Day 5 (36 to 40)
By: L David Stewart
Tags: Creativity, Mental Health Awareness, Higher Education, Education, African American

Day 5 (36 to 40)

By L. David Stewart, PhD-c

#35to40

So it is pretty well known I am trudging toward completing my PhD. What isn’t known is the backstory of how I got to this point.

My initial career was in architecture. Worked in architecture starting at 16. (Got my first job calling in a phone book til someone said yes). 17, won a HS competition that got me an internship for the summer that I parlayed into a 2.5 year position. Went on to get my B.A. in Architectural Studies in 2003. Moved to Toronto to start my Masters of Architecture degree and tragedy struck, with my mom passing. Came back and worked at various firms til the market crashed in 2009.

At that time I was getting a Masters of Science in Real Estate (Yes I have an entire degree focused on real estate!), but the market was so bad I couldn’t do nothing with it. After starting my own consulting firm, which was decent for 3 years (mostly out of survival as I was “overqualified” and was even denied a job at Burger King, when I was literally trying to pay rent). I realized I wasn’t as fulfilled. I am good at a lot of things but it wasn’t the same passion I once held for architecture.

2013, by fluke application applied for a teaching job. I NEVER saw my self as a teacher let alone a professor. I was too much a smartass for it in my thought In fact i came to the interview not dressed properly. (Bright tangerine polo, causal loafers and some slacks that needed an iron). The Director was like: “Oh you already had the job I just wanted to meet you in person!” I was floored: I asked him as I was fighting my own impostor syndrome at the time: “Why did you hire ME?” He stated: “You had the perfect background for what we needed.” That did something for me! I went on teach at the university til it closed and had fun doing some innovative things. (Oh between 2011 and 2012 to make myself more marketable, I picked up an MBA in marketing too, no one wanted someone with a real estate degree at that time).

PhD application: What most dont know is I was denied 3 times PhD admittance: (Twice from IIT and one from Georgia Tech). In hindsight, understanding what is required my applications were TRASH. But my ego wasn’t hearing that at the time. When I finally got accepted to a program in 2016. My interest had shifted. Goal. DEAN. DEAN of a business or design program. I had done my time as an adjunct and wanted job security. SO. I trudged through the main courses, and did my Doctoral Qualification Exam, two days after Hurricane Irma hit in Miami and got no reprieve, had to do it. Passed. A 7 day test is a special breed of evil lolbvs.

Worked on research courses, and was cleared to start dissertation Sept 2018. Shortly after my university closed because it was a For-profit, and had to migrate with NO HELP from the university (Shout out to Argosy and Betsy Devos for the grimey, I aint forgot). Followed my dissertation chair, after waiting a year to pay off debts to National Louis to finish this up and here I am now. Chapter 4, pushing to be done by Spring 2021.

While I still fight impostor syndrome at times, after all I been through, including this year, I know its a purpose in me becoming Dr. Stewart, besides just getting it. So I hold my head high and march on.

Oh yeah, WHEN I’m done, I will be skating per my tradition in that gown again and with the big floppy Donny Hathaway hat.

#RoadToDrStewart