#REGARDLESS Series Igdalia Covarrubias, grew up in a small agricultural town located in the San Joaquin Valley region of California and is now a PhD student at Ohio State University. In this episode, she shares her story of abuse and how she overcame adversity to pursue her dreams. From growing up in poverty to being awarded 11 scholarships in high school, including the prestigious Gates Millennium Scholarship and Dell Scholarship, Igdalia did not let her adversities stop her from "moving forward." Currently, she holds a Bachelor's degree in English, a Master's degree in Counseling, and very soon she will be Doctora Covarrubias. REGARDLESS of her adversities, Igdalia has used her painful circumstances to create a better future for herself. In this episode, she talks about how speaking up liberated her and helped her reach her full potential in life. She also provides advice about setting short-term goals and then reaching the long-term ones and says, "we must always live life to the fullest."