*This dream is a post-project artifact, courtesy of Emily Steinberger.
“The American dream to me was the ability to achieve an education. So I’m not from a wealthy background, I relied on grants for my bachelor’s education and then student loans for my master’s. With my Ph.D., I was able to get, again, department funding. Actually, I had a university scholarship for the first two years, and then that also provided me with a graduate assistantship.
And then after that, I taught classes for the university, which helped – because I was teaching – that ended up paying for my educational component of the Ph.D. program. So yeah, just the ability to have those opportunities to achieve an education.
“It’s just a matter of having the tenacity to stick to something, jump through all those red hoops”
Growing up, I had difficulty with reading and spelling, and so I had to go to special education classrooms. I grew up with the thought that I was stupid. And so I got my bachelor’s degree and then it took several years before I actually went back to get my Masters, and my Ph.D.
And in that time, I was very reserved about whether or not I was smart enough, you know, should I even get a masters degree, whatever. I get into the program and I’m looking around these other people I’m in the program with, and I’m like, yeah, why did this take me so long? I can do this. It’s just a matter of having the tenacity to stick to something, jump through all those red hoops.
Lots of people feel stupid and lots of people struggle with learning disabilities. And so I think I’ve overcome a lot of the those barriers. Again, going back to that idea of tenacity and having the grit to continue to strive to be who it is that you want to be.
Having grit and sticking to something, you know, having a dream, whatever your dream is, just stick with it. Keep trying. You get knocked down. You have a bad semester. You fail class. You have to drop out because you can’t afford school this semester. Okay, but next semester you can. Next semester retake the class. If you’re having difficulties in class, reach out to your instructors. Tell them.
Being a social work academic … some of my students will just disappear. I don’t know what’s going on with you unless you reach out and tell me that you are struggling, that you are having financial problems, that you got kicked out of your apartment or you got in a car accident or your family member died or got sick and is in the hospital.
Your instructors don’t know what’s going on in your life. Yes, you do have a life, but their concern is your education. So if you don’t reach out to them, they can’t work with you. And nine times out of ten, they’re going to want to extend the olive branch.”