Author: 
David Helm, PhD
As you contemplate your year and your career, a few things
come to mind. Namely – be involved to
the maximum extent that your time allows.
I find repeatedly that the more you put into your projects, your
program, your own learning, the more you get out of it – the more invested you
are, the more others are willing to invest in you. I always have found that for
example, in classes that I taught that those who ask questions, are prepared
for the class, and who question the speaker get the most out of the
lecture/class. The same will hold true
during your year in a LEND program.
With that in mind I also highly recommend that you connect
to a mentor – someone to whom you can turn to when you have questions, to whom
you can run ideas by and to someone who’s been there and thus has some
perspective. This is typically not a supervisor, not someone to whom you report
your activities to or who has a responsibility to evaluate your job
performance. I remember college,
graduate school and career mentors who have helped me to shape my own career –
they were available to me when I contemplated graduate school, when I chose how
to proceed through graduate programs, and how to navigate the employment
advancement scene.
And stay in touch with former mentors – they also glow a bit
brighter with each of your successes. You become a “protégée”, someone whose
career reflects on their career as well.
For those of you who are looking for academic careers or
anticipate working in the universities and look toward career advancement – in
addition to everything else you are doing don’t forget to publish. Writing and
developing publishable manuscripts is often quite time consuming and can easily
fall off the to-do list – but don’t despair – get your manuscripts in shape to
ship off to journal editors and let them give you the critical feedback you
need to be a successful contributor. Make it a priority that when your paper is
returned with comments, revise and resubmit as quickly as you can. The publication turnover can take months, even
years, so keep your manuscripts in the editors’ in-box and not in your to-do
box.
And for all LEND fellows a key element to becoming a leader
is to take on leadership roles, as simple as that may sound. As you know, leadership comes in many colors,
shapes and forms, and there are always opportunities to take the lead
(volunteer to chair that committee, to develop those ideas, or to lead that
task force). Be a joiner -- Be as
informed as you can and be willing to take the lead. As one of my mentors,
Allen Crocker, would say, “leave the campsite better than you found it”.
Good luck as you end the first semester and get prepared for
the second half of your year in LEND.
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