This past summer, I had several moments that reminded me that while COVID-19 had paused life for many, the development of my students moved on without pause.
This was an important moment, because as advisors, we tend to mark progress by milestones - such as watching a student’s presentation, a proposal defense, and a first publication.
COVID-19 disrupted those progressive milestones - making the face to face elements impossible.
As a result, normal things, like introducing a student to colleagues or watching them present - simply didn’t happen - resulting in perhaps a less advanced or mature perceptions of students - than might be the reality.
This week - while attending the Academy of Management - as I watched one of my students seamlessly navigate the conference - I recognized the need to update my views of the senior PhD students on my team.
As I watched my student navigate social events & discussing his work, I realized that he was closer to ready to graduation than I consciously recognized.
As friends asked when he would apply, I caught myself thinking ‘but he is only …’
And then I realized, he was in the same year that I had been in, when I went on the job market.
I updated my thinking accordingly, and while I’m not pushing him out of the nest, I do regard him in a different light.
I wonder how many faculty are making similar mistakes - of not updating their views of students - because the context of our advising changed?
And I wonder what other views, that I will need to update in the months to come?
I’m grateful to my student for handling the conference with aplomb, and to the conference organizers for providing him the opportunity to do so.
It’s great to get closer to normal & to know that despite the pandemic - the students will be alright!
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