Yesterday I was gone all day. My grandfather and I drove to Maryland to support my mom as she gave the final defense of her dissertation at Loyola University.
SHE PASSED!
In January Dr. Teresa Wilkins, or, as I call her, mom, will be graduating with her phD.
I made a very special sign for the occasion. Defense! Defense!
Apparently family isn’t usually allowed into a defense, but the staff had some confusion about that and they let us into the room, so Poppop and I got to see her presentation.
It was much more casual than I imagined. For some reason I was picturing the panel of professors to be wearing their robes, hats, and gowns and my mom to be standing behind a podium sweating and answering rapid fire questions meant to trip her up.
That’s not how it happened at all.
It was very casual. A lot of people were wearing jeans. The student body was invited and I guess there were about 20 people in the room, which was a regular college classroom. My mom gave a PowerPoint presentation summarizing her findings and conclusion. The professors on the panel (I’m not sure that’s the right thing to call it) were very supportive. They did ask a few questions and encouraged her to add some notes to her final chapter for clarification.
Her dissertation was on measuring levels of spirituality in students at Messiah college through the course of their time in school. She proved (with math and stuff) that an Evangelical Christian school education can actually raise levels of spirituality and religiousness in young adults, although statistics usually say otherwise in this age group. This has practical implications in the field of counseling because it has already been proven that high levels of spirituality and religiousness can act as a shield against negative influences (eating disorders, bad relationships, etc.). -At least that’s what I took away from the presentation.
Her presentation lasted 30 minutes, then there was about 30 minutes of questioning.
We all left the room for about 15 minutes while the panel/committee/ group of deciding professors/whatever they’re called deliberated whether or not she passed.
Then they came out and said, “Congratulations!” SHE PASSED! She just has to add a few notes to her final chapter.
Then we all went to Applebee’s.
The good doctor should be graduating with her phD. in January.
Congrats, Steph’s mom! This is awesome! And what a wonderful sign 🙂