Surviving Your Ph.D.

Like so many students, especially those from overseas, he was unfamiliar with the unwritten rules of how professors and students are meant to interact. I assured him that generally professors at our university encourage students to ask questions, especially if they relate to their research or dissertation. I explained that interacting with students, sharing ideas, and watching students understand new concepts was the most rewarding part of my job.

Advice and Encouragement 

His question arose from a “Surviving your Ph.D.” dinner and conversation night hosted by Faculty Commons. A few faculty offered practical advice and encouragement to Ph.D. students. Although it’s not a Christian program per se, it gives visibility to Faculty Commons and Cru Grad and creates a natural space for Christian faculty to talk about their faith.

After opening remarks by each of the four panelists, we opened it up for Q&A. Graduate students asked about how, when, and under what circumstances they should talk with their advisors about work or about life outside of work.

Navigating Their Way

They asked if it is all right to take the weekend off, or what time they should stop working in the evening. They also asked what they can do, or who they should talk with on campus if there is a problem with their advisor, another professor, or a fellow student.

All very practical questions about how to navigate their way through graduate school, but also questions that can make or break their graduate careers and their health. Another common theme from students at these events is the need for reassurance that everything is going to turn out okay. 

Most of these students have left their families and traveled a long way from home to build a career and a new life, and to make their loved ones proud of them. They are hungry for encouragement. While I cannot promise them that graduate school will go exactly as hoped or planned, I assured them that they were selected for our graduate programs because we faculty are confident that they have what it takes to be successful no matter what their outcome in school may be. 

The Outcome Never Disappointed Me

I assured them that most faculty are dedicated to helping them find their career path. 

I shared with them how, as a Christian, I believe that God has a plan for me, that God will open and close doors accordingly and help guide my path, and that the outcome never disappointed me because it was what God wanted me to do.

As a Christian faculty member trying to be a faithful witness in my campus community, the “Surviving Your Ph.D.” program gave me a practical way to help (and minister to) Ph.D. students: not just from my department but from all over campus. It also gave me some natural touch points to share a bit about my faith in Christ and encourage others to explore what faith in Christ is all about.