Oscaterin Bautista begins her day at 5 a.m., carving out quiet hours to study before her four children wake. At 35, she balances motherhood, a full-time job and a double major at ĚÇĐÄvlog – all while championing young children’s school readiness. This documentary photo essay follows her journey in her own words, capturing the determination, setbacks and inspiration fueling her pursuit of higher education.

“I’m grateful to contribute to something meaningful, to inspire others to begin their educational journey and to show that it’s never too late if we have the motivation and desire to grow,” she says.

As told to Marilyn Joyce Lehren

Study Time

Oscaterin Bautista sits at her dining room table at dawn, typing a discussion post for her summer class, Working with Diverse Families.

Even if I only get three hours of sleep, I know it’s worth it. Soon, I’ll have my degree and that will open more doors for us. I want my kids to see that it’s possible.”

Oscaterin Bautista starts each morning with an energy drink and study session, keeping her on track to graduate in December 2025.

I remind myself this is a temporary sacrifice … I want to be a role model for my kids – I can’t expect them to be something I’m not.”

Breakfast and Family Routine

Oscaterin cooks breakfast with Kaylah, 8, as her older children – Ethan, Kamila and Liam – start on morning chores. The family’s routine is simple: before anyone uses a phone or tablet, every household task is completed together.

I’m really thankful for my kids; they help me a lot. My 15-year-old takes care of the younger ones when I have evening classes.”

On the Job: Advocating for Families

At her desk, Oscaterin champions children’s success and guides families toward self-reliance through her work at Montclair Child Development Center in Glen Ridge.

We have families of every background. I see the worries and the hopes. My job is to remind them help is not a punishment and you are not alone.”

During her internship, Oscaterin assisted in enhancing family engagement strategies and collaborated with staff to support children and families. She gained hands-on experience with the Referral for Assistance process and contributed a Special Needs Guideline Sheet to help families navigate the Child Study Team referral process and access individualized support.

I have a caseload of 113 families. I help them with self-assessments and services, even paperwork they’re afraid to fill out. Sometimes I see what’s missing – maybe a child isn’t getting vaccines or a family needs food. If I can, I help them in my office – especially if they’re afraid of being misunderstood or if there are language barriers.”

Oscaterin saves and treasures handwritten notes from children she’s supported at the Montclair Child Development Center, reminders of the impact she’s had on their lives.

I keep the notes as special reminders of my connection with the children, especially throughout their journey to kindergarten. I’ve been part of some families’ lives for one to three years, and when they leave our program, a real connection remains – because I see their faces daily and a bond is built. Creating an impact on the little ones is truly priceless, even if they might not remember me when they grow up.”

Evening: Family, Homework and Baseball

After work, Oscaterin heads home to her second shift – taking the family to her son’s baseball game.

I’m there as his number one fan, even if he strikes out.”

Back to School

Oscaterin walks across the Montclair campus on the first day of her final semester. She’s on track to earn degrees in Child Advocacy and Policy and Family Science and Human Development.

At first, I was scared to go back to college. I was 30 with four children, surrounded by classmates half my age. But I met others like me and I learned I wasn’t alone.”

The flexibility of online and in-person classes has allowed Oscaterin to balance her education, work and family in ways she didn’t think possible.

The support from professors and the resources available have prepared me to grow stronger as a family advocate … Sometimes, while working on ourselves, we can lose sight of who we are, but the feedback from my professors reminds me of who I want to become and why I am here.”

Oscaterin speaks with Assistant Professor Roxanna Ast during the Child Welfare Research and Evaluation class in University Hall.

After I graduate, I want to get my master’s in social work and create a nonprofit that makes sure no family falls through the cracks. I want to use my experiences to make things easier for other families. If I’ve struggled, so have others – and no one should face that journey alone.”

for a more complete look at Oscaterin’s day as a mother, student and family advocate.

Are You Ready to Start Your Montclair Journey?

• Plan your visitĚý˛ą˛Ô»ĺĚý in applying to become a Red Hawk!

The Montclair programs that participate in the annual survey include Education, Public Health, Audiology, Speech-Language Pathology and the University’s Part-Time MBA program.

Highlights from the 2025 Best Graduate Programs Rankings:

• ˛Ń´Ç˛ÔłŮł¦±ô˛ąľ±°ů’s graduate education specialization in Elementary Teacher Education ranked No. 21 in the nation
• ˛Ń´Ç˛ÔłŮł¦±ô˛ąľ±°ů’s Doctor of Audiology and Master’s in Speech-Language Pathology programs, in a new addition to the annual rankings, ranked No. 61 and No. 105 (and second in N.J.), respectively
• The institution’s overall ranked No. 108 overall and second in N.J.
• The University’s Master of Public Health ranked No. 168 overall
• ˛Ń´Ç˛ÔłŮł¦±ô˛ąľ±°ů’s Part-Time MBA program ranked No. 197, up ten spots from last year’s rankings

˛Ń´Ç˛ÔłŮł¦±ô˛ąľ±°ů’s Graduate Offerings

Montclair offers 116 master’s and eight doctoral programs across a range of disciplines in its 13 colleges and schools.

“Our graduate programs prepare students to enter the next phase of their careers with the skills needed to thrive in their chosen fields,” says Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs Junius Gonzales. “These rankings are the latest indication that ˛Ń´Ç˛ÔłŮł¦±ô˛ąľ±°ů’s stature as a comprehensive research university with cutting-edge programs continues to ascend.”

Are You A…

Prospective Student? Take the first step toward applying to become a Red Hawk.

Journalist? Contact the Media Relations team for assets or to schedule an interview about this topic.

Talida State, Associate Professor for the Department of Teaching and Learning in the (CEEL), is the principal investigator of the project, and Julia Coyne, Director of the School Psychology Certificate Program and Psychoeducational Services Clinic in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHSS), is co-principal investigator for the project. The project is the result of a shared vision to develop and promote best practices in school psychology at Montclair.

The award, part of the Biden-Harris administration’s latest investment of $70 million to across the nation, will support the implementation of ˛Ń´Ç˛ÔłŮł¦±ô˛ąľ±°ů’s project, titled EPIC-MHP: Enhancing Preservice Instruction for Comprehensive Mental Health Provision (EPIC-MHP).

The project is a significant advancement in the unique partnership between Montclair and Local Education Agencies (LEA) of West Orange, East Orange, and Clifton that will allow for the recruitment, training, and retention of diverse and highly qualified and culturally responsive school psychologists who are well-prepared to meet the challenges of today’s educational and mental health landscape.

About the EPIC-MHP program

The EPIC-MHP program fosters innovative, inclusive, and sustainable solutions to improve student outcomes and well-being in New Jersey. Over the next five years, it will enroll and train 60 school psychology graduate students in the Master’s Degree in Clinical Psychology with State Certification in School Psychology and the innovative Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) Certificate, designed to equip trainees with the specialized skill needed to provide quality mental health services in schools.

Each school psychology trainee will engage in structured, progressively challenging embedded fieldwork experiences designed to build competencies in school psychology and MTSS-driven mental health service delivery. Working closely with qualified school-based supervisors and Montclair faculty, trainees will learn to implement and monitor MTSS initiatives in their placements with the goal of creating a positive impact for district students while enhancing practical skill acquisition.

Graduates of the school psychology program will:

• Acquire a strong foundation in MTSS framework.
• Receive supervision from credentialed professionals in the implementation of comprehensive, schoolwide mental health efforts.
• Gain marketable experience co-planning and implementing MTSS initiatives in schools, effectively bridging the gap between theory and practice.

“Our goal is to prepare a new generation of school psychologists with the expertise to tackle the growing mental health challenges in our schools,” says State. “By embedding MTSS principles into their training, we are preparing them not only to provide direct mental health services but also to lead system wide initiatives that promote the well-being of all students.”

Adds Coyne, “Paid practica and internships are crucial to ensuring that trainees receive quality experiences in local partner districts. It’s wonderful to be able to reduce some of the financial burdens associated with school psychology training in New Jersey.”

“Our ability to provide stipends is a game changer for our program and our students. Easing the financial barriers makes their career paths more accessible, especially for underrepresented groups within our cohorts.”

Cross-collaboration at Montclair

The EPIC-MHP project illustrates the impact of effective and authentic collaboration between disciplines in CEEL and CHSS. This entrepreneurial and cross-college collaboration is consistent with ĚÇĐÄvlog’s Strategic Plan 2025: Project Soar and embodies the institution’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, emphasizing a transformative recruitment and training-to-employment pipeline. This initiative equips future school psychologists with the skills and knowledge necessary to address critical mental health and educational needs in diverse communities within the state of New Jersey.

Talida State and Julia Coyne. Photo by Mike Peters for ĚÇĐÄvlog

I’m a ______, tell me more…

Prospective Student / Parent: Plan a and take the first step in !
Journalist: Contact the Media Relations team for assets or to schedule an interview with the researcher about this topic. See more Faculty Experts and hi-res media assets available for download.

“Anti-fat bias has surpassed discrimination based on race and gender and sexuality, so it’s the most prevalent form of discrimination out there,” Spitz says. Yet, “there are no legal protections for fat people.”

“Anti-fat bias is so present but there’s never been a space for that discussion,” says Office for Social Justice and Diversity Director Adela Caceres. “This is a huge learning opportunity.”

As a Montclair alumna, MFA Studio Art ’16, currently pursuing a master of arts in Higher Education, Spitz also serves as Department Administrator for Art and Design. Identifying as a “fat person” – a term she uses descriptively and as an identity – she is committed to raising awareness about this often-overlooked bias and improving inclusivity on campus.

Turning Research into Action

Spitz’s efforts have already influenced leaders and staff at ĚÇĐÄvlog, resulting in positive changes on campus including:

• Inclusive Classroom Design: A renovated lecture classroom in Calcia Hall now features seating for larger students and those with disabilities.
• Health-care Accessibility: The Student Health Center updated its policies and spaces to better serve all students. Changes include offering gowns in various sizes, implementing a “Decline to Weigh” policy, and prominently displaying inclusive signage.
• Community Awareness: Spitz helped organize ˛Ń´Ç˛ÔłŮł¦±ô˛ąľ±°ů’s first flag-raising ceremony for Disability Awareness Month in conjunction with LGBTQ+ History Month and with the Office for Social Justice and Diversity, the Disability Caucus and the Disability Resource Center.

The “Decline to Weigh” policy allows patients to opt out of being weighed when seeking services. If deemed medically necessary to obtain a weight, those measurements are taken “blind,” says Interim Student Health Center Director Sarah Jennings, “meaning the numbers are not shared with the patient.”

Spitz says such a policy “is particularly important for students with eating disorders as seeing or knowing their weight can trigger dangerous eating disorder habits. If we can dispel the myth that your weight is controllable and the way that your weight impacts your health – it’s a very small portion – those are the two key things that I’ve been trying to dispel, because that’s what the research says helps with biases.”Jennings praises Spitz’s commitment, noting that her involvement “prompted a number of meaningful changes.”

Raising Awareness Across Campus

Taking advantage of President Jonathan Koppell’s invitation to students to walk and talk with him around campus, Spitz shared some of her findings with him. In turn, he shared it with members of his leadership team, who have been receptive to her presentation on the history and implications of “Weight Based Discrimination.”

Vice President for Student Development and Campus Life Dawn Meza Soufleris, who has Spitz in a graduate class, invited Spitz to present her research to her staff. “She has been advocating for a number of things via the Disabilities Caucus, including larger seating and other body-positive frameworks, as well as teaching many of us the history of anti-fatness from a DEI perspective. It’s fascinating and is her passion.”

She may have a larger campus audience in the spring. Associate Vice President for Inclusive Excellence and Special Assistant to the President Ashante Connor says: “We are working to provide a platform for her to raise awareness and educate our community around weight inclusion. Anti-fatness shows up in ways that typically our conscious mind is unaware of, especially in the hiring process and other selection processes. Our goal is to provide a space and platform for any employee who is committed to advancing inclusion and access for the entire community.”

Spitz  also has shared her findings with the Disability Caucus, of which she is an executive board member, as well as the Office for Social Justice and Diversity professors and students.

Office for Social Justice and Diversity Director Adela Caceres, who also serves as Spitz’s mentor, found the information eye-opening and invited her to a training for about 30 graduate and undergraduate students who work with the office. “She’s doing some amazing work,” Caceres says. “Anti-fat bias is so present but it’s never talked about, and at a university like this, where we have such a diverse group of students, there are many that identify with this particular community, but there’s never been a space for that discussion. Even for me, it was a huge learning opportunity.”

Key Takeaways from Anti-Fat Bias Research

Spitz’s research highlights that anti-fatness is a complex, multifaceted issue with deep historical roots and wide-ranging impacts on individuals and society. Major takeaways from the findings include:

1. Historical roots: Fat people have existed across the world for as long as thin people, dating  back to the Paleolithic era’s “Small-fat” bodies were considered the ideal beauty for white women during the Renaissance. This changed during slavery, however, when America and European colonialists started portraying black bodies negatively to further legitimize the oppression of black people for over 500 years.
2. Legal discrimination: “It’s actually legal to discriminate against fat folks in 48 states,” Spitz says. “New York City just passed a law in 2023 forbidding it, but it’s still legal within the state of New York.” While it’s still legal in New Jersey, a bill making it illegal to discriminate against people because of height and weight has been advanced by the Senate Labor Committee; a House bill has not been introduced.
3. Gender bias: Women experience more systemic discrimination and interpersonal bias related to body size than men. There’s also more focus on women’s bodies and appearance in professional settings. “A lot of my research shows massive disparities in employment income, especially for women,” Spitz says.
4. Religious influence: The rise and spread of Protestantism linked eating habits and body weight with morality, leading to a persistent mentality that people are “good” or only deserve health care if they’re trying to be healthy.
5. Anti-fat fashion: Clothing and fashion has also played a key role in stigmatizing fat people and the industry still largely promotes thinness, especially for women.
6. Everyday challenges: Fat people face numerous everyday challenges, from fitting into cars to dealing with furniture designed for smaller bodies.

Why Weight Bias Matters in Higher Education

1. Physical Infrastructure: Campus spaces often fail to accommodate larger bodies, from classroom chairs to dorm showers.
2. Social Bias: Fat students face bullying and exclusion, compounded by misconceptions about weight and health.
3. Mental Health: Stress from discrimination and feeling singled out can harm students’ well-being and self-esteem.
4. Health-care Disparities: Reliance on outdated measures like BMI perpetuates biased care. Spitz emphasizes that some patients with higher BMIs can have normal lab results and blood pressure.
5. Limited Representation: A lack of diverse body types among faculty and in campus media may reinforce feelings of exclusion.

Recommendations for Change

Spitz has a long list of recommendations that could result in cultural and systemic changes at Montclair and other institutions of higher education to combat anti-fatness, including:

• Expanding mental health resources for students with eating disorders and weight-related stress.
• Incorporating sizeism into diversity training for hiring committees.
• Representing fat individuals positively in campus advertising and media.
• Increasing clothing and mannequin sizes at university bookstores.

What’s Next for Anti-Fat Bias Research and Advocacy?

While systemic changes take time, Spitz is determined to keep advocating for inclusion. She is also working on publishing a peer-reviewed study focusing on weight-based discrimination in higher education. “Seeing these results will be healing for so many students for years to come,” she says. “I’m so grateful for all my mentors and collaborators on-campus who supported me and gave me the opportunities to present my work.”

I’m a ______, tell me more…

Prospective Student / Parent: Learn more about Art & Design and Higher Education or plan a visit to our campus and take the first step in applying to become a Red Hawk!

Journalist: Contact the Media Relations team for assets or to schedule an interview with the researcher about this topic. See more Faculty Experts and hi-res media assets available for download.