Before the breakthrough

The bold word I have chosen for this month is courage.

At this point in the semester, many in our community are experiencing a mix of excitement and exhaustion. Students preparing to graduate are completing capstones and dissertations while stepping into interviews and new professional identities. Others remain immersed in coursework, research and teaching that require sustained focus. This season asks a great deal of you. Continuing to show up each day takes courage.

It is what allows you to submit a draft of a paper or dissertation chapter even if it still doesn't feel perfect. It is what helps you ask a question in a seminar, share an emerging idea or apply for an opportunity that stretches you. It may be visible during a dissertation defense or a public presentation. More often, it is quieter. Courage is choosing persistence when the path feels long, choosing to revise instead of retreat or choosing to try again.

Courage can also look different than we expect. It might mean acknowledging that you are tired. It might mean asking for support from an advisor or peer. It might mean setting a boundary so you can protect your focus or wellbeing.

It’s been my professional dream to be a named a university provost and I am proud to announce that I have been selected as the next provost at Temple University. This appointment came after applying for and interviewing at other institutions. Not every opportunity resulted in an offer. It took courage to continue putting myself forward, to reflect on feedback, to refine my approach and to keep striving for the right institutional fit. There were moments of disappointment, certainly, but courage is not the absence of disappointment. It is the decision not to let it define the outcome. In the end, I did not give up.

That experience reminded me that professional journeys are rarely linear and rejection does not signal inadequacy. Often, it signals alignment that has not yet been found. The same is true for our graduate students navigating competitive job markets. Courage may be required to send another application, to schedule another interview, or to imagine a path that looks different from the one originally envisioned. Persistence, grounded in reflection and balance, ultimately opens the door to the opportunity that is right.

As you move through this month, whether completing projects, preparing for transitions or continuing the steady work of your program, I invite you to notice the courage already present in your daily efforts. It may not always feel dramatic, but it is there. And it is helping carry you forward.