2 minute read
Tap the Power of Elder Scholars
By: Paul Ruez, M.Ed.
You or colleagues are “getting up there” on the age timeline and seeing the need for your vision and skills you continue to share strategies and tactics you know are successful.
But not having the financial horsepower or knowledge of a public relations firm, or the $5000 per year to pay Muck Rack to access their media database or the time to send your valuable offerings to all your contacts on LinkedIn, you think… “ya know, maybe I should have paid that $30,000 to $50,000 for a PhD and now I’d be taken a little bit more seriously.”
At 74, I remain very active. See my work posted to LinkedIn and Teachers Making a Difference Magazine for example. I see the lack of critical thinking skills exploding in hate, anger and incivility and publish work like: https://bit.ly/ UseEducationNow
Prior to my teaching career I earned critical experience as a US Army Combat Correspondent Photographer in America’s war in Vietnam. This prompted my writing and teaching Conflict Resolution Curriculum so hopefully our younger citizens would have the skills to find non-bloody (non hate) ways to resolve differences.
I have strategies and tactics that work, but the challenge of being perceived as one with tangible solutions, in our image based culture, is real. Having a Masters in Education does help but being a “Doctor” often goes a little further.
One answer… Colleges, universities and even organizations can set standards and award Emeritus PhD’s to those elder scholars who are continuing their contributions to the community. I have proposed this to San Diego State University and to Concordia University Irvine where my bachelors and masters came from. No reply from either. I have also proposed this to The MacArthur Foundation where they could award a less or non funded Fellow award. Likewise I have suggested that Muck Rack award one year use of their data base to elder scholars meeting standards. No reply from either.
If this makes sense to you, please shake your tree of influence and let’s tap the care and expertise of our elder scholars before it’s time for them to check out.
