School Technology Policies

So, it’s been two weeks since my residency, and the things that I learned had more to do with the people that I met than the content that I learned. My specific program is based on mentor guidance through six papers, and I am thankful to have a great mentor and enjoy the writing process. Most other programs are class-based, which means that there is little opportunity to get to know professors and the different fields where they have done research. That said, I found the pressure to have an “advisement meeting” was more important to others than to me. Most of my colleagues in the groups have had classes on how to write, how to develop a prospectus, and how to start the dissertation, all of which is guided through my mentor.

As a result, the classes, while mostly engaging, did not really meet my program needs. I got the sense that the university is pushing forward with more course-based programs, and the KAM-reliant programs like mine are not as common. I am comfortable with that, but the gearing of the classroom time did not speak to where I was in my program or how I should progress.

Another interesting feature was the level of the students. The comparison of the huge number of first residency students versus the relatively few in their third or fourth residency was a bit of a shock or surprise, and I have continued to think about the tendency to leave the program unfinished when it came to writing the dissertation. Wow. I am even more determined to complete my program than ever, and I believe I am on the right track.

On the positive side, I met some really great colleagues who live locally and very far away, and I plan on keeping in touch. This has been a consistent theme. Between the people that I met in the first and second residencies and the ones that I met at the most recent event have solidified the importance of the human connections that are made in this common “struggle” to reach our educational goals. At the end of the day, this is MY program, and I am focused on finishing my PhD as soon as I can without cutting any corners. I want the full experience, and I am paying for the opportunity to learn as much as I can. I am excited about the future possibilities I see as an outcome of my PhD!