I defended my Ph.D. Dissertation today and passed!
The Dissertation Defense was from 9-11 am and I was so nervous. You just never know how these things will go. I talked too long, about 40 minutes when I should have only talked for 20-25 minutes, and I was talking fast and cutting things out. I might have rambled a bit. I also had too many slides! 45 is just too many to get through. I got so nervous at one point my upper lip was sticking to my teeth. I could also hear the cats pounding on the office door at one point, as I locked them out. Then after I presented my research I was asked questions by my committee of four awesome Professors. Then I left the Zoom meeting so that they could talk and decide my fate. I am probably one of the last students to present via Zoom. I was texted a few minutes later to come back to the meeting and I passed! I was so very happy. More than happy — joyful! I have been working on my Ph.D. for 10 years. 10 years! 10 years is a long time and I was running out of time to finish up. So now I just need to clean up the Dissertation and submit it. I also have a few papers I need to write as part of re-validating some of my older classes and then pass my summer Ph.D. class. Unfortunately, there is no summer graduation ceremony, so I will have to wait until December.
What did I do after my defense? A little shopping, Starbucks, napping, and then got steak fajitas, Baja tacos, and fried ice cream from La Casita, a local Mexican restaurant. A fabulous day!
The Professors in my program always send out an email to everyone in the program letting them know that someone has passed their defense and so my advisor Dr. St. Marie sent this out today:
To all to whom these letters shall come, Greeting:
The Faculty of the IDV Program, by virtue of the authority of them vested, have this day heard the defense of the doctoral dissertation,
by Melissa Kay Aho entitled:
When You Play the Game of Drones, You Win, or You Die:
Examining the Role of U.S. Drone Strikes in U.S. and English Language Allies Newspapers From 2008-2019
Upon recommendation by the faculty the dissertation was PASSED. Ms. Aho shall henceforth be known as:
Melissa Kay Aho Ph.D.
With all the Rights, Privileges, and Honors, as well as the Obligations and Responsibilities thereunto appertaining.
Defended this Tenth Day of June, Two Thousand Twenty-One, in the One Hundred and Tenth Year of the University.
Please join us in congratulating Dr. Aho on a well-researched and executed piece of original research. Please send your congratulations to Dr. Aho at:
Once again, congratulations Dr. Aho.
Dr. JJS