenging project. María Ximena Maldonado-Morales, D25, recently passed her dissertation defense, and SSW celebrates her incredible accomplishment.
“The dissertation process was long and challenging, but now that it is done, it feels like it all went by so fast! It feels extremely rewarding to have gone through the process of learning, reading, researching and writing, and I feel proud of the final product.”
Inspired by some of her own experiences, Maldonado-Morales was drawn to exploring the themes of belonging, not-belonging and cultural identity within second-generation immigrant communities. Her dissertation, “Living In-Between: Belonging and Second-Generation Latinx Emerging Adults; A Mixed-Methods Approach” examines the common experience children of immigrants have of feeling unseen–caught between the culture of the place they live and that of their parents and family.
She focused specifically on emerging adult children of immigrants from Mexico and Central America, and felt called to explore these themes from a few places: her own experiences as a second-generation Latina, those of her sister and cousins, as well as her clients and students at SSW and University of Houston.
Her tenure at SSW has shaped her clinical perspectives and skills deeply, an experience she calls transformative.
“It has led me to explore more of my interests as a clinician and as an educator, and to see myself as someone that maybe can support others.”
Alongside learning, researching and teaching, Maldonado-Morales has served as the editorial assistant for Studies in Clinical Social Work: Transforming Practice, Education and Research. She has supported the journal’s renewed commitment to publishing critical work that promotes racial and social justice within clinical spaces, as well as advancing culturally-appropriate practice in oppressed and marginalized communities.
Looking back at her years of scholarship and work at SSW, Maldonado-Morales said she feels gratitude towards the many community members who helped her through the program.
“I want to thank a lot of people: all my professors at SSW, as well as my amazing dissertation committee and chair; the students I’ve been lucky to teach at SSW and at University of Houston, and my peers at SSW for their support and encouragement. I especially want to thank my friends and family for supporting me in this journey.”
