The Purposeful PhD: Aligning Your Career with Your Purpose, Values, and Impact

If you were to choose a career based on its alignment with your purpose, what would it be? If you have no idea, don't worry. PhD students are rarely encouraged to reflect on their sense of purpose, values, and the impact they want to have on society.

For years, academia has espoused the tenure track as the singular worthy outcome of doctoral education. But with a dearth of available positions, and growing appreciation that wellbeing -- not a specific job title -- is what matters, you'll probably need a different kind of mentorship than what your advisor can offer. That's where this book comes in.

The Purposeful PhD offers a practical roadmap to connect your doctoral training with any career. With stories from inspiring PhD-holders; top tips for translating your skills and expertise; and activities to identify the qualities of a career that matter to you; The Purposeful PhD is your ultimate companion.

When it comes to creating a more just and beautiful future for all, Rebecca thrives at weaving together multiple ways of knowing. From honoring embodied wisdom, relational and cultural histories, to cutting edge theoretical and applied models of systemic transformation, Rebecca's leadership is characterized by a reverence for collective understanding. This approach has served her well navigating partnerships across academic, nonprofit, private, and government sectors. As the Co-Director/Co-Founder of the nonprofit organization, the Institute for Collective Wellbeing, Rebecca brings her passion for participatory methodologies and program design, cross-sector partnership development, equity and inclusion, and a steadfast devotion to wellbeing for all to everything she does. She is also the President of Explore, Create, Evaluate Partners and The Purposeful PhD where she provides organizational and personal consultation related to purpose-driven and values-aligned decision-making. Rebecca received her master's and PhD in social welfare at the University of Wisconsin-Madison Sandra Rosenbaum School of Social Work. She is also a board-certified coach. Rebecca lives in Madison, Wisconsin with her husband, Francisco, and their children, Niko and Dessa Rose.