After the defence of Dorothy Jean Tillman dissertation, Miss Tillman became the youngest person in Arizona to earn a PhD. She did most of her classwork online and remotely. However, she attended the graduation ceremony in person and addressed it during the occasion. 

Dorothy credits her grandma and mother for their guidance in her educational pursuits and her success. She has innovative ideas, and her supervisors believe that she is a true leader. The associate professor Leslie Manson calls it something so rare and unique and hopes that Dorothy may inspire more students. 

For the PhD scholars struggling with their degrees, Miss Dorothy is no less than an idol. So, they can learn a lot from the example she has set and take inspiration from it. As a PhD scholar, if you want to get a distinction like her, reach out to professional PhD dissertation writers available at The Academic Papers UK. They are the best people who can assist you in overcoming the challenges of a doctorate. 

This article explores why Dorothy Jean Tillman dissertation is a role model for the PhD scholars. Also, it sheds light on what they can learn from her and the work she has done. Let’s dive deeper into the key insights of this article. 

Key Insights: 

• Self-determination plays a key role in success. 

• You will have to focus on the bigger picture. 

• Find some hobbies that energise you. 

• Remember why you started. 

• Don’t overlook your achievements. 

• Talk to the supervisors whenever necessary. 

• Create to-do lists for everyday tasks.

• Set up your workspace.

• Choose what to concentrate on first. 

• Reward yourself for all the wins. 

Below, we have discussed the factors behind success and the valuable lessons one can learn from Dorothy Jean Tillman’s dissertation. Read on to learn more. 

Who Is the Youngest Person to Get a Doctorate at Arizona State University?

A 17-year-old, Dorothy Jean Tillman has bagged a prestigious achievement at Arizona State University. She is now the youngest person to graduate with a doctoral degree at that institute. She has earned her degree in integrated behavioural health. Dr Tillman is the daughter of a single mother who had a background in community theatre. 

10 Ways Dorothy Jean Tillman Dissertation Motivates PhD Scholars

So, doctoral students can get a fair amount of motivation from the Dorothy Jean Tillman II dissertation. Her dissertation was focused on the effect of the implementation of outreach. Also, she researched the education programs aimed at the reduction of stigma that’s connected with using mental health services. 

Here are the top 10 ways you can benefit from her experience:

1. Self-Determination

According to the famous motivation theories, also endorsed by Dorothy Jean Tillman’s dissertation, self-determination is the key to success. A key proposition of the theory is that an internalised regulatory system can produce positive outcomes. Even primary, secondary, and high school students can endorse this narrative really well. 

So, from the example of Miss Tillman, you can also learn that with a disciplined routine, you can achieve anything. So, all that you need to have is a strong will and the spirit for self-determination. Furthermore, you should surround yourself with people who have a supportive nature and who encourage you to achieve your goals. The support from friends doubtlessly goes a long way! 

2. Focus on the Bigger Picture

Another lesson that you can learn from Dorothy Jean Tillman dissertation is that you’ve to focus on the bigger picture. So, it is natural for a PhD student to get bogged down in the details of research. However, when they connect with the bigger picture and zoom out of their tiring routines, it helps them a lot. 

So, to keep yourself motivated, you can ask yourself questions like the following: 

• What are the true benefits of your work? 
• Who are you doing all that research for?
• Why did you start doing all of this in the first place? 

These questions will doubtlessly help you stay inspired and motivated to do your work. Also, it is necessary to rest properly and not tire yourself when crafting your papers. 

3. Find Some Energising Hobbies

So, you might understand very well that PhD candidates can lose their motivation to research every now and then. It is always important to have some energising hobby that keeps them energised for work. Also, it may serve as a little joyful distraction that recharges you for work. 

For instance, from the recent Dorothy Jean Tillman dissertation example, we can learn that dancing is Dorothy’s hobby. It keeps her energised and full of zeal for work. So, you can also go for it or try hanging out with a friend and other people. Not only will it keep you motivated for work, but it will also refresh you for research. 

4. Remember Your WHY

This one is simple. During your PhD journey, it might become difficult for you to remember why you started in the first place. Also, there is a lot of pesky work you have to do other than doing the research for work. All those meetings with supervisors and admins can become a little too tiring for students. 

As it’s evident, one might even forget the reason for starting a PhD degree like that. So, in such conditions, it will be advisable to connect with the original inspiration. Think of why you started your journey in the first place. Also, connect with peers who can motivate you and guide you well. It will positively uplift your spirits. In the example of Dorothy Jean Tillman dissertation, her mom and grandmother were her inspiration. 

Image Source: Chicago Sun-Times

5. Focus on the Achievements

In the daily struggle and grind of PhD, it can be really hard for students to focus on their achievements. It may be that all you are seeing at the moment are the challenges of the work or the failures, but they don’t matter. In fact, if you look at it that way, you can sometimes get your motivation from the failures. 

So, stop and take a while to stop and think about your achievements. It will help you fine-tune your work and give you the energy to reproduce the successful study experiments again. Remember that it is completely okay to lose motivation and that you are not alone in the process. 

6. Talking to the Advisors

Another lesson that we learned from the Dorothy Jean Tillman dissertation is that one should stay connected to the supervisors. Miss Tillman, as per Excelsior University, used to stay connected to the instructors and asked for help whenever needed. Evidently, it assists a lot when you are confused and want to clear your concepts. 

Sometimes, your advisors provide you with feedback that clears your head and guides your writing process. Also, you can take the advice of your peers on how to get back on track. 

However, if you are looking for one-on-one coaching assistance, you should get PhD dissertation help online from credible sources. It is a sure-fire way to achieve exceptional success in a short period of time. Moreover, it provides you with an opportunity to learn from the seasoned experts. 

7. Make To-Do Lists

As you can learn from the Dorothy Jean Tillman dissertation, you can achieve practically anything when you want it. So, you should take the determination a step further and make to-do lists to achieve your goals. Also, it will be better to control how you approach your everyday tasks. That is to say, at the start of each day, you need to know what exactly you want to achieve.

Here is a to-do list template for you that may help you organise yourself for work. We have taken this from Pitch Science: 

Furthermore, keep in mind that you have to be specific about your goals. That is to say, you must set achievable tasks and make them manageable for you. So, if you aim to craft 500 words of literature review, you will know exactly where you stand. 

8. Set Up Your Workspace

Imagine you hate even seeing your workspace. Will you want to sit down there and concentrate on work? Absolutely not – or perhaps you will abhor the experience of working on your papers. If you want to achieve success like Dorothy Jean Tillman dissertation, you should work on setting up your workstation. 

So, to make it work, you must avoid distractions and interruptions at that place. You should keep your phone off and have plenty of uninterrupted time for yourself. Also, you can follow the Pomodoro technique as well to help you stay productive. Interestingly, if you use this technique, you can work in small intervals of time when there are no distractions, i.e.

• No Facebook notifications
• No WhatsApp messages
• Further no distractions 

Also, once you finish the tasks, don’t just discard the list. Instead, move them towards the done section. It will serve as a motivational energy boost for you. 

9. Choose What to Do First

So, choosing what to focus on first is important and increases your motivational level quite a lot. Your mind must be able to distinguish between something that: 

• Is or isn’t important
• Is or isn’t urgent

Focusing on something that is urgent and important at the same time is necessary. From the example of Dorothy Jean Tillman dissertation, we learn that when you have so much to focus on your plate, you leave the distractions aside. 

As a rule of thumb, 20% of your work is ideally going to produce 80% of your desired output. So, focus on that 20% and rest assured that you will get the biggest bang for your buck. Similarly, you should avoid concentrating on the eighty per cent of work that leads to merely 20% of results. 

Again, you should practice making a to-do list for all the tasks of the day. It will keep your motivation level up and make you more productive. 

10. Reward Yourself

The last lesson that we have on our list from the Dorothy Jean Tillman dissertation is that you must keep rewarding yourself. Life would have been so much boring if there was all work and no fun. So, you should invent your own reasons for fun and keep rewarding yourself for all the work you do and the milestones you achieve. 

Needless to say, it can be anything of your choice. It can be chocolates, books, coffee, walks, movies or anything you want it to be. On a grander scale, you can also choose to celebrate the successes and wins. Got great feedback on a chapter? Celebrate! Are you done with your fieldwork? Celebrate! Done with the dissertation defence? Celebrate! You will remember these joys afterwards! 

What Did Dorothy Jean Tillman Study?

At Arizona State University’s College of Health Solutions, D.J. Tillman received her doctorate degree in Behavioural Health Studies. As per Voice of America, she attended her first college class at the age of 10. Her family and friends call her “Dorothy Jeanius”, a ‘genius’ and someone who is very smart. The Dorothy Jean Tillman dissertation is an example of this fact. 

Is There an Age Limit for a PhD?

No, as per Impactio, there are practically no age restrictions for getting a doctoral degree. Even people are getting their PhD degrees at the young age of 15. Some even go for it at the ripe age of 90 years of age. As per Guinness World Records, the oldest person to receive a doctoral degree is Professor Wenderoth from Germany. He was awarded the degree at the age of 97 years. Even the Dorothy Jean Tillman dissertation – she defended it at 17 years of age. 

Conclusion

So, this was all about how you, as a PhD candidate, can take inspiration from the Dorothy Jean Tillman dissertation. In fact, after successfully defending her dissertation, she has already become a motivation for aspiring doctoral students. So, from her story, you can learn that there is nothing unachievable in this world once you put your heart and soul into it. 

However, not everyone is as gifted as Dr Tillman – many people face so many challenges in their doctoral journey. In such conditions, you can count on the expertise of PhD dissertation writing services. When you let their expert researcher help you with doctoral papers, you potentially achieve your chances of success.  As they have years of experience in crafting academic papers and assisting students, they have an aptitude for excellence.