From Service to Administration: Rewarding Job Opportunities in Academia

Doctoral programs train PhDs to be productive academics primarily through research and teaching. As IR students, we learn about the discipline as we publish and develop our pedagogy for securing employment, tenure, and promotion. Graduate programs rarely emphasize the importance of service in higher education. Yet, every academic, regardless of institutional type, is required to engage in service at some level throughout their career. Service can range from chairing departments, engaging in committee work, participating in curricular initiatives, representing the university to national accreditors, managing journal editorial boards, to leading professional associations. Whether that service is to one’s institution, profession, or community, the demand for it seems endless. Though some might frown upon service as an obligation, this panel advocates for it as professional development toward an enriching career. Service opportunities hone skills in organization and time-management, teach one how to run meetings effectively, problem-solve, understand Robert’s Rules of Order, build trust and confidence, facilitate discourse and consensus among diverse populations, and ultimately pave the way for leadership jobs on and off campus. The panelists on this roundtable share their involvement with service early in their career, which eventually led them to their rewarding administrative appointments based on that experience.