ROBERT HEVEY was fascinated by gardening as a child, but
then he grew up and took a 30-year career detour. Mr. Hevey earned a master’s
in business and became a certified public accountant, working for accounting
firms and businesses ranging from manufacturing to enterprise software and
corporate restructuring.
“I went to college and made the mistake of getting an M.B.A.
and a C.P.A.,” he recalled with a laugh.
Now 61, Mr. Hevey is making up for lost time. He’s a
second-year Ph.D. student in a plant biology and conservation program offered
jointly by Northwestern University and the Chicago Botanic Garden. Mr. Hevey,
whose work focuses on invasive species, started on his master’s at age 53, and
he expects to finish his doctorate around five years from now, when he will be
66.
“When I walk into a classroom of 20-year-olds, I do raise
the average age a bit,” he says.
While the overall age of Ph.D. candidates has dropped in the
last decade, about 14 percent of all doctoral recipients are over age 40,
according to the National Science Foundation. Relatively few students work on
Ph.D.s at Mr. Hevey’s age, but educators are seeing increasing enrollment in
doctoral programs by students in their 40s and 50s. Many candidates hope
doctorates will help them advance careers in business, government and nonprofit
organizations; some, like Mr. Hevey, are headed for academic research or
teaching positions.
At Cornell University, the trend is driven by women. The
number of new female doctoral students age 36 or older was 44 percent higher
last year than in 2009, according to Barbara Knuth, senior vice provost and
dean of the graduate school.
“One of the shifts nationally is more emphasis on career
paths that call for a Ph.D.,” Dr. Knuth said. “Part of it is that we have much
more fluidity in career paths. It’s unusual for people to hold the same job for
many years.”
“The people we see coming back have a variety of reasons,”
she added. “It could be a personal interest or for career advancement. But they
are very pragmatic and resilient: strong thinkers, willing to ask questions and
take a risk in their lives.”
Many older doctoral candidates are motivated by a search for
meaning, said Katrina Rogers, president of Fielding Graduate University in
Santa Barbara, Calif., which offers programs exclusively for adult learners in
psychology, human and organizational development and education.
“Students are asking
what they can do with the rest of their lives, and how they can have an
impact,” she said. “They are approaching graduate school as a learning process
for challenging themselves intellectually, but also along cognitive and
emotional lines.”
Making a home for older students also makes business sense
for universities and colleges, said Barbara Vacarr, director of the higher
education initiative at Encore.org, a nonprofit organization focused on midlife
career change. “The convergence of an aging population and an undersupply of
qualified traditional college students are both a call to action and an
opportunity for higher education.”
Some schools are serving older students in midcareer with
pragmatic doctoral programs that can be completed more quickly than the seven
or eight years traditionally required to earn a Ph.D. Moreover, many of those
do not require candidates to spend much time on campus or even leave their
full-time jobs.
That flexibility can help with the cost of obtaining a
doctorate. In traditional programs, costs can range from $20,000 a year to
$50,000 or more — although for some, tuition expenses are offset by
fellowships. The shorter programs are less costly. The total cost at Fielding,
for example, is $60,000.
Mr. Hevey’s advice to anyone considering a similar move?
“Really ask yourself if this is something you want to do. If you think it would
just be nice to be a student again, that’s wrong. It’s not a life of ease:
You’ll be working all the time, perhaps for seven or eight years.”
Mr. Hevey does not expect to teach, but he does hope to work
in a laboratory or do research. “I’m certainly not going to start a new career
at 66 or 67,” he said. “But I’m not going to go home and sit on the couch,
either.”
JACK
ASS OF THE MONTH -
The N.H.L. suspended Chicago Blackhawks forward
Andrew Shaw for one game for shouting an anti-gay slur while in the penalty box
during his team’s Game 4 playoff loss to the St. Louis Blues on Tuesday night.
Shaw was also fined $5,000 for directing an inappropriate
gesture at the officials and will be required to take sensitivity training. He
will miss Game 5 on Thursday in St. Louis, with the defending champion Blackhawks
trailing by three games to one.
The incidents occurred late in the third period after Shaw
was penalized for interference with Chicago down by 4-3. He gestured at the
officials while skating to the penalty box. Video of Shaw in the penalty box seemed
to show him shouting the slur, though it was not clear to whom his remarks were
directed. After the game, Shaw told The Chicago Tribune: “I mean, emotions are
high; I really don’t know what’s said. I was obviously upset with the call
being that late in the game.”
But on Wednesday, he apologized in a statement. “I am
sincerely sorry for the insensitive remarks that I made last night while in the
penalty box,” he said. “When I got home and saw the video, it was evident that
what I did was wrong, no matter the circumstances.”
Speaking to reporters later, Shaw said, “I’ll never use that
word again, that’s for sure.”
“I get it,” he added. “It’s a hurtful word. It’s 2016 now.
It’s time that everyone is treated equally.”
The Blackhawks said in a statement: “We are extremely
disappointed in Andrew Shaw’s actions last night. His comments do not reflect
what we stand for as an organization.”
Colin Campbell, the N.H.L. vice president for hockey
operations, said that while Shaw was remorseful, he had to be held accountable.
“The emotion of the moment cannot and will not be a
mitigating factor for the conduct that is expected of an N.H.L. player,”
Campbell said.
Andrew Shaw is our Jack Ass for the month of April for his
actions this past week.
BIRTHDAYS
THIS WEEK – Birthday wishes and thoughts this week to: Kay Bigglestone ...Tucson's finest, Queen
Elizabeth II (90) London, England; Al
Pacino (76) Manhattan, N.Y, Joe Zanetta ...The Man & The Legend.
GOOD
READS - The Secret History of Tiger Woods," by Wright
Thompson on the cover of the upcoming "Fame" issue of ESPN: The
Magazine: "The death of his father set a battle raging inside the world's
greatest golfer. How he waged that war -- through an obsession with the Navy
SEALs -- is the tale of how Tiger lost his way." http://es.pn/248L2rC
COLLEGE
CHRONICLES – ANNUAL COMMENCEMENT SEASON (DRAMA): The University of Notre Dame is honoring Vice
President Joe Biden and former House Speaker John Boehner with its highest
award at next month's graduation ceremony. But some students are crying foul,
saying that neither man represents the university's values. More than 80
students signed an op-ed in the school's newspaper in March criticizing the
decision to give Biden the 2016 Laetare Medal, which university officials award
to a Catholic "whose genius has ennobled the arts and sciences,
illustrated the ideals of the Church and enriched the heritage of
humanity." Objections to Biden center on his support of abortion, stem
cell research and gay marriage. Another op-ed takes aim at Boehner's selection,
noting his positions on immigration, the death penalty and environmental
issues. University spokesman Paul Browne indicated this year's
award is intended to "promote that which unites us. I guess it's a sign of
the times that fostering civil discourse would generate invective in some
quarters," he said.
- Meanwhile, more than 600 students at the University of
Alabama at Huntsville are petitioning to revoke Sen. Jeff Sessions' invitation
to speak at the school's May 1st commencement. The petition lists Sessions'
track record on education and civil rights and his endorsement of Donald Trump
as president as reasons to rescind the invitation. Faculty members have joined
in, submitting a petition with almost 200 signatures. A counter-petition
supporting Sessions' invitation to the university, which enrolls about 8,000
students, is also circulating.
- Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright is at the
center of a flap on feminism and her foreign policy track record at a
California women's college. Twenty-eight faculty members at Scripps College
sent a letter to the school newspaper saying they would not attend this year's
May 14 ceremony because Albright is delivering the commencement speech. In a
letter to the paper, one student criticized Albright as a "white feminist
and repeated genocide enabler" for her failure as the U.S. Ambassador to
the UN to stop the killings in Rwanda and her support of NATO's bombing of
Serbia in 1999.
- Not all the backlash is politically motivated. A group of
students at Tulane University tried last month to replace Today Show's Hoda
Kotb as commencement speaker for not being sufficiently serious or
high-profile. The petition, which garnered more than 200 supporters, said
students deserve better "given the amount of money, work, and passion we
have poured into our educational careers at Tulane." The petition has
since been taken down and Kotb will speak at the May 14 graduation.
- Students at Trinity College in Connecticut are
reconsidering an invite to rapper Action Bronson, scheduled to perform at its
spring concert, because of his violent and sexually explicit lyrics. George
Washington University decided to remove him from the school's concert lineup earlier
this year because his music wasn't "consistent" with the university's
"values of diversity and inclusion."
POLITICS
101
- Donald Trump's Road to Washington Goes Through Fresno: For Trump to clinch
the nomination, he has to do very well in the remaining contests, plus win a
large majority of delegates in California - as many as 130, according to the
Associated Press, representing victory in 39 out of the state's 53
congressional districts. As Breitbart News analysis has determined, that almost
certainly means Trump has to win at least one or two districts in Cruz
strongholds in the Central Valley of California, with large numbers of Latino
and evangelical voters.
COUGH -
Los
Angeles and Bakersfield top list of worst air pollution in the nation:
Bakersfield tops the list for having the most unhealthy days from airborne
particles spewed by highway traffic, diesel trucks, farm equipment and
fireplaces, the American Lung Assn.'s State of the Air 2016 report says. Los
Angeles remains the nation's leader in harmful ozone pollution from car tailpipes
emissions, the report says.
HAMILTON
SURVIVES; TUBMAN ON THE $20 - Harriet Tubman will bump Andrew Jackson
from the front of the $20 bill while Alexander Hamilton will stay put on the
$10 - a historic move that gives a woman prime placement on U.S. currency and
quells a controversy kicked up by Hamilton super-fans. ... [Treasury Secretary
Jack] Lew rolled out sweeping changes that will put a new cast of historic
figures onto various bills that have remained largely static for decades.
Leaders of the women's suffrage movement will make their way
onto the back of the $10 bill, while civil rights era leaders and other
important moments in American history will be incorporated into the $5 bill.
Jackson will be kicked to the back of the $20 bill. The plan is a major
reversal for Lew, who appeared taken aback by the swift rebukes Treasury
received last summer when he announced that he was considering replacing
Hamilton on the $10 bill with a woman. ... Lew ... got an earful from fans of
Hamilton, who helped create the Treasury Department and the modern American
financial system.
FORTUNE's new cover,
"Business: The Trump Way," "He's a billionaire (though maybe not
as rich as he says). He claims he hates debt (but his casino companies went
bust because of it). He craves press attention (but sues at the drop of a hat).
What does Trump's record tell us about how he'll lead?" http://for.tn/1WgVrPl
... See the cover. http://bit.ly/22T2EFv
THE
PRESIDENT'S WEEK AHEAD: On Monday [in Germany], the President will
open and tour the Hannover Messe Trade Fair with Chancellor Angela Merkel.
Afterwards, the President will deliver remarks. In the afternoon, the President
will meet with President Francois Hollande of France, Prime Minister Matteo
Renzi of Italy, and Prime Minister David Cameron of the United Kingdom in a
meeting hosted by German Chancellor Angela Merkel. In the evening, the
President will depart Hannover and return to Washington ...
On Wednesday, the President will welcome the United States
Naval Academy Football Team to the White House to present them with the 2015
Commander-in-Chief's Trophy. On Thursday, the President and the First Lady will
mark the beginning of Passover with a Seder at the White House with friends and
staff. On Friday, the President will attend the International Jazz Day Festival
at the White House.
REAL
ESTATE, REAL ESTATE - Richard Nixon's Western White House takes a
$6-million price chop: A San Clemente
estate that became known as the Western White House during Richard M. Nixon's
presidency has come back up for sale at $69 million.
Called La Casa Pacifica when Nixon took ownership in 1969,
the sprawling 5.45-acre compound occupies an ocean bluff in a gated enclave.
While the 37th U.S. president lived there he replaced an existing tennis court
with a swimming pool and built a 1,500-foot-long wall to enclose the
property.
HOTTEST
JOB IN TOWN? How clean tech innovation is rebuilding
California: In California, 508,000 people work full-time or part-time in
advanced energy, including 44,100 in Orange County, from solar panel installers
to electric car designers, home energy auditors, irrigation specialists,
chipmakers, biofuel scientists and sustainability executives. The sector's California
job growth is explosive: up 18 percent in 2015, more than six times faster than
the state's overall payroll expansion of 2.8 percent.
LEAVING
BEHIND A PRINCELY SUM: At his death, Prince, the genre- and
gender-bending musician had an estate worth about $300 million. It's not yet known
if Prince prepared a will. If not, under Minnesota law, the estate would go to
his nearest relative, leading some to speculate that it could end up in the hands
of his sister, Tyka Nelson. Compares to John Lennon, $800 million; Michael
Jackson, $600 million; David Bowie, $230 million.
THE
SWAMI’S WEEK TOP PICKS –
NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs – April 27, Nashville Predators
(3-3) vs. Anaheim Ducks (3-3): Game seven drama in the first round, Ducks
prevail 4 – 2.
Season
to date (32 -18)
MARKET WEEK – As the Federal
Reserve’s policy-setting committee prepares to meet tomorrow, one signal
suggests that investors believe the economy, and financial markets, may be
finding a footing after a tumultuous start to the year. Government-bond yields
are heading higher around the world, a move typically linked to rising
expectations of economic growth and inflation. As investors drive down bond
prices, yields rise. But many worry the recent bond selloff is just the latest
in a series of false starts. In three of the last four years, bond prices have
fallen sharply at the start of the year, only to surge later as economic and
geopolitical concerns took over investors’ minds. And in other market news, the
European Central Bank’s plan to buy corporate bonds has raised the question of
whether easy access to money will let companies put off making hard choices.
The week begins with new home sales on Monday.
The housing market data continues to be volatile, but after Wednesday's bounce
in existing home sales of 5.1% the market will be hoping the trend continues
into new home sales. On Wednesday, the Federal Reserve is back in the spotlight
where they are expected to keep interest rates on hold. This year has been a
volatile one for the Fed as they grapple with global growth and geopolitical
concerns and a domestic economy that continues to show signs of improvement.
After the March meeting disappointed investors
when Fed Chairperson Janet Yellen delivered a more dovish statement than
expected, the U.S. dollar and Treasury yields all fell sharply. Since then the
U.S. employment report for March again showed an employment market that is
heading towards full capacity with another 215,000 jobs added. More importantly
for the Fed, the average hourly earnings rose 0.3%. This won't be enough to tip
the Fed into raising rates but hints at the potential timing of a rate hike
will be closely watched.
Thursday sees the release of the first
estimate of Q1 GDP. The market is expecting a pullback from 2015 fourth quarter
of 1.4%.
DRIVING THE WEEK – Big primary day
on Tuesday with contests in Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania and
Rhode Island. Both Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton are set up for big wins.
But Trump could run into trouble in Pennsylvania because most of the state's
delegates will not be bound even on the first ballot in Cleveland ... Will big
losses drive Sanders from the race? Seems possible.
President Obama completes his European trip on
Tuesday continuing to push for free trade in an appearance with German
Chancellor Angela Merkel followed by remarks and meetings with other European
leaders ... FOMC meets Tuesday and Wednesday but is not expected to make any
change to rates. And there is no press conference by Chair Janet Yellen ...
First read on Q1 GDP on Thursday at 8:30 a.m. expected to show growth of just
0.6%.
Next
week: The Commencement season begins and do you have
a Darth Vader at your work?
Until Next Monday, Adios.
Claremont, CA
April 25, 2016
#VI-39-301
CARTOON
OF THE WEEK –2016 Pulitzer
Prize winner, Sacramento Bee
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