Wow... I cannot believe my four years here at Purdue are coming to a close. It seems like only yesterday, I was still a freshman living in the dorms, fretting about if I'd ever make it through Bio110 with an A. Having only 4 weeks left has got me feeling rather nostalgic. However, unlike a lot of my peers, I will not be leaving academia forever. After a lot of praying and long nights staying up until 3 am contemplating if I made the right decision, I am happy to say that I will be attending the University of Georgia this fall to start my Ph.D. in Plant Breeding, Genetics, and Genomics. While it feels so good to have finally made a decision on my future for the next five years, there was a time where I had a lot of stress, confusion, and worry if I would ever make it to this point.
I remember as a freshman, Dr. Tuinstra said to me during one of my advising appointments, "You're going to grad school." That idea was so intimidating and scary at the time. I thought, no way would I ever have the potential to do that. I was intimidated enough by my classes as it was... how would I ever be able to make it through another 5 years of school? As I went throughout my time at Purdue, gaining experience in working for a research lab, completing internships, and taking classes more geared towards my major, I realized graduate school was not only something I needed to do in order to get my dream job, but it was also something I thoroughly wanted to do.
During my junior year, I began studying for the GRE. I read the books, did full length practice tests, and memorized vocab after vocab word. The summer prior to my senior year, I started contacting my previous employers, professors, and advisors about writing my letters of recommendation. During that time and into the fall, I started contacting professors from numerous schools, while writing essays and filling out applications. To claim, "it was exhausting," would be an understatement. At times, the process was also rather disappointing. It hurt not getting emails back from professors or being interested in those who didn't have funding. But I fully believe in "trusting" the process. One day, I received an email from a professor who had seen my application and was interested in me- a very different feeling than having to be the one exhibiting initial interest. I had listed her on my application, based on the research I had done on her projects, but I honestly did not think someone with work as renowned as hers would be interested in me. I proceeded with the Skype interview, visited the campus, and fell in love with her lab and the project she would give me. What I loved about her lab and about UGA the most was that they made an effort to make me feel welcome and wanted. Lab members took me on campus tours, and UGA plant breeding students talked with me over meals to learn about me and my background. Professors who weren't even taking students still wanted to take time to meet with me and learn about my interests. I truly believe that God had this plan for me all along. Shortly after, things fell into place, and I signed my letter of intent, along with an apartment lease.
I'm sure at this point you're probably wondering... okay, so who are you working for? What will you actually be working on? I am thoroughly honored to say I will be getting my Ph.D. under Dr. Katrien Devos, who is known for her work in unveiling genetic architecture of orphan crops. Particularly, I will be exploring the genomics of finger millet and fungal blast. I am really excited about this project because it gives me an avenue to conduct research in an area that could have a strong international impact. I cannot express how relieving it is to know exactly what my graduate plan is, but more importantly, that I will be on a campus I love doing research I am thoroughly intrigued in with the support of an amazing lab group.
To those of you considering graduate school, I will say, it's never to early to start preparing. Contact professors as early as you possibly can and challenge yourself to take a couple graduate classes during your undergrad career so you can begin exposing yourself to what it might be like. What I wish I would've done differently as an undergrad was to have more confidence in myself and my ability to be a competitive graduate school applicant. Trust the process and don't get discouraged if the first professor you contact doesn't have space in his or her lab.
It's sad to think that this is my last blog post, but I am ever grateful for the opportunities Purdue and the Agronomy Department have given me. Take advantage of every opportunity or change you have to better yourself. Treat every mistake as a lesson and learn from them. Never set your goals too high, and don't blink- because time will go by all too fast.
If you have any questions about applying to graduate schools or Purdue's Agronomy Department, feel free to email me at wrigh272@purdue.edu.
Cheers,
Hallie
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