Dear Members, I wanted to share a book that you might find interesting to read in your spare time or perhaps set on your metaphorical shelf for engagement after you finish your doctorate. As I am working on developing our new cursūs (i.e., modules), I have been revisiting what is known as the Humboldtian model of the university. One might say this is the antithesis to the contemporary paradigm that we find ourselves in. Nevertheless, the Collegium serves as a way to recover some aspects of the Humboldtian model, which I find invaluable to doctoral formation. This book will be one of the suggested readings for Cursus I — On Doctoral Formation. If anything, have a skim through it when you can. Yours academically, Ryan

Dear Members, Please be advised that Dissertation Demystified will henceforth be known as the Dissertation Collegium, the flagship program of the Institute for Doctoral Formation. This change more accurately reflects the mission of our community. What we are building together is not merely a program designed to help individuals complete the dissertation, but a space for serious intellectual and scholarly formation that extends beyond the defense itself. We are united by a shared conviction: the ultimate aim of doctoral education is formation, not credentialism. Certainly, earning the degree matters, and that remains an immediate goal of the work we undertake together. Yet the deeper reward of doctoral study lies in the process of becoming an expert, a researcher, and a scholar. That is the achievement that endures for life. What is changing is the name and broader institutional identity under which this work is carried forward. What is not changing is the structure of the program. Office hours and one-on-one sessions will continue as normal. Your access to me, Brenda, and your peers will remain the same. In the coming weeks and months, you will begin to see program materials updated accordingly, and our LinkedIn presence will gradually reflect this new branding as well. Thank you for being part of this community, for helping shape what it is becoming, and for participating in a larger vision for doctoral education. Yours academically, Ryan

I hope this doesn't come across as childish and immature, but... LEVEL 5, BABY! WooHoo!!!

Hello Dissertation Demystified members! Let's give this new week our best. Office hours for this week: Thursday at 6:00 PM EST Saturday at 2:00 PM EST Please let us know if you intend to attend and what you would like to discuss. As usual, everyone is welcome, even if it's a quick pop-in. Have a great week ahead.

Greetings everyone, I just published an article on LinkedIn entitled 'On the Literature Review: Towards a First Scholarly Contribution'. Tomorrow's Doctoral Colloquium will be based on this article. Do have a read over it when you have a moment and be sure to like and share it. Here is the link to the article: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/literature-review-towards-first-scholarly-ryan-j-s-kotowski-obyre Feel free to chime in here on or LinkedIn with your thoughts on it.