College Experiences That Helped a Professor at Ohio State Succeed
To prepare for a career in academia, Carly recommends undergraduates proactively seek out opportunities like volunteering and attending professors' office hours, even without needing academic assistance. This approach, Carly explains, allows for valuable networking and mentorship, noting "you never know when that relationship is going to turn into something else," ultimately shaping one's career trajectory.
Networking, Career Exploration, Higher Education, Mentorship, Academic Research
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Carly Blustein Gilson
Associate Professor of Special Education
The Ohio State University
University of Florida, 2010
Boston College, M.Ed. in Secondary English Education (g. 2011); Vanderbilt University, Ph.D. in Special Education (g. 2017)
Creative Writing, Journalism
Education
Education
Scholarship Recipient, Worked 20+ Hours in School
Video Highlights
1. Take advantage of professors' office hours to network and learn about their career paths.
2. Seek out volunteer opportunities to gain experience in your field of interest.
3. Build relationships with professors early on, as these connections can be valuable for future career prospects and mentorship opportunities.
Transcript
Great, what did you do in undergrad to set you up for success in your career?
The first thing I did when I realized I wanted to go down this path in education was to seek out volunteer opportunities. I volunteered for a professor's psychology research lab as a research assistant. Even though there was no money involved, I learned so much from that experience.
I also made it a point to attend my professors' office hours. It wasn't usually because I needed help with something specific. Instead, I wanted to talk to them about their lives as professors and understand how they arrived at their careers. I felt everyone had a different story, and I was eager to learn about their journeys and any recommendations they had for becoming a professor.
Even at that time, when I didn't entirely know what I wanted to do, I was interested in academia and research. I'm really glad I took advantage of being around those professors because they are there to help students. Now, when I hold office hours, students rarely show up.
I strongly encourage you to go to your professors' office hours, even if you don't need help. Just talk to them and get to know them. You never know when that relationship could evolve into something else. It might give you an idea for a future career or provide a possible reference for a future job.
There are so many connections to be made. It's much harder to establish those relationships after you've graduated and try to reach out years later, compared to doing so while you're actively involved on campus. I highly recommend taking advantage of that opportunity.