Making the Leap from ABD to Tenure Track

Many graduate students idealize going straight from graduate school to a tenure-track position. While the benefits of job stability are undeniable, what are the real expectations and logistics of this transition? Lena Suk is an Assistant Professor of History at UL Lafayette, a tenure-track position she gained while still an ABD. Her presentation will cover both the challenges and the gratifications of navigating one’s first job, particularly when moving from a research-oriented Ph.D. program to a teaching-centered institution. Additional topics will include managing work-life balance as a graduate student versus as a professor, the value of cultivating mentors from within and outside your university, and how to understand your role in your department.