Graduate students should not be the only ones worrying about completing a Ph.D. theses.
University President Judith Rodin underscored the importance of pursuing graduate degrees last night at the Arch Building, located at 36th and Locust streets. There, distinguished faculty members and students gathered together for an informal discussion entitled "Diversity in Higher Education: Pursuing an Academic Career."
Among the faculty members was professor of Sociology Grace Kao, who said that it is "really important to have a diverse representation among the faculty," as well as among the student body.
The program -- which aimed to educate students about the joys and trials of pursuing a doctoral degree, as well as about the importance of diversity in academic fields -- was first developed and hosted two years ago by Rodin.
In her talk, Rodin emphasized that the future of a diverse and well-educated faculty begins with undergraduates.
The academic world "will never enrich the professorate" unless it recruits and educates undergraduates now, Rodin said.
She added that the faculty at an institution need "to reflect [the] diverse society we want to model."
The program focused on the concerns of students who were unsure of whether or not they wanted to pursue a graduate degree.
Professors were also invited to share their personal experiences about how they arrived in the academic world and what has kept them there.
Sociology professor Tukufu Zuberi -- who left law school after a year to pursue a Ph.D. in sociology -- said that "doubt [is] the fruit for the best scholarship." When one sees doubt, one knows that he or she has reached the "most powerful intellectual space."
Electrical Engineering professor Jorge Santiago-Aviles made a connection between entrepreneurship and the academic sphere. You are the "head of your own enterprise" when you work in academia, Santiago-Aviles said.
In addition to acknowledging the difficulties of earning a Ph.D. degree, Rodin discussed the benefits of having a doctorate. "When you have a Ph.D., your voice counts double," she said.
College sophomore Dara Norwood, who is trying to decide between a career either in teaching film or directing it, said that the program was "really helpful" in addressing the process of earning a Ph.D.
James Lin, also a College sophomore, echoed Norwood's remarks, adding, "It was very refreshing to hear about [the professors'] own perspectives."
