DK Mentoring Online Newsletter周报

DK Mentoring Online

Newsletter ·周报

09/15/2021

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Academia

恭喜Professor Kim正式晋升正教授！

Professor

Deoksoon Kim:

Dr. Deoksoon Kim was recently promoted to full professor at the Lynch School of Education and Human Development at Boston College. Her specialty is ESOL, English learners, and teacher education. She has conducted research on immigrant English language learners and teacher education in U.S. schools for 15 years. Dr. Deoksoon Kim has an extensive publication record, and has won research and teaching awards.

As soon as the DK Mentoring Online website team learned this great news from Professor Kim, our team interviewer, May Chen, invited her to share her thoughts and feelings on this wonderful and honored experience.

Question 1: How did you feel when you learned about the promotion to full professor?

Professor Kim felt overwhelmed with so many indescribable emotions. The whole experience was exciting and stirred much internal reflection, because she could still vividly remember her first weeks as a new international graduate student from South Korea. Her graduate degree led to a successful academic career as a professor at multiple institutions, before earning her recent promotion to full professor at Boston College.

"It is a long journey, and there were many challenges."

Professor Kim said that it took several weeks for her new role as full professor to really sink in. The last time she felt the same complexity of emotions was when she was a doctoral student.

"At that time, I needed to study hard to get my two degrees."

Professor Kim finished her graduate degree in four and a half years - one year for her MA, and three and a half years for her PhD. Professor Kim said, "I needed to work harder than anyone else around me." "I needed to speed up. I could not afford time as an international student."

Dr. Kim couldn't believe she earned two graduate degrees until her parents flew to the United States to attend her graduate school graduation ceremony and congradulated her for her achievement. As an Asian, Dr. Kim felt deeply connected with her family, especially her parents. When they came to her school and congratulated her for her success, professor Kim said that she finally sinked in.

"Eventually, I felt that I accomplished something right, something honorable," she said.

Question 2: What are some differences between now and then?

When asked about the biggest difference between now and then, Professor Kim showed me several presents the she received from one of her former students. One gift was a notebook with an inspirational message on its cover:

"Being a FULL PROFESSOR is not just a JOB, it is a LIFESTYLE."

Working has become a steady routine, which professor Kim enjoys. "I am much, much busier this summer," she said. "It is probably the busiest summer that I have ever had in my career." She loves her job and considers it a core part of her life. Being a professor means she will never slow down, both in terms of teaching and continuing her research.

"It's not about extrinsic motivation now, it is much more intrinsic."

Also, being promoted to full professor allows Dr. Kim to work more freely for society, and she is really excited about spending more time with others, especially her students. With the opening of DK English School program in summer 2021, Professor Kim decided to dedicate herself to fostering a community for English language learners. Being promoted to full professor comes with more recognition, and that is hugely beneficial when running DK English School and other related programs.

"There is more happiness and excitement in my life," Professor Kim smiled. "And that's the reason why you feel that you can still handle things when you are really busy."

Kim mentioned the word giftedness. Usually we defined giftedness as a sense of talent that a person may have. However, Professor Kim defined the term differently.

"True giftedness should be shared with others."

In her case, giftedness is all about her students. She loves to support students using her skills and experience. "My students are like my extended family members," Professor Kim laughed. She recounted examples of how her students from previous institutions still called her regularly. "She has become a full professor now."

Being connected with her students provides happiness and mearning in her life through shared experiences. "When students open up, I will let them know that we are working together."

As Professor Kim said, being a full professor is much more than an occupation. It is a mission, a sense of meaning that pushes her to do more than her ever imagined.

Question 3: What are some of your future plans and goals?

Professor Kim admitted that her research would still need to hit certain numbers and requirements in the future, such as publishing in high impact journals. "But now I will be doing more for my students." For example, research will not slow down, but more opportunities will be given to students for their success. She highlighted the importance of research for students, especially those who decide to apply to graduate schools in the United States.

"Presentations and publications take time, you need to prepare early."

Usually, presentations take about nine months to prepare. Publications can take one or even two years. For international students, it would be more difficult. Many of them simply do not have enough resources, which is why Professor Kim believes it is important and necessary to offer them help and support.

"I came from South Korea, but I got opportunities here in the United States. I worked hard, and this position as a professor accepted me. If you work hard, you will also make your dreams come true," Professor Kim said enthusiastically. "I am a living proof. You just have to know how to work through these difficulties."

Professor Kim hopes that she can help her students accomplish their dreams by guiding and supporting them with sociocultural capital that they might not otherwise have access to in the first place. With these goals in mind, she started the DK Mentoring Online program several years ago, and now she opened DK English School online. Both programs support English language learners in the United States.

"I want to provide hope and a future for my students."

WeChat微信

@DK Mentoring Online

1. How to Apply Summer Research
如何申请暑期科研

2. How to Write Discussion & Implication
如何撰写论文Discussion & Implication部分

3. Cramming vs. Learning
“来不及生产力”：临阵磨枪，不快也光吗?

Zhihu知乎
1. Whole person education talk.
全人教育访谈

2. Quick update of visa cancellation issue of Chinese students.
中国学生签证问题速报

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