Terminal Degrees: Surviving Graduate School; Studio Wrap-Arounds

Good evening, my name is Bobby Gonzalez and your host for Terminal Degrees Surviving Graduate School. In a moment we'll be watching a documentary that will be focusing on just that, obtaining a terminal degree, a PhD if you will, some of the hurdles, some of the politics, some of the things that you might be facing if in fact you decide to go back to graduate school and obtain your terminal degree. The reasons for obtaining a terminal degree are numerous to say the least. Competitiveness in the workforce, perhaps increased technologies, technological advances throughout the world. Almost dictates it. We go back to graduate school and obtain that degree. We're truly fortunate to have a professional in the

field of education. We'll be shedding some light on the issue. Dr. Ellen Goldberg, who is associate provost for research and also the dean of graduate studies at the University of New Mexico. Dr. Welcome to the program. Thank you. I'm very glad to be here. As we've mentioned on a few occasions already, you've been very busy and we want to thank you for being here, taking the time for being with us on Terminal Degrees. I'm very happy to be here. I find this very important to get the message out to the students out there that may want to return to graduate school. You know returning to graduate school, there's a lot of things that come to mind. One of which is, well, perhaps I might be too old. I might have been out of school too long. I'm not capable. I'm not smart enough. The list goes on and on. What is the commonplace of a traditional student now? Do we still see the 21, 22, 25-year-old traditional student? First of all, I want to say that I know very few students that go to graduate school that don't feel a lack of confidence, wondering whether or not it's the right thing for them. To answer your second question,

in terms of a traditional student, when we think of our traditional students, we're thinking about the younger students, but we're finding more and more of the non-traditional, the more mature, the older student returning to graduate school and we welcome them at the university. Is this a national trend or is this just in New Mexico? I truly believe it's a national trend because the opportunities are out there, the universities are recognizing this and they're making it easier for the non-traditional, more mature student to return. Obviously, the reasons for going back to graduate school are many, to say the least, economical factors and as I mentioned in the opening, the constant change in technological advances and so on and so forth. You as a professional in the field, what are some of the reasons that you believe that there were having a large number of returning students? I think there's several reasons. First of all, I think what you're saying in terms of high tech, more students, more individuals out there in the workplace realize that in order for them to advance and to achieve some of the things that they're hoping to do, they need to obtain this

PhD or a master's degree. I also believe there are more opportunities now for the returning student. There are women who have raised families who now see this as an option for them. I think there's more visibility that students and students realize that they can return to school or I should say individuals out there in the workplace or homemakers realize that they can now go to school and have careers. I remember being enrolled in University of New Mexico right out of high school. My home mentality was different and everything that I came to expect was different. Of course I'm older now and I may be returning to graduate school. What are some of the things that might be peculiar to perhaps myself a more mature individual? I think for the non-traditional students, over the traditional students, they have more responsibilities. They generally have more responsibilities. They have responsibilities such as children having to keep a family going, financial responsibilities that the younger student may not have. They have other factors,

many single moms and dads are returning to school. What do they do in terms of taking care of the children, the younger children, which the non-traditional student faces that the traditional student generally does not? You know, thinking of graduate school, just the registration process in itself seems to me that it would take a week. Is there assistance perhaps for someone like myself? That's why we have an office of graduate studies that is the advocate and serves over 4,500 graduate students who are enrolled right now at the University of New Mexico and is there to help the student that wants to come to graduate school. We have a large staff, we have assistant and associate deans. We're the ones that try to find financial help for these students. We're the ones that can lead the student to the right program. If the student already has access to individuals within the programs, then they will just automatically go to those programs, but they should come to the office of graduate studies to find out what's available. Well, good. Let's break our conversation. Let's go into our very unique documentary, something that will put things in perspective and

perhaps encourage you to go back to school and attempt to obtain your terminal degree Ph.D. Ph.D. Welcome, everyone. My name is Bobby Gonzalez, and I'll be your host for terminal degrees surviving graduate school. In a few moments we'll be watching a documentary, a very well put together document that will be explained to you a number of reasons or a number of hurdles that perhaps you might look into, perhaps consider before jumping right into a graduate school

and obtain your terminal degree Ph.D. if you will. We're truly fortunate to have a professional in the field of education, Dr. Ellen Goldberg with the University of New Mexico, who is actually the associate provosts for research and also the dean of graduate studies at the University of New Mexico. Dr. Welcome here. Thank you. For being here I should say. Thank you very much. And I'm taking a head of myself here, and I know that you're very busy, and we appreciate you taking the time for being here. Being with us. I find this activity incredibly important, because it's one way to let our audience know about what graduate school is about. You know, earlier this evening we talked about the traditional student, the traditional graduate student, I guess we can say. The individual who's perhaps maybe 21, 22, mid-twenties. The person that we might stereotypically feel is the perfect graduate student. Is that what we have today? That's what's in our mind, and that's what's, that's what we think about when we think about

students. We think about the traditional student, but we're seeing more and more of the non-traditional students, meaning the older returning students, the more mature students, and we welcome those students to the University of New Mexico. You mentioned the University of New Mexico, is that just particular for the, for peculiar for University of New Mexico, or is it pretty much a common trend across the United States? I really believe it's a common trend across the United States to have more of the non-traditional, more mature students returning. Yeah. Obviously as I mentioned in the opening that the hurdles and some of the problems that one might expect to face in graduate school are many. What are the difference between some of those hurdles for the more mature student? Well, the traditional student, the younger student usually is single and doesn't have as many responsibilities. Those students usually don't have as many responsibilities as our older more mature, non-traditional student. Many of these students are returning to school after raising a family or perhaps their single parents, raising children, so they not only have to worry about

the commitment to their program, but they also have a financial responsibility which many of our traditional students don't have. You know, competition is a live and well in the workforce, particularly for the more technological fields, the science fields perhaps. Do you think that might be another reason? I really believe that is a reason why many of our non-traditional students are returning, they're seeing opportunities that may be escaping them because they haven't gone on for their graduate degree, whether it's a master's or a PhD. Well, if I'm a graduate student, more mature graduate student or perhaps a more mature student who might be considering going to graduate school, is there help out there for me? Who can I call? Definitely. There is a lot of help out there for you. First of all, if you don't know anyone in the program that you're interested in, the Office of Graduate Studies is there to serve the graduate student. We have 4,500 graduate students, there were more than 4,500 graduate students at the University of New Mexico. Many of them come to

the Office of Graduate Studies for advice during their careers, but we're there also to help the student that's deciding to return to school to find out what is the procedure, what does one do? And I think it's one of the most important things is for the student to have that personal contact and to actually meet individuals, whether it's a dean of graduate studies, one of the staff members in the Office of Graduate Studies or faculty within the program. And we can actually introduce the students to the programs that they're interested in. So obviously it's someone intimidating for a student to go into the dean's office and what would you do? Say I'm a student, I'm coming into your office and I need some help and I've been out of school a while and I'm intimidated. How are you going to make me feel? I mean obviously you're a nice person. We have to make the student first enter the Office of Graduate Studies and that is the first hurdle. Then the student in terms of meeting a dean of graduate studies, what the student has to recognize is that I'm a educator and a faculty member and it is my job to work with students and that's what I love doing,

that's why I'm doing this. But before the student would even meet with me, there are other individuals that they may be talking with that would be making them feel comfortable and introducing them to the right individuals so they would be less intimidated by the time they would actually start talking with a faculty person. Well perhaps we can get more into this conversation after we watch our documentary but for now we have a very unique film for you to watch and I think it'll be rather enjoyable to say the least. A bit of education if you will on how to obtain your PhD some of the things that perhaps you might want to do. Check it out, we'll be back in a moment. Welcome back everyone. Once again, my name is Bobby Gonzalez, your host for Terminal Degrees Surviving Graduate School along with Dr. Goldberg, a dean of graduate studies at the

University of New Mexico. I'm sorry. There was a very enlightening documentary to say the least doctors. It's amazing to me. Everything that it takes to actually obtain your PhD, a terminal degree is what we're calling it. What do you feel about it? What are some of the challenges that you feel are perhaps a little more relevant in this documentary that we just saw? Well as you as you noticed it's a very hard work. I really believe it takes 100% commitment, something you really desire and you really want to do and that's the biggest challenge to know that you're committed. Then there come the challenges such as finding the right research program, finding the right mentor for that research program and finding the funding to not only support the research but to support yourself and your family if you have one. You know I thought the biggest hurdle that I was going to have to overcome and going back to school is finding a parking spot which is a big big problem. Obviously there's much much more to that. It seems to me that the emotional support that you need from your spouse, your family members, your children even is enormous.

Do you think in returning students the more mature student is perhaps faced with that a little bit more than perhaps they may have been in their earlier years? I really believe that the family has to also be committed to this individual's activities in returning back to school especially for a PhD. I also think another very important support mechanism are other students, other students within your program, other graduate students that can understand what you're going through. Obviously economical factors being what they are is the big concern of all of us, excuse me. Of course I recently purchased the physics books and physics text and I was overwhelmed by how much it was actually costing me. Is there some programs? Is there some financial help for returning students? Yes, there definitely is financial help for returning students as well as non-traditional. I would honestly say that the Office of Graduate Studies highest priority, top priority is to funding for the students. Although we get quite a bit of funding from the

State of New Mexico which is very generous to our graduate students and also from the federal government we're constantly looking for additional support to keep these students going because it is a financial burden to go back to school. Since research is the core of obtaining a PhD, is there adequate resources for them available right on the campus to actually do the research and obtain their PhD? The University of New Mexico is a very fine research in educational university. We have quite a bit of research funding. Of course in the sciences we get more funding than the humanities and the arts but there is funding for these students and our faculty is truly outstanding and are very interested in students, very interested in graduate students, interested in mentoring them and try very hard to find other sources of funding for the students. So we really do work together as a team and the resources in terms of the research environment is definitely there at the University. So students can be rest assured that they wouldn't have to

leave campus and go perhaps out to to Los Alamos labs or something to do research. To do the research, we do have many collaborative programs for example for students interested in one particular area which we don't have the expertise at the University of New Mexico, we do have San Dia, we do have Los Alamos, we have Phillips Laboratory where we do have these collaborative programs where students can take advantage of what's available in the state. An ABD was mentioned in the documentary what exactly is an ABD? It took me a while after I became Dean of Graduate Studies to find that out myself. ABD is all but dissertation meaning that the students are generally finished with their coursework and they have passed their comprehensive exam and they're ready to immerse themselves in their research program. I see again who could I contact if I'm a graduate student perhaps considering a returning to graduate school perhaps I mean I need some financial assistance, some assistance with my children perhaps. The student should definitely contact the Office of Graduate Studies, the Dean of Graduate Studies, Assistant Dean, Associate Dean

of Graduate Studies, we have a staff within the Office of Graduate Studies that are there to help the student and you should contact our office because even if you have individuals within programs who you should also contact which we may know of other funding opportunities which perhaps the program may not know about. I see so students can be rest assured they can just call you and get all the information they need that's good to hear. We try. Well thank you very much Dr. for being with us. Thank you folks for tuning in. Recent statistics indicate that 14.7 million students will be returning to colleges and universities across the country it's obvious. The importance of a terminal degree PhD if you will is very important it's important for us here in New Mexico to continue our education if we're going to be competitive in the workforce particularly for those of us in technological fields. Thanks for tuning in. Welcome back everyone. Once again my name is Bobby Gonzalez. I'm your host for terminal degrees

surviving graduate school along with Dr. Goldberg of University of New Mexico. Dr. I was just amazed somewhat surprised to say the least about how much work it takes to actually obtain a terminal degree a PhD if you will. In your opinion as a true professional in the field of education what do you think perhaps is one of the the biggest hurdles that one must overcome in going back or in getting into graduate school. I really believe that the student has to decide that he or she is 100% committed to this program and that this is something that they truly want to do. Once they've decided that's what they want to do they have to have the support from their families and they have to find the appropriate mentor someone that's compatible with them someone that's interested in the same field of research obviously that they're interested in

and also to get the financial support that's needed for them to live while they're pursuing their degree. You mentioned family obviously a returning student a more mature student if you will perhaps may have children to raise children that may be of school age children that may be in high school along with a mortgage and a car payment and everything else. Is there financial assistance available for those individuals who fall within that particular category? Yes there definitely is financial assistance. The University of New Mexico receives quite a bit of funding from the state of New Mexico that's very generous with the university. We also receive federal funding to help support students while they pursue their graduate training. We are constantly looking for additional funds for these students that's one of I would say the top priority of dean of graduate studies and the office of graduate studies as well as the administration of the university because that is certainly key for a student to be able to pursue the degree without having to have an outside job. Research being the core of obtaining a PhD obviously takes a tremendous

toll on an individual as well as on an institution such as the University of New Mexico. Is the University of New Mexico well equipped to supply research materials perhaps data for a graduate student? Absolutely. The University of New Mexico is a very large research institution that is there to train and educate students. We have quite a bit of research funding as a matter of fact approximately $160 million worth of research funding that supports various activities including the sciences, humanities, fine arts and there are a number of resources available within the university to support the students research activities. Obviously the University of New Mexico is doing a tremendous job and we were certainly or truly fortunate here in New Mexico to have the University of New Mexico so I'm glad to hear that the funding is available for the students. There was something that was mentioned in ABD in the documentary and it kind of won over my head.

What is an APD? It took me a while to know what an ABD was after I became Dean of Graduate Studies. It stands for all but dissertation meaning that the student has completed their coursework. The student has taken their comprehensive and passed their comprehensive and now they can immerse themselves into their research activities. It seems that in the documentary that we just saw that politics is alive and well within education but I'm also glad to see that there are mentors there and counselors and chair people and people that would help someone like myself. I really don't believe that politics play a role in education and I may be naive but I really do believe that our faculty and are there to mentor students and they will be mentoring students and will not be concerned with the politics. I believe that the big hurdle for a graduate student is to decide they want to do this, find the mentor and do it and if they have that and if they

have that commitment and they meet that challenge they will succeed. Well I truly believe that if half the staff at the University of New Mexico is as warm as you are doctor then I'm sure that they will excel to the beyond belief. Again who could people contact perhaps the more mature student that's considering going back to graduate school? Who could they get a hold of perhaps for information? They should come to the Office of Graduate Studies, they should meet either with the Dean, Assistant Dean, Associate Dean, one of our staff members in the Office of Graduate Studies to find out what they need to do to return. What I like to do is mentor students so that the student will know exactly what department other faculty members that they can meet with within the field that they're interested in. I see. Dr. thank you very much for being with us this evening, thanks for helping us out with our terminal of degrees, surviving graduate school. Thank you folks for tuning in. With 14.7 million students returning to universities and colleges across the country, the issue of obtaining a terminal degree, a PhD if you will, is of the utmost of importance. Technological advances, competitiveness within the workforce, these are all reasons to go back

to graduate school. For those of you who perhaps may be contemplating it, perhaps considering it, be rest assured that there's individuals like Dr. Goldberg at the University of New Mexico that would be more than willing to help you out. If in fact you decide to do so, the best of luck, and once again thanks for tuning in and being with us this evening. Welcome back everyone. Once again my name is Bobby Gonzalez. I'm your host for terminal degrees, surviving graduate school, along with Dr. Goldberg, Dean of Graduate Studies at the

University of New Mexico. Dr. I was amazed by the amount of work that people such as yourself with PhDs have to do to obtain your degrees. It's amazing to me. Just the mere support that one must have within their peer group, their family, from their husband, their children, grandparents, you name it, it seems like everyone gets involved. As a professional in the field of education of course, what do you feel is perhaps one of the biggest hurdles that one must overcome? First one has to decide that he or she truly wants that degree and truly will commit 100% of their time, their energy I should say, to that degree and to pursuing that degree. Beyond that one has to, the challenges one faces is to really find the appropriate mentor, to find the appropriate research program and department, and also to get the financial support so that you can really pursue that degree,

that research, without having to get a job outside of the university, outside of your education. It seems that the more mature student perhaps that does have a family, children that may be of high school age, may have a mortgage in a vehicle payment and so on and so forth. That may be considering going back to school, may perhaps think, well, I don't think I can afford it. I don't think there's financial assistance for me, making enough money to make my mortgage, but I don't have enough to pay for textbooks. Is there help for them? Yes, there is. We get quite a bit of financial support from the state of New Mexico. That's very good to the University of New Mexico in terms of supporting students. We also get federal funding to support students. One of the top priorities of the Office of Graduate Studies as well as the University is to find additional support for these students so that they can immerse themselves in their research programs. Research, of course, seems to be the core product of a PhD.

An individual has to be able to do a tremendous amount of research that appears to me. Does the University of New Mexico have those resources on hand? Is there proper funding to supply students, returning students, graduate students, if you will, with the tools? Absolutely. The University of New Mexico is a major research institution that is there to educate students. We bring in approximately $160 million of research funds and this includes not just the sciences, but also the humanities, the arts. So that students that are interested in pursuing research in any field usually can find the resources and the appropriate faculty mentor to allow them to pursue that particular research area. I see. There was a lot of things that I didn't quite understand. One of which sticks out my mind is the ABD. I don't quite understand what that is. What is an ABD? It took me a while to know what an ABD was after I became Dean of Graduate Studies, so you're

not alone in that. It stands for all-butt dissertation. And what that means is that, as you saw in the film, the student has completed most of the coursework, usually all of the coursework, except for seminars and maybe some additional courses they may choose to take and a comprehensive examination. They've taken and passed their comprehensive examination so that they can immerse themselves in their research program. If I'm considering perhaps going back to graduate school, I'm a mature student or perhaps would like to be, who could I contact? You should contact the Office of Graduate Studies, the Dean, the Associate Dean, Assistant Dean within the Office of Graduate Studies. We have a number of very capable staff in the Office of Graduate Studies that can direct you to the appropriate programs that can let you know about the financial aid and the various scholarships that we have, the fellowships and assistantships that we have for the student. So you should come to the Office of Graduate Studies, which is in humanity's building of the university. So students can be rest assured that there's plenty of help and there's plenty of individuals like yourself that are there for them to assist them in getting

through this process. That's right. They can be rest assured that that is there. We work with the faculty. We're there to help the faculty and to help the students. And so we do work as a team as part of the university. Well, I'd like to thank you, Doctor, for being here with us. And I'd like to just say that if half the people at the University of New Mexico are as warm as you are, then I think no one could possibly fail. Thank you very much. Well, you're welcome. Thank you, folks, for tuning in. Recent statistics indicate that 14.7 million students will be going back to universities and colleges across the United States. Why? Well, the list, the numbers, the reasons are endless to say the least. Advances in technology, competitiveness in the workforce, all these are factors that we all must consider. Here in New Mexico is, well, here in New Mexico is no exception. Again, if you're interested in obtaining a terminal degree, a PhD, if you will, you'd like to contact University of New Mexico. You can be rest assured. There's plenty of individuals

out there to help you. Thanks again for tuning in.