Part 2/8:
Reflecting on my own journey, I arrived at the Hoover Institution in 2002, navigating a world that sometimes feels aloof from practical realities. In a conversation with a high-ranking dual appointee, I was gently placed in what felt like an academic hierarchy. He remarked that I was in the "big leagues" now, suggesting I needed to adjust to the climate at Stanford.
Despite my credentials—including a Ph.D. from Stanford and a legacy of academic achievement in my family—I found myself subtly marginalized because of my roots at a less prestigious institution, Fresno State. This made me acutely aware of the biases that exist in these academic circles, reinforcing the notion that one’s background often shapes perceptions more than merit or experience does.