Writing Your Next Chapter, Literally
It is Never Too Late
I guarantee that Deirdre J. Hendersen, Ph.D. (Dr. De to her circle of trust) did not have earning a doctoral degree, or becoming a consultant as a childhood career goal. I would know. We are first cousins, two years apart, and our mothers raised us like the sisters they were.
Deirdre wanted to become a lawyer. It was her dream when we were kids. With Perry Mason and Matlock as the only TV lawyers of our 1960s and 1970s childhood, it appeared ambitious. When we played with our Barbie dolls, she was the lawyer and I was the TV news reporter. As Dr. De would say, life happens.
Fast forward to age 55, my cousin earns her Bachelor of Science degree from Indiana Institute of Technology in Fort Wayne, Indiana. I was there along with our mothers and her sons proud of her accomplishment as she walked across the stage to accept her diploma. Graduation was not the end of her journey, it was the beginning!
Two Master's degrees later, Deirdre retired after a 35-year career with the federal government to pursue her doctoral degree. At age 64, she became the Dr. De, we know today. Our cousins completed doctorate degrees in 2014 from the University of Iowa and 2017 Utica College.
Along the doctoral journey, she meets other Ph.D. candidates and everyone has a story. The single mom is pursuing her doctorate in the juggling act of being head of a household and studying. There is the guy with a well-paying union job with a phone company until he was laid off 20+ years ago and forced to reassess his career path. The doctoral candidate is studying while managing end-stage renal disease waiting for a kidney transplant. There is the healthcare professional balancing caregiving for her father while pursuing her Ph.D.
According to Jeffrey H. Witte, Ph.D., less than 2% of the population holds a doctorate. Dr. De decided to provide encouragement, inspiration, and practical advice for those in programs and others considering the journey. At Christmas 2024, Resilience: The Journey to a Ph.D. was published. It tells the journey of 19 recent Ph.D. graduates and candidates. Their stories are told in their own words. She dedicates the book to the dreamers, scholars, and pursuers of knowledge. Older, Bolder & Better! is happy to provide one signed copy of Resilience to someone who comments about this post.
That's so inspiring! I've tried twice to get a PhD and both times had my journey interupted with a debilitating physical surprise. perhaps I'll try it again with this encouragement! You always have stories that make us think and be inspired!
I LOVE hearing stories of women who got advanced degrees at more “advanced” ages. So many people have told me that it would be a waste of money at my age because I’d never make enough ROI. Isn’t the return the education?