Learning to ask for help when needed
When I was in the middle of my dissertation, I started to feel overwhelmed. This was not because my professor had a habit of causing chaos during office hours, but because everyday seemed like a struggle from beginning to end. By the time I would get home from work in the evening, all that remained was a stack of papers which needed to be tucked away until morning. Even though there were times when I'd have three or four hours of overlap between writing and grading, it wasn't enough time. I was making myself sick.
I knew that I needed another plan, but the simple fact of the matter was that the only other option was to stop writing and, at the ripe age of 39, find a job that paid me more than teaching. I tried my best to avoid this solution, but it seemed inevitable. The closer it got, though, the less happy I felt about giving up on my hard work. It seemed wrong for me to lose my dream job just because my dissertation was difficult — after all, dissertation writers have to work with their advisers and committees until everyone is truly happy with the final draft!
Thankfully, there came a day when I decided that enough was enough. I would not give up on my dissertation, but I would make it easier on myself by finding someone to help me. That's when I discovered the Joseph R. Guskey Endowed Scholarship Fund.
The scholarship was established by the late professor Joseph R. Guskey in 1996 in memory of his son, who had recently died (the fund is named after Joseph's father, Fredrick P. Guskey). It is awarded to a student at Virginia Tech who will have completed at least three years of coursework and has demonstrated academic excellence as well as persistence in completing his or her graduate work. The scholarship is given on a one-time basis; however, there is no set amount which the recipient receives. Rather, the amount is based upon need upon receipt of an application and recommendation from a faculty member, and it must be used to cover tuition expenses — either in full or a portion thereof.
The application process couldn't have been easier. I simply turned in my usual financial aid paperwork along with a letter from my adviser explaining why I needed additional funding to complete my dissertation. As I then waited for the results, I was told to expect an email from the scholarship office within a few weeks. The good news: my application was awarded, and I would be receiving $10,000 for the 2018-2019 academic year. The bad news: my adviser would not be able to assist me with proofreading anymore.
The scholarship is meant to help students who are struggling with costs of getting their degrees. While this may sound like it makes perfect sense, in reality there weren't many people who bothered applying for the award because they didn't need or want financial aid — all they needed was someone else's help in order to finish up their work. For me, this was the perfect option!
I knew that as soon as I told my adviser about the award, he would immediately volunteer to be my proofreader. When I found out that Professor Guskey's son had died soon after his son was born, it made it that much easier for me to accept the money and find a way to move beyond my previous deadline. I didn't need anyone else to help me get through those next few difficult months; I just needed someone to help proofread.
Since then, however, I have found myself thinking about others who might benefit from this scholarship. While finding another faculty member to help with proofreading may be easy, requesting help from someone else just to take care of a small segment of your work can be an incredibly difficult process. I am sure that many people could use the extra help that this fund provides, and I hope that they find the strength to reach out for it.
For students who are unsure where to begin in their search for someone who might proofread their work, there is a guide that has been constructed at [scholarship website redacted].
While some may feel uncomfortable reaching out for help from others, it is always important to realize that you are not alone in your struggles. Even though it is difficult to accept help when you're in the middle of a big project, you never know who might be willing to help. For those of you who might be wondering how to ask for help (or ways to ask for it), I will share some basic guidelines.
Provide an outline of what needs proofread, as well as a general estimate of the amount of time that it will take.
Offer to pay someone in advance, as opposed to asking for their help after they've already started working for you.
Research your colleagues' time availability and expertise.
If you are requesting help on a regular basis, consider finding a proofreader on your own instead of continually requesting proofreading from others.
The options which are available to you are almost endless, and it's up to you to make your own decision about what is best for your situation. However, I believe that there is no greater way than asking for help or simply reaching out to others for the perfect solution. I have found that most people will be more than happy to assist you if they see you're in need of help, or just want to help someone out however they can — it all depends on how you ask and how much you can offer.
The good news for all those who might be struggling with their dissertations is that the scholarship is awarded to a student every year. While I'm looking forward to seeing my cousin graduate this May, I can't wait to see how many people get help in order to finish their work!
If you are interested in requesting that your work be proofread, or if you are interested in becoming a future Guskey Scholarship recipient, please visit www.scholarshipsoffice.com/guskeyscholarship . If you are looking for proofreading or help with your dissertation and/or thesis, please feel free to contact me either by email ([email redacted]) or phone (540) 231-6109.
This post was originally published at the blog of the Joseph R. Guskey Endowed Scholarship Fund, Inc. (posted at https://www.guskeyscholarship.com/2017/02/29/paying-for-your-graduation-how-to-request-thepossible/) under the title "Paying for Your Graduation: How to Request The Possible". It has been republished with permission from the author. Please see our Disclaimer page for additional information put about by this publication.
Conclusion:
Would you ask for help? Would you reach out to others in order to get the help that you needed? I'd love to hear your thoughts, as well as your conclusions about this study on my blog entry. Please feel free to comment or ask any questions below!
Comments:
Deon Smalley said...
I like the manner in which one must apply for this scholarship. The person who is applying must have a faculty member recommend them, and then the faculty member that is recommending them has to explain WHY they are recommending them. That makes sense because not just anyone could get a scholarship that helps with tuition costs! 11:42 PM
Anonymous said...
Yes, I would ask for help.