In this regular feature, we hear from women academics and professionals about their lives, their faith, and the way it all intersects. Pull up a chair and join us as we chat with international educator Jenny McGill.
Welcome, Jenny! Tell us about yourself.
Name: Jenny McGill
Current job: Regional Dean for Northern Indiana and Illinois, Indiana Wesleyan University
Current location: Chicago/Northwest Indiana
Schools attended: MA, Dallas Theological Seminary, PhD, King's College London (England)
A favorite activity: travelling internationally
What was the hardest part of grad school and what kept you sane?
I was actually more intense at the bachelor's level, so I knew I needed to do something different for my graduate studies. I worked multiple part-time jobs and studied part-time during graduate school which made me balance things a bit better. I thrive on variety and not studying full-time, for me, helped me not to fall down the rabbit's hole of getting lost in my studies.
What do you love most about your job right now?
So many things! My student population is largely adult, non-residential, and ethnically diverse. Seeing them pursue their education despite myriad obstacles is incredible. Working with my staff on a daily basis is pure joy. I love learning knowledge that is then applied, and being an academic allows me to do just that, through teaching, researching, and publishing.
How does your faith inform the way you think about or do your work?
God created us to be stewards from the beginning, so my efforts now are continuing that good work. For me, my faith purposes my work, makes it meaningful, and is the way I live my work out — by faith in and for someone beyond me but with me.
