By Lucy Adautin
In a groundbreaking achievement, 35-year-old Alena Maze has made history by becoming the first black woman to attain a PhD in Survey Methodology.
Maze, a renowned YouTuber, successfully earned her doctorate degree in Survey Methodology and Statistics from the prestigious University of Maryland, College Park, in the United States.
Taking to her social media platforms, including Facebook and Instagram, Maze proudly announced her remarkable accomplishment, acknowledging the challenges she faced along the journey and her ultimate triumph.
Driven by her passion for mathematics and health, Maze was inspired to pursue a career as a survey statistician, aiming to foster inclusivity in survey methodologies.
Her academic journey began with a bachelor’s degree in Pure Mathematics from Bowie State University, followed by a Master of Science degree in Mathematics from Georgetown University, before embarking on her PhD pursuit.
Speaking about her academic prowess as a doctorate degree holder in survey methodology, Maze said, “What’s a Survey Methodologist? Well, I’m a Survey Statistician, so specifically, I research the math behind surveys.”
Providing insight, she added, “Suppose we want more information on how diabetes affects women ages 30-40, in order to develop better treatment courses. Well in a perfect world, we would like to send out a survey (i.e., a series of questions) to all women ages 30-40 with diabetes.
“However, this is not practical for many reasons. So instead we chose a smaller group (called a sample), say 2,000 women from that same population to represent the whole population of 30-40-year-old women with diabetes.”
In an exclusive interview with PopSugar, Alena Maze shared the extraordinary journey of her marital life, revealing that she first fell in love with her Korean-American husband, Joe Lee, at the tender age of 13.
Despite losing contact over the years, fate intervened, leading to a series of reconnections between them as they grew older. However, it wasn’t until their third encounter that their relationship truly blossomed.
Their love story evolved into a beautiful family dynamic, with Maze and Lee sharing their multicultural blended family experiences through vlogs featuring their children.
Reports unveil Maze’s incredible balancing act, as she successfully managed her doctorate studies alongside her roles as a devoted wife and mother to seven children while simultaneously maintaining an active presence on their vlogging platform.
Reflecting on her remarkable achievements, the 35-year-old attributes her success to unwavering dedication and the guiding influence of faith in her life.
“During this time, I encountered God’s love, through a divine meeting with His Holy Spirit in a way I cannot wait to share. His love has been enough for me to manifest anything I desire to do, be or become,” she said.
She disclosed that she would not have wanted seven children while growing up, but added that her only happiness is following the footsteps of her mother and grandmother who were given to nurturing little ones.
“Growing up, my mother helped to raise many children in the foster care system,” she told PopSugar. “I always loved having lots of children around and knew I wanted to have many children of my own.
“My favorite part of being a mom is being able to live in the footsteps of my mother and my grandmother. I feel proud to have been handed down this motherhood title. I’m learning a lot from my own children and growing myself with the challenges and victories of motherhood.”
