I’m (almost) officially halfway through my Ph.D. program. At the end of this semester, I will be done with coursework and preparing for my qualifying exams. The US system seems to make course work drag on to the point where by the time you are done with courses, you are no longer afraid of quals or even the dissertation. You just want it to be here already. Or at least, that is exactly where I am.
One thing these two and a half years (and 48 required course hours) have given me is time to develop as a leader. As someone who has always been involved but not necessarily the person others look to for guidance, this has been a welcome learning experience. This started with a nomination for a leadership position that I accepted because I thought it would help me position myself as a student and future candidate. However, I had no idea that I (as someone who loves it when plans are canceled because I get to stay at home) would truly enjoy and develop a passion for my leadership roles.
I am currently serving a second term as the president of UNT’s ASIS&T student chapter. I would never have nominated myself for this position but I was happy to accept the nomination once my advisor put my name in. This role has led to others as my involvement increased and now I am serving as Planning Committee Chair for UNT’s Multidisciplinary Information Research Symposium and as a New Leader for the wider ASIS&T community. Leadership takes significant time and effort. It isn’t easy by any means, but it is also valuable. Serving in my leadership positions has allowed me to form closer bonds with my fellow students, to work closely with faculty both at UNT and beyond, and to organize events that are of great value to others in my field.
I am not listing all of the roles above to brag but to encourage others to brag a little as well. I am lucky and have an advisor who thought to nominate me for chapter president and encouraged me to apply for the New Leader Award. However, I should have thrown my name in there even without the encouragement. Who cares if it feels like bragging? If you are willing and able to commit to a committee or student chapter, do it. It will put an extra line in your CV, but it might also help you find community.