I'm a PhD Candidate Now!

I wrote about the process of becoming a PhD candidate in a previous blog post, which you can read here. I recently passed my written exams and oral defense, officially making me a PhD candidate now. What that means is there is only one physical thing standing between me and my PhD degree: my dissertation; this is also known in academia as being "ABD" (all but dissertation).

Obviously, there is more to candidacy than just one dissertation. I have to get an approved prospectus and IRB protocol (which ensures my empirical research does not unfairly hurt research participants physically, mentally, or emotionally); file a form to graduate; perform a presentation and dissertation defense; and finally make edits and revisions according to my committee's feedback. All of these lengthy and specific processes are wrapped up into "the dissertation."

my doctoral candidacy announcement

If I'm being completely honest, I can't believe I'm finally here. As a first-generation college student with multiple mental illnesses and a physical disability, I know this process was not made for people like me to succeed. Many days remind me that an advanced degree like this is not just a sign of knowledge or experience, but also a sign of determination and grit. It also is a sign of how accommodating schools, programs, and professors have been in order to help me succeed on my own terms rather than following the strict, often unnecessarily difficult paths that other students had to take in their programs and classes. I've had many first-generation, non-traditional, or disabled friends who had to drop out of their advanced programs because of issues with access and professors who valued themselves over abiding by ADA accommodations promised to their students. It's sickening.

Now, in my fourth year of my PhD program, it isn't possible for me to feel like I did all of this on my own because of how many bright scholars I've seen abandoned by professors and student support services. I am so grateful to every professor I've had who accommodated me and helped me; every admin who helped me find the right accommodations needed to succeed in grad school; every scholarship committee who found me worthy of monetary support; and every person who helped me get to where I am today with various kinds of support. I'm here because of all the people who have impacted my life, not just myself. I'm sure you know who you are, so if you're reading this, thank you for everything positive you've done for me as I pursued this path not taken by most of the world's population.

Next Steps

If you want to continue supporting my PhD journey, there are plenty of ways to do so (and this could also be impactful for other students and budding scholars in your life).

1. Firstly, please don't ask how my dissertation is going. I'll let people know when I am done, ready to defend (my defense will be open to the public from what I understand), and officially a doctor. I love my work but I know there will be many uphill battles as I work on it this year. This will save me from talking your ear off and save my mental energy for my work instead of complaining. My therapist will get me through that. I promise we can talk about something else.

2. Read! I have (usually) weekly blog posts, upcoming articles & chapters that I'll be publishing, and (usually) weekly opinion articles in my university's newspaper. If you want to know how my life is going and my big concerns, this is a great way to stay updated. There are ways for readers to respond, comment, and share my writing in these different forums, too. I've been writing multiple times a week to get my knowledge and feelings out about important topics; I've also taken a step back from my creative writing lately because I'm finding prose to be easier on me emotionally and easier for readers to understand my ideas and feelings about potentially touchy topics. If something happens to my school or program due to governmental interference, I'll also be updating readers on these topics. I refuse to go silently.

3. Understand that if I take a while to respond to texts, calls, or social media, it probably isn't personal. I'm busy reading, researching, writing, and working so I may be away from my phone, forget to call or text back, or have a timer set to limit my time wasted on social media apps. I'm still working on replying faster while I'm swimming in research data; I could get lost in empirical data for days straight if I didn't need to eat or sleep.

4. This also applies to hanging out. I love hanging out with friends, but if I am too busy or need to postpone a hang out, it isn't personal. I have to follow my body and mind as it flows naturally. It helps me write better and faster. That might mean hanging out twice a month instead of every other day. I still love y'all even if I can't make it to big events or specific timed events. I also still have room in my heart for you if something is super important and we need to spill the tea together. Still feel free to message me or invite me to stuff; I will let you know if I can attend or when I have time to get together or talk. Shout out to the friend who has called me 3 times last month and each time was while I was in the shower before going to bed; one of these nights, our schedule will align and we shall chat until the wee hours of the morning like we have before.

5. I plan to go on the job market this next year; My goal is to become a tenure-track professor or professor of practice of English (specifically dis/ability studies and empirical writing research) at a research university (I'm considering both American and international opportunities currently because of uncertainty due to Trump's executive orders) around fall 2026. For those of my friends and colleagues in the field, if you see a job opening meant to be filled by someone like me that aligns with my graduation timeline, feel free to send it my way. The job market is fierce in education, especially for tenure-track jobs. Having a close circle of friends and colleagues helps build connections and get scholars where they need and want to go. I know I couldn't be here without help from fellow scholars, and I know I won't be getting my dream job without similar help from my connections. I am open to other jobs such as technical writing & editing, but my first goal is academia.

6. Give me money, punk! Just kidding; I'm working hard and applying for scholarships and grants. It's a humble stipend, but it is enough to keep me functioning with support from my generous partner. I might not have a bunch of spare money for expensive stuff like unplanned trips or concerts, so don't take it personally if I can't attend everything. My budget may decrease to a humble meal out or ice cream every once in a while and those are just as nice if not better than expensive events.

7. For those of you who do, I always appreciate prayers for my success and well-being. The power of prayer is indeed real and you never know how much it can help your loved ones.

   
   

   #IDMD #IDisappointMyDad #PhD #gradschool #dissertation #PhDCandidate #ABD #allbutdissertation #support #success #hardwork