WEBVTT - This file was automatically generated by VIMEO

0
00:00:00.885 --> 00:00:05.725
I am a current PhD student at Dominican

1
00:00:05.735 --> 00:00:08.685
University, and I am also a Teen Librarian

2
00:00:08.765 --> 00:00:12.085
and YOUmedia Manager at Woodson Regional Library on

3
00:00:12.085 --> 00:00:13.165
the south side of Chicago.

4
00:00:13.865 --> 00:00:16.445
And here I cultivate relationships with teens,

5
00:00:16.515 --> 00:00:18.645
give them a space to dabble in technology

6
00:00:19.145 --> 00:00:21.325
and help them tap into their creativity.

7
00:00:21.865 --> 00:00:24.685
So this PhD program is absolutely amazing.

8
00:00:25.075 --> 00:00:27.685
Like I have been in school forever.

9
00:00:30.525 --> 00:00:31.725
I have been in school forever.

10
00:00:32.065 --> 00:00:35.005
But this PhD program, this cohort, is the first time

11
00:00:35.315 --> 00:00:37.845
that I am actually giddy about class,

12
00:00:38.065 --> 00:00:39.805
and I am giddy about what I'm learning

13
00:00:39.865 --> 00:00:43.165
and I'm, I'm like giddy to like talk to my instructors

14
00:00:43.165 --> 00:00:44.405
and my peers, um,

15
00:00:44.475 --> 00:00:47.285
because there's just so much information to consume.

16
00:00:47.705 --> 00:00:51.245
Um, and there's also like you're with like-minded people

17
00:00:51.585 --> 00:00:54.485
who are already in the field, who already have some idea

18
00:00:54.485 --> 00:00:57.685
of what's going on, um, and who also want to affect change.

19
00:00:57.875 --> 00:01:00.445
Most of the people who are in our PhD program want

20
00:01:00.445 --> 00:01:02.805
to affect change, which is why we all come here.

21
00:01:03.185 --> 00:01:04.845
Um, and so we have these great,

22
00:01:04.845 --> 00:01:09.685
amazing conversations about policy, about racism, about, um,

23
00:01:10.065 --> 00:01:14.285
social issues, around information, around policy.

24
00:01:15.025 --> 00:01:19.325
Uh, and then I get to, uh, accumulate that information

25
00:01:19.585 --> 00:01:21.685
and bring it back to the work I do here at the library.

26
00:01:22.285 --> 00:01:25.725
I learned about the data around literacy, um,

27
00:01:25.865 --> 00:01:28.765
and how it's just kind of consistent across the board

28
00:01:28.765 --> 00:01:32.845
that more literacy equals more academic success equals a

29
00:01:32.845 --> 00:01:34.485
better society, right?

30
00:01:34.785 --> 00:01:37.045
And so I am able to come back to work

31
00:01:37.105 --> 00:01:39.565
and find even more meaning in the work that I'm doing

32
00:01:39.565 --> 00:01:41.805
with the teens because I know that the literacy

33
00:01:41.825 --> 00:01:44.045
and the information that I give them

34
00:01:44.775 --> 00:01:47.885
makes them better human beings, makes them better citizens.

35
00:01:48.145 --> 00:01:50.685
So another cool thing about the PhD program is

36
00:01:50.685 --> 00:01:51.965
that it's extremely flexible.

37
00:01:52.505 --> 00:01:55.365
So it's made for professionals, for people

38
00:01:55.365 --> 00:01:56.645
who are already in the field.

39
00:01:57.065 --> 00:01:59.565
Um, so they, they schedule us only on weekends.

40
00:01:59.745 --> 00:02:02.685
My most favorite part about the PhD program is

41
00:02:02.685 --> 00:02:04.445
that I don't even feel like a student

42
00:02:04.635 --> 00:02:05.685
most of the time, right?

43
00:02:06.705 --> 00:02:09.325
Um, I feel like, I feel like I'm amongst colleagues.

44
00:02:09.705 --> 00:02:12.285
Uh, I feel like I'm amongst world thinkers.

45
00:02:13.025 --> 00:02:16.325
Um, and I highly recommend it

46
00:02:16.325 --> 00:02:18.685
because you get to do in-depth research on the things

47
00:02:18.685 --> 00:02:20.805
that you are most passionate about in your field.

48
00:02:21.585 --> 00:02:24.165
Uh, and that that can be pretty much anything.