As someone interested in a career in academia, Johnica Morrow had a hunch that participating in UNL's Preparing Future Faculty program would be a smart move.
What she didn't realize was just how beneficial the program would end up being.
"I anticipated going in and maybe learning a few new things," said Morrow, SNR doctoral student. "But I was thoroughly impressed by how much useful information I was presented with during that first week. I learned much more than I had ever expected and I got answers to questions that I didn't even know I had."
PFF is a professional development opportunity for advanced doctoral students interested in pursuing a faculty position. Upon being selected to participate in the program, PFF fellows engage in three-week summer course and a mentorship with a faculty member throughout the fall.
During the summer course, PFF fellows work on their teaching statements, research statements, cover letters and individual personal development plans. They also learn the ins and outs of applying for a job in academia, which provided Morrow with a humbling reality check.
"I realized just how unprepared I really was for the job market, not because I lack the qualifications to get a job, but because I didn't really understand how the process worked in academia," she said. "While that was a little scary and a bit unnerving, it was also empowering to realize that I now possessed the knowledge, thanks to the PFF program, to ask the right questions and to search for a department that will be a good fit."
Morrow said that the program provided her with the guidance to realize what she wants in a job – namely, a department that "values research, teaching, and service."
"I don't really want to find myself stuck at a place that doesn't see one of these as important to our role as academics," she said. "I would rather have a job at a place where I'm a good fit, even if that takes a little longer to find. That may not be true for everyone, but it's certainly true for me."
The second part of the PFF program – the fall mentorship – has reinforced these values, as Morrow has had the opportunity to see how the academic world operates from the inside. Her mentor, Dale Benham, professor of biology at Nebraska Wesleyan University, has invited her to observe his classes and attend two faculty meetings.
"I've really enjoyed getting an insider's view of academic life," she said. "Dr. Benham has been really flexible with his schedule and we have had really good discussions about teaching, research, academic politics and mentoring."
Morrow plans to give a guest lecture for one of Benham's classes later this semester, and he will deliver a guest lecture to SNR professor Karl Reinhard’s pollen class in the near future.
All in all, the PFF program has served Morrow well – and she highly recommends that other doctoral students consider applying.
"It will help you prepare your documents, think about what you really want out of a position, build your professional network, learn about academic life from people outside of UNL, and it also looks great on a CV to call yourself a 'Preparing Future Faculty Fellow,'" she said. "The time commitment is minimal, and the benefits are immeasurable."
— Mekita Rivas, Natural Resources
More details at: http://go.unl.edu/wwd2