MEET EMILY! An alumnus from our Ph.D. in Art Education program at UNT who is currently working at Texas Woman’s University/Visiting Assistant Professor of Art Education.
We asked Emily some questions about her plans for graduation, advice for current students, and how UNT helped her to succeed and SOAR BEYOND!
- When you started at UNT, what were your plans after graduation? How have these plans changed (if at all)? When I started the Ph.D. program at UNT my goal was to become a university professor. That plan did not change, and I am enjoying my current position at Texas Woman’s University
- What advice do you have for prospective or current students as they decide what they want their next steps to be (internships/careers/etc.)? I advise students to really do what they love. Find your passion and go for it. You don’t want to waste your time doing something that does not feed your spirit.
- How did your program at UNT help you to feel prepared for this role? I had a world-class mentorship at UNT. I credit my professors (Tyson Lewis, Amy Kraehe (who is currently at the University of Arizona), and Laura Evans) with setting me up for the successes I am achieving today. They invested in my learning in immeasurable ways. They saw my strengths and helped me capitalize on those to build a professional identity that makes an impact in our field.
- How did you find your current role (website, email, word of mouth, etc)? I found out about the position at TWU by word of mouth. Art Education is a small field, and once you get to know people, it is easy to find out which institutions have job openings. Also, positions are advertised on HigherEd and similar websites.
- What was the toughest interview question they asked you? I don’t remember a lot of the questions from my TWU interview. But I was interviewed for a handful of positions and I was most often stumped by questions that reflected aspects of the university that I had yet to experience. For example, one interview I was asked about my administrative experience. At another interview, I was asked what kinds of service I might engage in within the department and in the community. These are highly practical terms that I hadn’t really considered because I had no first-hand knowledge of such work expectations.
Would you like to be featured in our Soaring Beyond Success Series? Email Jeanette Hickl. We’d love to share your story!
