On humility (or you never know who cleans your office).
As a small child, I didn’t see my dad a lot.
My dad was a graduate student who had to work an extra job to make ends meet.
By day, he was an award-winning history Ph.D. student who focused on Chinese history.
By night, was a janitor who waxed floors, cleaned offices and such.
As a small child, I remember wondering who this strange man? who came home to sleep? eat a bit? and locked himself in his office to write?
My dad & mom made many sacrifices for our family - he never grumbled about the second job - and my mom never grumbled about being his #copyeditor.
My dad left graduate school at #ABD because he had to support his family & didn’t finish his #PhD for another 30 years - despite being a #Fulbright scholar.
When it came time for me to go to college, my parents had limited means to help with my #tuition.
When I asked my dad, how I was going to pay?
He replied scrub toilets.
So I did.
I spent two years cleaning offices. I eventually earned a #meritscholarship. I don’t regret that time cleaning offices.
In those two years, I saw the faculty's best and worst.
The best?
One #professor sat me down and asked about my career goals. When they learned that I wanted an academic career, they spent time helping me pick courses. Checked in on me. Gave me a realistic preview of academic life.
The worst?
One professor told the class that I had cleaned their office. That wasn’t comfortable. They mostly ignored me after that. #Academicelitism is real. This gave me another realistic preview of #academiclife.
Through cleaning offices, I learned #humility - the power of a professor taking the time to touch a student’s life - and the harm a professor’s simple words can cause a student.
Those lessons have affected my #academiccareer.
I am mindful of the staff that keeps my uni running.
I am aware that my words impact students - and I use them with more care.
I know that every person at my college - from Dean to the office cleaner is essential - and value their work.
I am a better professor for first seeing the staff side of academic life.
And never forget, that kid cleaning your uni office has unlimited potential. You never know! If you give that kid a helpful nudge, where they will end up!
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