REFLECTIONS FROM A NEW SCHOLAR

By Dr. Bradley Winton

As faculty members, we are called to be scholarly. We are called to be involved with serious academic study. Serious academic study takes many forms. In its simplest form, we are measured by our peer-reviewed journal publications (PRJs), conference proceedings, and book chapters. My young career as a scholar includes a series of PRJs and conference proceedings that I am proud of. Each one represents a substantial amount of time, effort, and care. Each one provides clear evidence that I am taking care of my responsibility to add to the academic conversations in my particular field of study. But the call to serious academic study does not end with these traditional measures of scholarly success.

To be scholarly is also to help raise the College’s research profile through the advancement of knowledge in altruistic ways. In my corporate career, I found that the success of new hires, interns, and employees to be much more fulfilling. The life of a scholar provides opportunities to find this fulfillment on a whole new level by leading others in serious academic study. Does it make sense to take on the heavy lifting of an Honors student and thesis? Can I juggle the demands of a doctoral student’s dissertation committee with my own research? With so many other personal responsibilities, can I take on student research advisement?

The simplest answer is “yes.”

I said “yes” to an undergraduate scholar, who became my first Honors student in the very first class I taught here at Southern Miss, as he investigated his passion for scuba diving and marketing. Ka’Lon Duncanson stood out because of his glowing personality, his thirst for knowledge, and his genuine interest in research. After one brainstorming session about his thesis, we decided that we had something worth investigating. That brainstorming session culminated in a People’s Choice Award at the Student Research Showcase, a fully formed thesis, and a submission to his first academic conference. And he has already set his sights on a PRJ!

It is also “yes” to developing the research proficiency of our Ph.D. students as they battle the ups and downs of their dissertation journeys. Forming scholars at the doctoral level provides a unique set of challenges. The interdisciplinary nature of each dissertation is both a challenge and a welcome distraction. The joy of this work is encapsulated in my first Ph.D. student committee. Not only was the dissertation interesting and practically important, but also provided another example of how helping with student research is as rewarding for the instructor as it is for the student. His knowledge of the subject, his drive to give back to both his profession and Southern Miss, and his ultimate recognition as a 2022-23 USM Graduate Hall of Fame honoree provide tangible evidence of the productivity and fulfilling nature of studentfocused scholarly activity.

As researchers, we often focus on our personal development and success. There are good reasons for this mentality to persist. Though I would argue that mentoring young scholars who have the drive to get their first conference proceeding, to attend their first academic conference, to finish their dissertation, or to write their first PRJ article should be equally important.

Personal scholarly success and student research mentorship are not mutually exclusive endeavors. Each “yes” to a student also adds to the body of knowledge we, as scholars, are called to progress. Each “yes” builds the confidence of the next generation of scholars. And each “yes” adds to the fulfillment of being both a faculty member and scholar.

Ka’Lon Duncanson, a junior marketing major, presenting his Honors research at the Spring 2022 Student Research Showcase