In this episode, Stacy spends time with her friend, class cohort, and recent graduate Nicole Beachum. Nicole was a single Mom, already thriving in her marketing firm, loved to teach, and didn't think she could find a Ph.D. program to meet her work and life situation and responsibilities. After a suggestion to check out Dr. Joe Hair at the USA Mitchell School of Business, Nicole found the perfect program for her life and teaching goals, and the rest is history. Nicole shares her academic journey, what you should look for in a Ph.D. program, why academic conferences are amazing, and her philosophy of finding dissertation co-authors, researchers, and mentors. Learn More About Dr. Nicole Beachum

Key Takeaways

- Find a Ph.D. program that fits your work/life goals and has a prestigious staff and supportive leadership.

- When choosing a Ph.D. program, research which institutions recent graduates are being placed.

- Procrastination is not going to benefit you. You're going to get out of each class what you put into it in this Ph.D. program.

- Put yourself out there early. Strive to review journals and articles. Go to as many academic conferences as possible.

- Look for paper co-authors and academic mentors in your cohort, institution, and conferences.

Nicole Said:

My current Department Chair recommended that I consider the USA program specifically because Dr. Joe Hair was there.

Attending the USA Mitchell School of Business decision for me; not only was it time-saving and allowed me to keep my main job, but I'd be studying under ultimately some of the best in academia.

Learn more about Dr. Hair, realize he's kind of a marketing legend.

The Mitchell College of Business is under good leadership, the Global Scholars are incredible, and USA does a really good job of helping and supporting you as a student.

If you have a paper that you can present at a conference, USA will try to get you there, and every student can basically go to at least one conference every year.

I think we're spoiled at USA because we have Dr. Joe Hair introducing us to all of these marketing giants and other professors that are big names.

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Learn more about the USA Mitchell College of Business

- Business PhD Program - Master in Business Administration - Undergraduate Business Degrees