Adrienne Darrah holds a Ph.D. in mass communications from the Penn State Bellisario College of Communications and serves as teaching faculty for the Penn State College of the Liberal Arts. Adrienne’s research centers on communications in philanthropy and nonprofit organizations. As an avid consumer of television and movies, Adrienne is also interested in the sociocultural impact they have on society, particularly as they relate to women. A first-generation college graduate, Adrienne holds a BA in art history, an MBA, and a MPA all from Penn State. Prior to earning her Ph.D., Adrienne spent her career in a fundraising, working in the arts at the John F. Kennedy Center in Washington, DC, and in higher education at the University of Virginia, the University of Portland, the University of Oregon, and Penn State. Adrienne lives in State College, PA, with her husband Bob and their son Turner and cats Lucifur and Mazikeen.

“Look Right, Look Left”

Karen, who recently started her PhD at the University of Leeds, reflects on her experiences adjusting to life in the UK, including the language barrier, slower pace of life, and the complexities of the PhD journey. She shares the struggles of finding her research direction, fighting gender stereotypes in academia, and the fears that come with being an international student.

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Pursuing A Research PhD Is Like Launching Your Own Start-Up Business

Learn about the similarities between pursuing a PhD in a research field and launching a startup business. From selecting a viable research topic to marketing your work, PhD students and entrepreneurs have overlapping skills and mindsets that can lead to success. Read more to find out how PhD students can learn from entrepreneurial techniques to achieve success in academia.

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