WELCOME February 18, 2002 Issue

You do matter

Mary Trammell

IT WAS A WITHERING MOMENT. After finishing my graduate degree, I was frantically hunting for a university teaching job in South Florida. I sent out letters, scoured the ads, filled out dozens of applications, interviewed for the few positions that were open—and drove to just about every university within 50 miles to track down leads. Everywhere, the answer was the same: "Sorry, the market is saturated with Ph.Ds. We won't have an opening for years."

So, craving encouragement, I went to see one of my former professors. She listened matter-of-factly. Then, kicking her feet up on the desk, she said, "It's too bad. But the world just doesn't need your skills and talents. It doesn't need what you have to offer."

Well, I managed to stay composed till I got home. But then, I ducked into a back room so my kids couldn't see me crying. The professor's words kept replaying in my mind.

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