Addendum to Journal Reflection #1

Identify your post-doctoral career aspirations. What has influenced this choice? How do you plan to obtain this goal? Do you think your graduate coursework has prepared (or will prepare) you for this career choice? Why do you think you are suitable for this career? What expectations do you have for this career? Does anything worry you about entering this career field?


My post-doctoral aspirations are to become a professor with both a Ph.D. and a Certified Child Life Specialist.  My role models are Dr. Kathryn Cantrell and Dr. Elizabeth McCarroll.  I’ve always grown up around academia because of my mom, who is a newly retired Nursing professor.  I didn’t always want to do it because I don’t like the idea of grading a bunch of papers.  However, I want to be a professor because my professors have all collectively imparted a lot of knowledge on academia, on career, on life, and on family.  I plan to obtain the goal of Professor by getting a head start on doing research, having a focused research agenda, presenting, publishing, learning, and teaching.

Because this is my very first graduate class, I don’t know yet if my coursework will prepare me for the job of Professor.  I had a very positive experience interviewing with the Family Studies professors and thus chose this program.  I am suitable for this career because I have a Master of Science in Child Life and can write at the Master, and soon-to-be doctoral level and do research.  My greatest work and volunteer experiences revolve around strengthening the family and child and adolescent development.  For instance, I have worked as an independent math tutor and as an after-school helper at a recreation center.  For nearly twelve years, I have been a Wish Granter at the Make-A-Wish Foundation of North Texas, working with families and making sick children’s wishes come true.

I expect to find a tenure-track job and excel in the following areas as a doctoral student: doing research, having a focused research agenda, presenting, publishing, and teaching.  Nothing worries me about entering the Ph.D. in Human Development and Family Studies.  I want to work on my skills of communicating, presenting, and writing.  I can always improve in these areas because they are useful and practical.

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