Pushed Out of the Nest

Even though I didn’t make a big splashy announcement when I completed my doctorate degree, it did not escape the notice of the Information Technology Services at the University of Saint Thomas. I have received several reminders that soon my university account will be deactivated and that I will no longer have access to university systems like my Email address, the library and my Microsoft Office 365 account. In other words – I’m being pushed out of the nest.

In some ways, this simply marks the official end to a relationship that has been winding down since the final class of regular coursework, and even more with the completion of my dissertation. And, like all endings, it creates an opportunity to pause, to take stock and think about what it means.

There is some sadness in this ending. Cutting the cord with the University means that I no longer have any official University affiliation – which means a lot in the world of academia. Even though I will continue to pursue publishing and other opportunities in academic settings, even with a doctorate degree I am now an outsider in academic and lack the social currency of an official affiliation with any University.

With reflection, I can honestly say that I loved the work of getting my doctorate. I never regretted the decision to go down this path and never contemplated not finishing. I am extremely grateful to have been afforded the time, financial resources and good health that made this possible. I also realize that I am a different person now. My worldview has broadened. I am more patient about some things, and less patient about others. I understand myself much better.

Even though I have regret about the end of my University connection, the transition has forced me to acknowledge the challenges I would face doing the kind of work I want to do in an academic setting where it is difficult to find wide acceptance for the kind of multi-disciplined, problem-based, practice-oriented concepts that I like to explore and write about. Of course, the irony here is that this is exactly the kind of thinking that is missing from most academic discourse – especially in business schools.

It has taken a while for me to process this transition and to see how finishing my degree fits into the big picture of my life. The degree was an important milestone but it was not an end in itself. It was a way of preparing me for doing much more than I could have done without it. With this ‘official’ ending I now realize that it was always about getting to this point – ‘officially’ moving on with the rest of my life.