5 Questions with Women Thriving Panelist Jennifer Joslin Jennifer Joslin is the Associate Director for Content Development for NACADA at Kansas State University. She was a full-time student for her masters degree and for part of her doctorate. After finishing her masters degree, she taught in the Womens Studies program and in her own graduate program and eventually took a a full-time (and life-changing!) job at the University of Iowa Academic Advising Center while finishing her dissertation. (1) What are the most important things women should consider in the process of deciding to pursue their next degree? I believe that you need a doctorate to advance in higher education. Some colleagues have advanced without a doctorate; most advance with a doctorate. Neither route is easy. The colleagues I know who have advanced without a doctorate have done so by staying at one institution and investing their considerable knowledge and experience in their position, their unit, and the campus. They are usually mentored or sponsored by someone who recognizes their enormous capabilities and promotes them despite the conventional wisdom that says you “have” to have a doctorate. Those who pursue a doctorate have to balance terrific pressures (e.g., family, school, work) that feel overwhelming on a daily basis. In my experience, the choice to pursue a doctorate is one that is made over and over again due to the ongoing challenges that are faced (I know, it’s crazy-making!). In short, you have to be brave, clever, persistent, a little stubborn, determined, demonstrate grit (oooh trendy!) and have a very strong support system to make either choice. As we tell our students every day, make the choice after gathering as much information as you can about the challenges, your options, the best fit for you, the strength of your support, and your goals. Then work like heck to realize your dream!! (2) What was the most challenging part of earning your Ph.D.? If I had it to do over again I would get “out of my head” and work harder at just writing the damn thing (the Diss). I put a great deal of pressure on myself that actually limited my productivity and sense of accomplishment. I still fight this with my writing so yay for lifelong challenges. Not. (3) What are your favorite time management strategies or resources? My local coffee shop. Getting away from the house and workplace to write continues to be my number one best and most productive strategy. May God always bless the local coffee shop with the free wi-fi and the refillable coffee mug. (And yes, Dropbox, M&Ms, the Google Suite of products, Evernote, scheduling and committing the time, having a writing buddy, reaching out when you struggle – all good too!) (4) What are you currently reading? I am a big Jane Austen fan and am currently reading an annotated “Sense and Sensibility” by Patricia Spacks. I am also reading “Quiet” by Susan Cain and am about to reread “Gilead” by Marilynne Robinson. Plus I have two books on “social media for social good” in the on-deck circle! Can’t wait! (5) Favorite quote: I treasure the quote from one of my dissertation committee members, Dr. Tina Parrott (who heard it from her graduate advisor): “If it were meant to be perfect, they wouldn’t give it to graduate students to do!” Join the #womenthriving panelists on Thursday 10/9 at 10:15am in Auditorium 3 of the Minneapolis Convention Center at #NACADA14 to discuss not just surviving but thriving while juggling work, life, and school!
Posted on: Fri, 03 Oct 2014 18:25:46 +0000
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