One of my biggest challenges is trying to figure out what I should do next in my career and the next best educational move for myself.  However, determining what I should or could do next with my life is imperative and crucial for me because I desire to accomplish many great things.  Believe it or not this is a conversation that I have had with close family and friends.  I have taken a lot of time to reflect on who I am and what I would like to embark upon next over the last several months.  After I complete my Master of Arts in Education, I will take some needed time to decide what is most valuable to me and what I am most passionate about.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have always desired to own my own business, but I struggled with deciding what type of business to start.  I am also considering if a terminal degree is crucial for my future endeavors and lastly what long-term career I want to pursue.  To make the most informed decision on a business I will reevaluate my skills, past experiences and current passions to determine what type of business I would be great in.  My second two goals almost work hand-in-hand.  I am deciding on pursuing a terminal degree at either Wayne State University or Central Michigan University .  My third goals is to evaluate my greatest interest to help me determine what long-term career move to pursue.  Although these goals are two distinct responsibilities and commitments, however, in my opinion they are closely knit.  I plan to meet with mentors, conduct personal research on various degree programs and research career trajectories.  

 

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

 

 

 

Growing up teachers, family members and friends either applauded my leadership ability or complained that I was too bossy.  Ever since a child I always had this ambition to be my own boss, but I wanted to help others at the same time.  To own and lead in a personal business requires adequate resources, untiring zeal and a lot of knowledge.  To be honest I never enjoyed business type courses in college or secondary school, however the skills, principles and knowledge shared in those type courses are the exact skills and principles I need to be affluent in if I plan to own a successful business.  Pursuing a business will require that I educate myself on the key principles to business as it relates to what I choose to own whether formal or informal.   Hopefully, a few TedTalk videos can lead in the right direction. 

​

​

​

​

​

​

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

​

​

The idea of being a business owner can very well be tied to the type of terminal degree I may choose to pursue.   Since I have not figured out what business venture to embark on, I cannot properly connect owning a business to earning a terminal degree right now.  As a separate goal, earning a terminal degree is something that I believe is necessary for me because I am an aspiring leader in post-secondary education.  When it comes to choosing a terminal degree path there are typically two options for my career trajectory.  The Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) or the Doctor of Education (Ed.D.).  I started by simplifying these two paths to help me make a practical decision: Doctor of Education students become the doers in their fields and the Doctor of Philosophy students understand what is being done from a philosophical and theoretical perspective primarily.  What will help me make the choice between these two paths is figuring out my strengths, field interests and what my career decision asks for.  I plan to watch some YouTube videos that shed light on some differences between the two programs.

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

 

 

 

 

While completing my undergraduate degree I became vested in the idea of working in higher education.  I thought about the countless number of relationships I was able to build with professors, school administrators, staff members and my peers.  The time I spent volunteering in the college of education as an undergrad I saw how students were being supported beyond the classroom.  Once I started working in higher education in an entry-level position, I realized that individuals that had the most impact on institutional policies were in much higher-level roles.  One major aspect about my work that I did not want to lose was high contact with students.  The more I learned about the requirements, skills and responsibilities of college professors I started to challenge my professional values.  I started researching the positions, titles and roles of higher education professionals that were in leadership roles and maintained in touch with the students.  A tool that I frequently reference to students is “what can I do with this major?”  I decided that I will try to use this tool to guide my decision.  I believe this resource will be beneficial to me as it has been to my students.  I did not want my career to revolve solely around research, piles of paperwork, or at the entry or middle management level.