I've always wanted to be a doctor. When I was younger, I wanted to be a medical doctor but knew I would cry every time someone got sick or died. That's not very professional or a great way to live. Then, I decided I wanted to be an academic doctor because I am a pretty good student. My mom likes to remind me that when someone says, "Is there a doctor in the house?" I can say yes but I can't save anyone's life or help them past administering CPR. But I can change some educational processes and maybe make people's lives just a little bit better and easier.
I embarked on this journey in January 2020 and at the start of my first in-person class, we were involved in a deep discussion, and I was surrounded by intellectual individuals who wanted to soak up all they could from the professor and the content. As the discussion progressed, I felt that I was in the right place and made the right decision.
Two months later, the world changed and my class pivoted to online. Luckily, I was already taking one class online and Zoom was easy to learn. I learned that I enjoyed learning remotely because I am comfortable using technology and enjoy grasping how to use new digital platforms.
I proceeded to complete two courses each semester for six semesters and maintain a 4.0 GPA. My favorite course was Leadership Theory even though I had to take two hours off of work every Monday and Wednesday, rush home to shower (COVID safety), and hop on the computer for four hours. I was buried in work for that course, but I learned a lot and felt that I was able to contribute in a meaningful way to each class session.
Currently, I am editing my prospectus for the second submission in mid-November. My first pass was not good enough, but that's OK. Nothing worth doing is easy. I've made it past the concept paper, chair selection, and literature review. I still have the prospectus, proposal, research, analysis, write-up, and defense left to complete. It is hard work, but it is worth it.
My plan was to graduate in spring 2023, but after the prospectus setback, I am planning for summer 2023. For now, I will "just keep swimming" and take my dissertation bit by bit. Stay tuned ...
