When At the Last Minute You Have Nothing Prepared, You Quickly Reach For the Props on Your Shelves

A couple of days ago, I was asked if a previous graduate student and I would be willing to be on a panel for Graduate School orientation (totally online) to discuss faculty/student collaborations and to highlight how the campus is set to assist with research initiatives.

To be honest, I was simply booked as a caboose, as the highlight was a welcome from administrative leadership, a discussion of library resources, followed by Elisabeth Muller's research (which did win the 2019 Library Research Prize for Graduate Work), and then my summary.

I knew the others had everything covered and they wanted me to tie a bow on their package and send everyone on their way. The intent all along was to have a slide made up, but I went for a quick-reach instead and grabbed books off my shelf. (Really, Crandall, you didn't have 1 minute to make a slide?)

There is a Playbook for Graduate School Success, I began with a reference to Kwame's book. And then went through the following talking points, holding up each book as I summarized with words:

1. You typically fly Solo in graduate school, and the work is on you. Still, if and when you can collaborate with peers and professors, collectively, you're at an advantage. Be sure to hold on to YOU in the process, but also see yourself as part of a community of others.
2. There are multiple Flying Lessons that will be offered in each and every course - each to play a role on your stories. Be strategic in your coursework, and collect the best thinkers, ideas, projects, and insights so you have them with you at the culmination of your graduate school journey (keep a folder/box/drawer ready for the work you do).
3. Be sure to Cultivate your Genius. Our goal as a campus is to make you as brilliant as possible so you're able to enter your profession and/or career with pizazz, depth, knowledge, and skill.
4. We are a Jesuit University, which encourages being men and women for others. As you do your work in nursing, engineering, business, education, or the arts, don't forget that the work you do should aim towards building a Nation of Hope.
5. Finally, know that all Research is Action. Aim throughout your coursework for the action you desire and be sure to document it as data. Design the world you want to live in.

I said I would be two minutes and that is what I was. I am trying to figure out what the rhythm and flow might be to begin graduate school during these times. It is strange, indeed, and I wish everyone luck.