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Show page 2 , Fall 2006 Success and Motivation n Graduate School BY MARIA MURGUIA Graduate school can be one of the most rewarding experiences of a student's academic and personal life, but it also can be the most physically and mentally challenging. Associate Professor of Psychology Paul White put it best: "graduate school was both some of the hardest of times and some of the most enjoyable of times." It is these challenges, the hard work, and the dedication that make the experience worthwhile. Still, the demands of graduate life require staying focused and being self-disciplined and motivated. Working toward a specific goal can keep some students motivated. But, if the passion and dedication aren't there, a student is likely to go astray. Having the support of others can be another source of motivation. Sources for motivation are not always easy to come by, leaving many graduate students to look within themselves for their motivators. Born Scholars For some, graduate school has always been a goal; it was just a matter of how and when. Since he was 11 years old, Professor of Chemistry Jack Simons knew he had to acquire specific credentials to become a scientist. "I just knew that the only way to do research in science was to become a Ph.D.," he said. "It's probably unusual." At the age of 3, Associate Professor of Psychology Paul White knew he would go to graduate school. This came naturally to him. He lived in an academic household; his father was a college professor. Still, White didn't consider psychology until high school, when he said he got the research bug. Research has always been White's priority and rationale for continuing his education in a doctoral program. "My goals were not, and are still not, on being a professor," White said. Simons and White both had the goal of making empirical research their life's work and knew they had to go beyond the undergraduate level to achieve it. This self-awareness of knowing what to accomplish through graduate programs is a quality that many professors want to see in the students who approach them for advice. These professors want to see clear goals and self-determination. Isabel Dulfano, assistant professor of Spanish in the Department of Languages and Literature, likes to emphasize the significance of having a goal when considering graduate programs. Dulfano said, "I don't encourage people to go to graduate school unless they know who they are. I encourage people who have the right qualities." One of those qualities is patience, especially when it comes to the educational system itself. "[Students need to] have tremendous patience. [It is] a system with many hurdles that [students] need to learn to manipulate," Dulfano said. "If the students have a specific goal in mind, those hurdles become easier to clear," she added. Professor Robert Avery in the Department of Communication agrees with Dulfano's philosophy. "I get them to articulate why they want to go to graduate school. Then, I can guide them and recommend an approach," Avery said. Avery had already received his Master's and was working in broadcasting when he realized he wanted to teach and work toward a Ph.D. "It gave me the opportunity to constantly work with students," he said. Avery sees something special about being a professor and a scholar. It is being part of a community of scholars, and it's a shared community, he said. Simons does not necessarily believe that his undergraduate students need to articulate their goals with him. "Most have already decided [that they want to pursue graduate studies]," he said. Simons said that the majority of his students ask questions regarding what they should look for |