Hosted by Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies (GSWS) at Penn
This fall, we will be featuring blog posts written by PhD students who participated in Career Services’ Career Exploration Initiative (CEI), a program that helps doctoral candidates explore their career interests through networking opportunities with advanced degree professionals. Click here to learn more about CEI.
My host, Dr. Gwendolyn Beetham (GB), Associate Director of the Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies Program here at Penn, was spectacular. Participating in CEI allowed me to strengthen our relationship. I served as a TA for her department in the past but we did not get a chance to get to know each other well. We met in-person on a bi-weekly basis during CEI and talked through how we might spend the semester. I had the opportunity to meet with other staff and faculty, both on campus and off campus, learn more about leading an academic department, and think through the impact I want to have on students.
In terms of my career interests, I have been going back and forth between a faculty career, an administrative role within higher education, or a role outside of academia for the last 2.5 years. While I am not afraid of the commitment to the tenure track, having a positive workplace culture is deeply important to me. I know that each university and each department will have their own culture, so learning about Dr. GB’s experiences was helpful to chart my path. I do think that I will strive for a GSWS faculty position after graduation. Dr. GB makes it look worthwhile!Â
CEI is a light lift, as promised. It’s truly an exploration, rather than an internship, hence the name. 10 hours of CEI activities spread throughout ~3 months is likely a reasonable request of most Ph.D. students. I heard from peers that their hosts were focused on getting them real-life experiences, rather than receiving free labor. If you are someone who has not worked full-time, CEI is perfect for you because you’re able to have a sneak peek into your future. It is so important to learn early on what seems like a great career versus a career you may not enjoy. This is a low-risk, high-reward experience because of the positive relationship you are designed to have with your host, as well as fellow Ph.D. students.
