The Success Express newsletter is created by the Brian Lamb School of Communication Online Success Coach team, designed to help graduate students develop success strategies as they complete online graduate programs in the Lamb School of Communication at Purdue University.
In This Issue:
New Director of Online Programs: Matt Charles
Student Success Story: Hope orono
Written by Hope Orono, online Communication student
Let me take you back to a time when I was at a real crossroads, unsure of what my future would hold. I had a degree in political science and a passion for government and politics. However, even though I was working at the Indiana Statehouse--where I wanted to be--I still wasn't sure how to carve out my own space and make a lasting impact. That's when my boss stepped in. She saw potential in me that I hadn't yet tapped into and encouraged me to explore a career in communications. Her belief in my capabilities sparked a transformation, reshaping my career path and opening doors I hadn't even considered.
That was one year ago. Today, I am fully immersed in Purdue's Online Master's program in Communications, and it has been a game-changer in my professional development. The insights I've gained from my instructors and classmates have been invaluable. For instance, I've learned how to craft compelling narratives, which has significantly improved my writing. I've also mastered time management, a skill I use daily to balance my studies with work and personal life. On the days when my motivation wanes, I remind myself why I started this journey and focus on the long-term benefits that I know are coming. Each challenge I overcome as an online student proves that success is well within reach.
I may not fit the conventional image of a model grad student, but the unwavering support I've received from my professors and the camaraderie with my classmates have kept me going. Their encouragement has turned what once felt overwhelming into a truly fulfilling journey, and I'm grateful for every step of it. Boiler up!
Student Success Story: Jeweleon JOnes
Written by: Jeweleon Jones, online Communication student
What are your secret survival strategies for your online graduate program?
Obtaining a graduate degree is no small feat and quite an accomplishment for those who achieve it. However, from receiving my admissions letter and beginning coursework up until now, I’ve realized through experience that such an educational pursuit is not without its challenges. The pursuit of this degree program challenges my critical thinking on the topic of communication. Still, it also challenges my time management capabilities and emotional resolve as I juggle assignment deadlines with my duties as a dad to five and employee at a multi-billion-dollar global technology giant.
My secret to not only surviving, but thriving in my graduate program is related to a mindset shift along three core dimensions summed up in three simple words: Endurance, Exploration, and Excellence.
Endurance: It’s a Marathon, not a Sprint. Given my duties outside of the program as a husband, father, employee, and board member, I’ve learned how to pace myself. This includes disciplined planning for my reading and writing days, but also intentional rest to avoid burnout and sustain mental, emotional, and physical energy for all areas of life.
Exploration: Swim Deeply vs. Playing Shallowly. Instead of merely checking the box on assignments or staying within the bounds of the assigned readings, I see the work as an opportunity to engage my curiosity more deeply and challenge my critical thinking to level up in the insights, reflections, and material I deliver.
Excellence: Give it your best effort. The work I produce is a reflection of the values I hold, so with each written assignment, excellence is my standard and it drives me to push through the challenges to deliver something I am proud of and can stand by.
Shifting my mindset helps me to thrive at Purdue and experience the joy of learning at the same time.
Student Success Story: Carrie Burnette
Written by: Carrie Burnette, online Communication student
What are your secret survival strategies for your online graduate program?
The initial transition back into academic life after 20-ish years was challenging, especially during my first course, Seminar in Strategic Communications. Time management is key – I don’t have time to procrastinate! I try to always stay at least a week ahead in my reading and assignments – more if possible. This gives me a buffer if anything unexpected happens. A big thank you to the professors who open their classes and post book requirements a week or so early – it’s appreciated.
Tell us about the work that went into helping you achieve your most difficult goal.
Like everyone, I juggle multiple responsibilities, often working late into the night and early mornings to ensure high-quality deliverables at both work and school. My final project/paper for Comms 601 was the most difficult because I was learning how to be a student again. I lost a lot of sleep over that one!
What does your communication style say about you and what misconceptions have there been along the way that you’ve had to overcome?
My personal communication style focuses on clarity and authenticity. My professional style reflects my work environment, while my academic communication style is a blend of the two. Throughout the program, I’ve learned to embrace this blended style particularly in discussion threads. At first, I wasn’t sure how formal or informal I should be. I believe that warmth and professionalism can coexist and even enhance the effectiveness of my messaging.
What organizational technology tools have you found to be most helpful in your personal life, work life, and online courses?
I use my Outlook calendar, and the calendar on my phone to set reminders to keep myself on track. I wish I could say I use something cooler and high-tech, but this works for me. It’s boring, but effective! I don’t deviate from my calendar. These tools help me allocate time for both work, school and personal commitments, ensuring I meet all my responsibilities without feeling overwhelmed (at least most of the time I don’t feel overwhelmed).
Talk about an assignment or group project you completed in your online program that you are most proud of. What helped you be most successful?
I’m proud of all of my assignments because I’ve dedicated time and hard work to them. However, the course I’m most proud of so far is Strategic Personal Branding (Com 644). Oddly enough, this was the most personally challenging course because unlike the professional writing I’m accustomed to, this class required deep self-reflection and writing about myself, which was a completely new and somewhat daunting experience. This challenge helped me grow by forcing me to think, and write about who I am and how I want to portray myself, which ultimately strengthened my communication skills.
7 STRATEGIES TO HELP YOUR IMPOSTER SYNDROME
Contributions by: Kiley Kallenberger, Success Coach
Imposter syndrome can have you feeling like a fraud or imposter in your job, your home, your social roles, and even in this academic program. Recently, I came across this article about overcoming feelings of self-doubt and I felt like it had some great suggestions about navigating imposter syndrome.
1. Learn the facts: Take a step back from your situation and look at the bigger picture. Are there facts that would discredit your self-doubt and negative self-talk? Ask yourself how you would support your best friend or partner through the same issue you are having. Then, apply your own supportive language to yourself. We must start seeing ourselves the way our support system sees us!
2. Share your feelings: When you share feelings with a friend, colleague, partner, or even your Success Coach.. it can reduce feelings of lonliness and also opens the door for them to remind you what they see in you. Sometimes we need a pep talk to be reminded of our accomplishments and value.
3. Celebrate your wins: Applaud yourself. Don't brush off your successes, including the small ones.
4. Let go of perfectionism: You can make adjustments to your personal standards without sacrificing the quality and integrity of the work you put in. Focus on your progress and what you've learn along the way rather than aiming for perfection(in many cases, perfection is unattainable).
5. Cultivate self-compassion: Be kind to yourself, you've got so much on your plate. The next time your imposter feelings surface, write down your initial response to those feelings. Remind yourself of the actual facts (strategy #1), and coach yourself to recognize you are OK as you are, with or without your accomplishments.
6. Share Your Failures: We spend too much time comparing ourselves to one another without considering all the failures that happened behind the scenes. Let's get them out in the open! A few years ago, I did a CV of Failues exercise with a group a students leaders. Instead of listing career highs, they were to outline career lows including colleges they didn't get into, exams they had failed, games they didn't win, jobs offers they didn't get, and so on. It was shocking how much fun they had getting their failures out in the open. They found comfort in their insecurities and got to see their peers as equals in a different way. I strongly recommend doing this if you get a chance!
7. Acceptance: The acceptance stage is always a difficult one to master, but you'll drive yourself crazy if you don't accept that some things won't go according to plan. Focus on what you can control and give yourself grace if/when your imposter feelings show up again. Accepting that imposting feelings are your reality will help you get more comfortable with those bumps along the way.
The more you practice these strategies, the easier it will be to see those imposting feelings as small bumps along the road, and to visualize your successes along the way.
student resource partners
Upcoming Virtual events
Personal Branding | Thursday, September 12 from 2:30 – 3:30pm Eastern Time: This presentation will provide an introduction to how advanced degree seekers can develop and refine their professional brand, and how they can convey it via career tools like elevator pitches and LinkedIn summaries, and during career events such as networking and informational interviews. There will be time at the end for audience questions. This workshop is hosted by the Graduate School Professional Development Office.
Research with Scite.ai | Tuesday, September 17 from 11:30am – 12:30pm Eastern Time: Scite.ai is a new research tool that uses machine learning to make your literature searching more effective. Scite.ai’s database uses machine learning to determine how citations relate to each other (are they supporting, are they contrasting, etc.) and its AI assistant can answer questions using information from real articles. This workshop will cover what Scite.ai is, how to access Purdue’s subscription, and how to use it effectively and responsibly. This workshop is hosted by the Graduate School Professional Development Office.
Citation Management with Zotero | Friday, September 20 from 9:30 – 10:30am Eastern Time: After doing your research, you can waste hours getting your citations into the proper format, in the correct order in your paper, and listed in your bibliography. Zotero is a free citation management program that can help you collect, organize, and share your research. This session is designed to help graduate students get started with Zotero. Attendees will learn how to set up Zotero, gather citations, and generate bibliographies. This workshop is hosted by the Graduate School Professional Development Office.
Mindfulness | Tuesday, September 24 from 1:30 – 2:30pm Eastern Time: Learn the benefits of recognizing emotion, practicing self-compassion and being in the moment. This presentation relates mindfulness to everyday activities such as relationships, thoughts, and stress to help you learn how the skill of being mindful can help you relax and take back the present moment. This workshop is hosted by the Graduate School Professional Development Office.
The A-Z of the Job Search | Wednesday, September 25 from 10:30 – 11:30am Eastern Time: Understand the Job Search process. Understand the pros and cons of different job search strategies. Understand informational interviewing. Understand how to market their degree. This workshop is hosted by the Graduate School Professional Development Office.
Interviewing Skills | Thursday, September 26 from 9:30 – 10:30am Eastern Time: Acing the Interview. Understand the purpose of the interview. Learn how to prepare for an interview. Understand professional etiquette. Understand behavioral interviews. Understand the importance of follow-up after the interview. This workshop is hosted by the Graduate School Professional Development Office.
Research with Scite.ai | Tuesday, October 1 from 11:30am – 12:30pm Eastern Time: Scite.ai is a new research tool that uses machine learning to make your literature searching more effective. Scite.ai’s database uses machine learning to determine how citations relate to each other (are they supporting, are they contrasting, etc.) and its AI assistant can answer questions using information from real articles. This workshop will cover what Scite.ai is, how to access Purdue’s subscription, and how to use it effectively and responsibly. This workshop is hosted by the Graduate School Professional Development Office.
Time Management | Thursday, October 10 from 1:30 – 2:30pm Eastern Time: Intended to teach participants how they can make the most of their time, this presentation touches on ways our brains work against us when completing tasks. Listeners will learn ways to reduce ineffective time management and will participate in activities to identify areas in their lives that need improvement when it comes to spending time wisely. This workshop is hosted by the Graduate School Professional Development Office.
Protecting Your Mental Health During Graduate School | Thursday, October 10 from 9:30 – 10:30am Eastern Time: Everyone knows that grad school is academically rigorous, but we sometimes don't realize that there are several foreseeable pitfalls related to grad school. This workshop will help you to recognize those pitfalls before they arrive and identify steps you can take to protect your mental health. This workshop is hosted by the Graduate School Professional Development Office.
The Cover Letter | Monday, October 14 from 11:30am – 12:30pm Eastern Time: This presentation will describe the fundamentals of writing a professional and compelling cover letter. Attendees will get an overview of writing letters for academic as well as industry and nonprofit positions. There will be time at the end for audience questions. This workshop is hosted by the Graduate School Professional Development Office.
Citation Management with Zotero | Monday, October 21 from 9:30 – 10:30am Eastern Time: After doing your research, you can waste hours getting your citations into the proper format, in the correct order in your paper, and listed in your bibliography. Zotero is a free citation management program that can help you collect, organize, and share your research. This session is designed to help graduate students get started with Zotero. Attendees will learn how to set up Zotero, gather citations, and generate bibliographies. This workshop is hosted by the Graduate School Professional Development Office.
Important Dates
- Fall Graduates Commencement Tasklist Opens | Friday, September 20, 2024
- Spring 2024 Registration Opens (current students) | October 2024
- Fall Session II Courses | October 14, 2024 - December 8, 2024
- Fall Session I Grades Post in myPurdue | Wednesday, October 18, 2024
- Fall Commencement | Sunday, December 15, 2024
- Spring Semester Beings | Monday, January 13, 2024
BRAVO, BOILERMAKERS!
Being a Boilermaker comes from the great successes in your life, and for that we say Bravo! Many of you have received job promotions, added to your family (including pets!), presented at national conferences, or have celebrated personal achievements and we'd love to celebrate with you!
Contact us
Student Services
- Galen Memmer | Academic Advisor | comonline@purdue.edu
- Kiley Kallenberger | Success Coach | kkallenb@purdue.edu