Westminster College is proud to recognize our first PhD alumna, Dr. Sarah J. Jackson!! Sarah Janel Jackson graduated from the University of Utah in 2005 with a Bachelors Degree in mass communication and African American studies; received her master’s degree in communication studies from the University of Michigan; and on December 1, 2010 she defended her dissertation, African American celebrity dissent and a tale of two public spheres: A critical and comparative analysis of the mainstream and black press 1949-2005, at the University of Minnesota to earn her doctorate in mass communication. We are extremely proud of her academic accomplishments and look forward to hearing about great things in her future.
We had an opportunity to ask Dr. Jackson a few questions about her educational journey and would like to share some of her responses with our ASPIRE family:
How did the McNair Program help prepare you for graduate school?
“I would say the most important things the McNair program did to prepare me for graduate school were to provide me with real world academic research experience and the opportunity to present this research in academic settings. It provided me with preparation for the GRE, as well as a better understanding of how to select graduate programs and successfully apply to those programs.”
Who inspired you most during your graduate career?
“The person who most inspired me during my graduate career was my adviser Dr. Catherine Squires. She not only provided me with invaluable insight into my field and various academic and intellectual topics, but also helped me navigate the political, emotional and psychological challenges of graduate education.”
If you had any academic challenges, how did you overcome them?
“I had several unique academic challenges because I transferred universities mid-way through my PhD. As a result I lost one semester worth of graduate credits and I had to take preliminary exams at two different places! However, I simply understood these challenges to be part of the decision I made to transfer which was based on my desire to continue researching with my adviser Dr. Squires. I knew that even if these challenges meant I would have to take more time to earn my degree or repeat some work, that in the broad scheme of things I would be better off as a scholar and have a better graduate school experience because of my decision.”
What advice do you have for our current McNair undergraduates and graduate students?
“My advice for undergraduate and graduate McNair students is not original and is simply this: Everything is possible. If you decide to accomplish something you can. The road, while difficult, will be made easier by taking advantage of the resources that programs like McNair make available, listening carefully to the wisdom of those who have come before you, striving for balance in your life, and always remembering that your worth is not based in what you do but who you are.”
In October 2010, the ETS project at Salt Lake Community College took juniors and seniors on our annual Northern College Tour. During the two-day trip, students visited Idaho State University, BYU-Idaho, Utah State University, and Weber State University, where they had a great time touring the campuses, visiting TRiO and other programs, and meeting other college students to learn about each school
No comments:
Post a Comment