Imagine Me

On Thursday, May 14, 2015 I was hooded by my dissertation co-chair, Dr. Roland Mitchell in front of family, friends and guest and received my Ph.D. from Louisiana State University.  I can't even find the words to define how I felt in that moment.  I was so elated when they draped that velvet hood over my head I thought I was going to pass out! lol.  The road had been a long one, well at least it appeared that way.  As I walked across the stage Dr. Mitchell whispered, "you know you are the student I've been waiting to hood all night."  I was puzzled.  He had chaired and co-chaired 6 doctoral students who were receiving their PhD that evening.  What made me so special?  So I asked.  (Yes, we were having a conversation as I walked across the stage).  He replied, "You came to LSU 2 1/2 years ago determined to finish the studies you had started at Jackson State and you did it."  As I exited the stage he reminded me of our first conversation where he insisted that I could not possible finish my degree with the plan I had in mind (I wanted to do it in 2 years).  And I laughed as I recalled how I told him to watch me! And for 2 1/2 years he has done just that.


Earlier that evening Dr. Mitchell who also served as my mentor throughout my studies at LSU robed me during the African American Robing Ceremony that is held by the African American Culture Center on campus.  An annual ceremony were Black students give honor to our ancestors who paved the way for us to attend school and receive our degrees, it was an honor to participate in this ceremony.  As we sat in the Cox Center for Student Athletes we were informed by the university's president. Dr. Alexander King, that our class was the largest African-American class to graduate with degrees (Bachelor, Master and Ph.D.) from LSU that semester.  Talk about an accomplishment! And then undergraduate business major, Brittany Guillory reminded us of how far we had come since A.P. Tureaud, Jr., the first African-American to be enrolled at the Baton Rouge campus in 1953, with a story her grandfather had passed down to her.  To know that I was following in the footsteps of a LSU legend who as a young adult could have attended any of the HBCU's across the United States, but instead decided to integrate LSU so that myself and all the students that were present on May 14 could attend, was an honor and to know that I too was making history on that day was heartwarming.  In that moment the only phrase that kept swirling around in my head was "Imagine This...Imagine Us...Imagine Me!" A girl who grew up in a lower middle class subdivision, the odds had always been stacked against me, but on May 14th I defied them all, yes, imagine that!

So what's next for the PhDiva?  Well, a huge part of me wants to return to the ivory tower and teach social work classes, another part of me wants to return to entertainment using my new title and over 20 years of experience as a social worker on a larger platform to motivate women around the world.  But no matter which road I take I'll always be a writer, weaving stories the only way that I know how.  Will this blog end?  Most definitely not!  I've decided to use it to help others who are considering pursing a Ph.D. by sharing tips from what to do, to where to start, in addition to what I'm up to as the newly minted Dr. Carey Yazeed.  Trust me...the adventure has only just begun, lol.