Trading Places: SOM Instructors Become Students

 

Two of our SOM instructors have returned to the classroom, but they are not teaching. Accounting instructor Amy Cooper and Business Administration instructor Kim McGinnis are both enrolled in doctorate programs, while continuing to teach at SOM. Amy is enrolled in the University of Missouri-St. Louis Doctor of Business Administration program and Kim is in the Executive Doctor of Business Administration program at Pepperdine University.

This is made possible by funding from the Jim Pruitt Endowed Chair gift. It is a great example of growing our own and adding more Ph.D.-qualified instructors to our team, which is essential for AACSB accreditation. Amy and Kim share what it's like to turn the tables and become a student again.


 



 

Tell us about the Ph.D. program in which you are enrolled. If you have a thesis selected, please share.

AMY
I am enrolled at the University of Missouri-St. Louis Doctor of Business Administration program. I am in the third cohort of the program. My cohort consists of 13 professionals from all fields – academia, medical profession, engineering, Air Force, IT, and insurance just to name a few. It is a three-year program. The first two years are classroom instruction, the third year is working on my dissertation. We have three residencies a semester, on campus in St. Louis, including summer semester. Each residency consists of all-day class on Friday and Saturday. In between residencies, we have reading assignments.

KIM
I’m in the Executive Doctor of Business Administration program at Pepperdine University. I’m almost done with the first year. The program is designed for executives with 10+ years of managerial experience, so my classmates are some pretty impressive people. We meet once a term (fall, spring and summer) for a full week (and I mean full – six days, twelve hours a day). The rest of the term, we connect with weekly Zoom classes and I meet individually with my dissertation advisor usually about once a week. Right now, I plan on writing about how shareholder movements impact corporate governance and financial performance. I’m interested in looking at Alaska Native Corporations, because they are so unique, and play such a big part in our local economy.

 



 

What inspired you to pursue your Ph.D.?

AMY
It was not something I had thought about since there is no DBA program in Alaska. A colleague of mine encouraged me to look at different programs around the country and I was amazed by the number of programs that allowed you to pursue your DBA while continuing to work full-time. I have always loved being challenged and learning new ideas and perspectives. The DBA path seemed like the perfect fit.

KIM
I’m a lifelong student. One of my favorite things about working at UAF is I’ve been able to take classes in a bunch of different subjects – Gwich’in language, tennis, even a statistics refresher. I opted to pursue my doctorate specifically because I wanted to study business challenges in a really rigorous, systematic way. These days, we are often bombarded with incomplete, inconclusive, or just plain incorrect information. Getting a doctorate lets me do the kind of research that generates better information, and ultimately better decisions.

 



 

What is it like being a student as well as an instructor? Has it changed your perspective?

AMY
It has been a long time since I have been a student and I had forgotten how overwhelming it can be and how nervous I can get before an exam. I have a whole new perspective and respect for my students who are juggling so many obligations at once and still doing an amazing job in my class, with a smile on their face!

KIM
I have a lot more sympathy for my students. I teach many students who work full time and have families and lots of other responsibilities. Frankly, they are all my superheroes. In the past, I was always a full-time student. Now trying to balance a family, work, and school, I know what my students are going through. I’m a little more flexible and patient than I used to be.

 



 

What has been the most gratifying part so far?

AMY
My fellow students are supportive and encouraging and we laugh a lot. It is a challenge to balance being a wife, a mom, a full-time instructor and a full-time student. It has also given me a chance to reaffirm my faith in myself and my abilities. One specific example: I had worked hard on a paper, but still wasn't sure it was exactly what the professor wanted. She emailed me later and asked if she could use it as an example and that it was an excellent paper. I was just a little excited! This made me realize how incredibly important praise and encouragement is for my students.

KIM
We had to take an epistemology, or theory of knowledge, class. Pepperdine flew in a Greek philosopher – from Athens – who, over the course of three days, gave us an overview of the history of Western thought, and led us in discussions about things like, how do we know what we know? And what is objectivity? I spend a lot more time these days thinking about practical, tangible things, so this was a challenge… but I wrote a couple of papers for that course that weren’t half-bad and got an A in the class. It felt good to know I can stretch myself in new ways.

 



 

What has been the most challenging part so far?

AMY
With so much going on besides school, I have to stay organized or something will slip. Shifting to fully online has also been a challenge. The requirements have not changed, but now we have classes on Zoom. Classes start at 4:45 a.m. in Alaska, and go all day, so by the end of my weekend, I'm wiped.

KIM
Time management has been the most difficult aspect of the program. It is a 20-hour per week commitment, year-round, which is a lot to take on in addition to my full teaching and administrative workload.

 



 

How has your Ph.D. pursuit changed due to COVID?

AMY
The only change is going to online Zoom classes. Attending Zoom classes all day, starting at 4:45 a.m., is exhausting, mentally and physically. It is hard when you lose that in-person interaction with your fellow students and the professor.

KIM
There are some obvious ways: We spent our last “residential” (the week we typically meet in person) on Zoom. A week of full day Zoom sessions is no laughing matter! And one of the joys of living in Alaska… we don’t have reliable high-speed Internet where we live, so I had to get a bit creative for the week. It is interesting to me to see that some of my classmates have also changed their dissertation topics based on the current crisis.

 



 

It’s intense to teach for SOM, pursue your Ph.D. and maintain a work/life/play balance. How do you make it work?

AMY
There is no way I could do this if Matt, my husband, didn't support me 100%. My kids are also really supportive. My daughter Clara left me a note before one of my early classes that said, "You got this mom, love, Clara." And of course, having the support of everyone at SOM, both from my colleagues and my students, makes it easier. I am also learning to have patience with myself and to give myself grace.

KIM
I would say 100% of the credit goes to Sam Alexander, my husband and super-dad extraordinaire.  He cooks, he cleans, he manages toddler temper tantrums and he keeps me sane, all in addition to his day job.