I applied to three Ed.D programs, was accepted to all three, and chose Marymount University. As we enter Week 5 of the semester, I am even happier with my choice than when I first made it.
These first five weeks have been exciting and tiring and busy and knowledgable and did I say tiring? Working a full-time job and taking two courses is not something I imagined would be easy. I have stayed pretty disciplined by spending 90 minutes to 2 hours each evening on school work. For the most part, I keep school and work separate, but there have been days with many tabs on the laptop open.
I want to document the experiences I will have over the next three years and will include important assignments, discussions, and thoughts here. Last week, I had to write a personal mission statement that reflects my vocational mission or Ethical Leadership and Social Justice.
When I think about who I am as an educator and a leader the first thing that comes to mind is two statements I’ve used to guide my experiences over the years, which are “You can’t separate the roots from a tree.” and “Being an educator is an act of social justice.” However, I would not say that these statements are my personal mission statements. My personal mission statement that represents my vocational mission is “I will thrive in a well-balanced life where joy is ever-present and service to others is my anchor.” I feel that this statement best represents how I view myself, my work, and my values.