Tracy A. Khan, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Marketing
University of Wisconsin Whitewater
URI PhD: 2023
Q. What led you to pursue a PhD, and was it always part of your plan?
A. No, I started seriously thinking about pursuing a PhD when I was getting my master’s, and my mentor /boss, Mr. Darell Singleterry, at the time suggested I would be a good fit for a doctoral program. When I learned more about it – the flexibility, the opportunities to genuinely pursue the things that interested me, and interacting/helping students- it pushed me to learn more and ask myself what kind of career I wanted in 15 years and how a PhD could help me get there.
Q. What was the most pivotal moment between your dissertation and where you are today?
A. Probably the first day of my first semester as a new assistant tenure-track professor. I was so nervous and really unsure of what the day would bring. By the end of the day, I knew I was going to be okay, and everything was going to work out. It was pivotal because your time as a doctoral student is filled with so much uncertainty and stress. My mind and body and soul finally had a chance to stop being in chronic fight-or-flight mode. I had spent so many years working to earn this position, and to feel like it finally paid off was an incredible feeling.
Q. What is something you wish you had known before starting your PhD?
A. My plan to work the hardest I’ve ever worked, to persevere, to overcome in the face of obstacles, to find solutions to what felt like insurmountable challenges—– would actually work and be enough. Trust in yourself and your skill. Only you know what’s truly right for you; seek advice from others but follow your own heart song first.
Q. How has your vision for your career evolved since graduation?
A. It’s expanded and really become so much more interesting and fun than I could’ve ever imagined.
Q. What advice would you give to current PhD students?
A. It’s important to connect with and work with other junior scholars from other institutions. Try to find and nurture relationships with people in other business disciplines as well; your life becomes so much happier and fuller. You also have this ability to relate to one another. Also, if possible, go on at least one vacation a year, never skip major holidays, and remember this season is tough, but you will get through it.