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Degree I earned:
What I studied:
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Ph.D. in Education
I teach at Norfolk State University, a historically black university, so I focused my dissertation on teaching critical thinking to African-American students. |
| How I paid for it: |
Loans |
| How long it took: |
Not quite four years—from January 2004 to November 2007 |
| When I studied: |
Mostly on the weekends, and I really don’t sleep that well, so I would do a lot in the middle of the night, too. |
| Where I studied: |
My husband, Barry, started Walden’s Ph.D. in Applied Management and Decision Sciences program shortly after I started my program. He designed an office in our house with matching computers—a “Walden room.” That’s where we spent the last four years. |
| Getting a Ph.D. with my spouse: |
Our partnership made it much easier. Because he was in the program, too, he understood the amount of time it would take—it was never an issue. We encouraged each other and supported each other through the whole process. |
| Best advice I got: |
My faculty advisor, Dr. Sigrin Newell, told me early in the program, “Don’t take it personally.” It’s very easy to lose your confidence if you have to redo your work, but the faculty members are just trying to help you make it better. |
| Best aspect of my experience: |
The interaction with my classmates. At a traditional school, you sit through the lecture and you go home. At Walden, everyone was required to communicate and post messages online. I got to see how 20 people answered a certain question, and it gave me a different perspective. It really broadened my views. |
| Best thing my family did to help: |
My in-laws called us every Saturday morning, and not a week went by that they did not ask how we were doing and say how proud they were of both of us. And my family was constantly asking, “What can we do to help you guys?” That kind of encouragement, you can’t put a price on. |
| Lowest point (and how I got through it): |
The last six weeks of my dissertation were horrible because it went back and forth between my committee members. My chair went to bat for me—she got me through it by showing faith and confidence in me. |
| Highest point: |
Getting the OK that my dissertation was approved. I started to cry. |
| Most surprising thing about getting my doctorate: |
The way it makes me feel. When I sign my name and put Ph.D. after it, it sends chills through me. |
