Tuesday, July 19, 2016

Professional Success

My Professional Success


Beth Adele

Many in the world of academia gauge their success by the number of articles they have published or by the prestige of the university or college at which they teach. Using these criteria, my career has not been particularly successful. As I transition to the next iteration of my odd life, however; I will claim one small measure of professional success of which I am proud. I am pretty sure I am not entitled to the claim but I am staking it anyway.
I first met Beth Adele in 2002/2003 shortly after joining the marketing faculty at the University of Central Oklahoma. She was sitting at the end of a long conference table, eagerly interviewing for the position of Graduate Assistant to the Marketing Department as she began her pursuit of a UCO MBA. She was hired into the position which was the beginning of our professional relationship. The intervening years have seen her complete the MBA, work in industry, teach at UCO as either an adjunct or a full time instructor, make a huge impact at UCO in Career Services, and create UCO VetHERO. She did all this while starting a family and commuting to UT Tyler for her own Ph.D. program. During this time our relationship grew from faculty-student to colleagues, research collaborators, and friends.
For the past three years I have had to immense good fortune to have Beth work with me as Assistant Dean in the School of Business at Cameron University. Now, as the School of Business has transformed into the Department of Business in the new School of Graduate and Professional Studies, Beth has been named interim Department Chair.
The transition is complete: Faculty-Student. Colleagues. Research Collaborators. Friends. And, since July 1, Beth is now my boss.
Beth would have achieved all this had we never met. She has the talent, ability, and drive to succeed. I am just pretending I might have had anything to do with it. That said, I am claiming this one little success. One cannot help but be proud when their student (actually never had her in class) becomes their boss.

2 comments:

  1. I am humbled and flattered. You had more to do with my path and pursuits than you mentioned in this blog. I quoted you in my Ph.D. program cover letter. I owe so much to you not just as a "mentor," but as a friend. I can't wait to see what you accomplish next as you continue to tell yourself, "I get PAID for this!" - Beth

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  2. I am so proud of you Beth. I have worked with a few colleagues who have real potential. YOU are the one to realize her potential. I have long said we in the academy should always be looking for our replacement. I've found mine. Thank you!!

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