Filed under: Dr. Boyce Money
Going to graduate school was one of the best investments I've ever made. Many of us are still first generation college students, so it's easy to believe that finishing college is the holy grail of academic achievement. But the truth is that there is more out there if you are willing to put in just another year or two to make it happen. When I was in college, my goal was to secure a better economic future for myself, since I didn't have much money. One day right before graduation, one of my classmates told me "I like money too much to go to graduate school." I then replied to her by saying, "I like money too much NOT to go to graduate school!"
But beyond the economic rewards, there are benefits that go far beyond the size of your paycheck. Having more freedom on the job market and the chance to get a job that fulfills you is worth more than any amount of money in the world. Making money is nice for a while, but after about six months, you are faced with the place you have to get up and go to every day. If you hate your career, you may end up hating your life, and no amount of money is worth that. At the age of 18, you never would have convinced me that I would spend eight years in graduate school, doing the work for multiple masters degrees and getting a PhD. But now that I look back on the journey, I wouldn't change it for the world. I truly love what I do, and that's what makes me glad to get out of bed in the morning.
The National Black Graduate Student Association (NBGSA) serves as an advocacy group to help students of color get through the challenges of graduate school and navigate their way to meaningful careers. It is due to the massive benefit of going to graduate school that Tina Ligon, past president of the NBGSA is today's Dr. Boyce Watkins Spotlight on AOL Black Voices:
What is your name and what do you do?
My name is Tina L. Ligon and I am the Immediate Past President for the National Black Graduate Student Association (NBGSA). I serve as the informal advisor to the current executive council and assist them with any tasks, event planning, and special projects.
In addition, I established the Dr. Todd C. Shaw E-Mentoring Project in which I serve as the coordinator. The mentoring program for graduate and undergraduate students is named after our founding president, who still plays a very active role in the organization. My duties with this pilot program include recruiting mentors and mentees, overseeing the mentorship pairs, and handling any related issues and concerns with the program.What is the purpose of your organization?
The primary purpose of NBGSA is to help increase the enrollment, retention, and professional development of graduate students of African descent. Its objectives are to provide resources to help with the success of current students in graduate and professional schools and work to create an emerging group of black scholars who are dedicated to improving their communities, institutions, and academia. NBGSA also functions as a pipeline in encouraging undergraduates to attend graduate school and assist in the transition from undergraduate to graduate study.
NBGSA was founded in 1989 by a group of black graduate students at the University of Michigan. Over the years, it has served as the primary interdisciplinary organization that allows graduate students of African descent the opportunity to network, present their research, and serve as leaders on the national level. NBGSA is a non-profit organization that is governed by graduate students from across the country.
What's it like being president of a large and prestigious national organization?
I truly enjoyed serving as the 2009-2010 National President. It was a challenging and rewarding experience that helped me develop as a professional and a scholar. Some of my challenges were managing a board of twenty people in different geographic locales with varying opinions, expectations, and levels of experience. I had to learn how to negotiate, make quick decisions, and deal with different personalities while keeping NBGSA in line with its mission. The rewards of serving as the national president were great. I got to meet many wonderful people from all over the country, learn a host of new skills, and hone my administrative competencies by serving as the chief executive officer and principal spokesperson for this growing organization.
There were some difficult times during my tenure as national president. I had to be available to my board members at all times while balancing my school work, NBGSA-related travel, and my full-time job. This was definitely a learning experience that taught me a lot about who I am as a leader. Overall, it was a pleasure serving as the national president. I loved the bonding that occurred during the quarterly meetings, the various debates that took place at NBGSA gatherings, and the genuine friendships that I made with my board members. Ultimately, I felt that I was able to help develop future leaders and scholars as well as make NBGSA more visible. I was extremely pleased when the majority of my Executive Council decided to serve another term as leaders with the organization.
What is your personal, educational and professional background?
I have a Bachelor of Arts in International Affairs and a Bachelor of Science in History from the University of Cincinnati, a Master of Arts in African American History from North Carolina Central University, and a Master of Library Science plus a Master of Arts in United States History from the University of Maryland College Park.
Currently, I'm working towards a Doctor of Philosophy in African American History at Morgan State University. As well, I am a full-time Archivist for the National Archives and Records Administration in College Park, Maryland.
Do you have any advice for aspiring young African Americans who'd like to go to graduate school one day?
Undergraduate students should start making plans to attend graduate school as soon as they start college. They should focus on academic excellence and not be afraid to take advanced classes or communicate in-person with their professors on a regular basis. They should also take advantage of relevant opportunities that are presented to them-especially those that allow them to present, publish, and serve in leadership positions. Finally, networking is very important. Students should read up and reach out to become familiar with people in their academic areas, as well as those in different fields and at various institutions.
Is there anything else you'd like to share with our AOL Black Voices audience?
Our 23rd Annual National Black Graduate Student Conference, "Transforming Roads Ahead," will be held March 9-13, 2011 at the Radisson Hotel and Conference Center in Columbia, South Carolina, and we'd love to see them there! Information about conference registration, membership, and sponsorship is available at www.nbgsa.org.
While NBGSA would not be the success that it is without the tireless efforts of scores of student leaders and the critical support of corporate and institutional partners over the years, I'd truly like to highlight the extraordinary work of the 2010-2011 Executive Council and recognize the incredible dedication of President Antonio White (Morgan State University) (the rest of the Executive Council is listed here).
Dr. Boyce Watkins is the founder of the Your Black World Coalition To have Dr. Boyce commentary delivered to your email, please click here. To follow Dr. Boyce on Facebook, please click here.