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Mrs Mummy PhD

Journeys of Becoming...

The Scholarly Mamas Collective and The Powerful ‘Why’ Behind It

April 29, 2024 · Personal Growth & Wellness, PhD & Beyond

As a mother who was once pursuing a doctoral degree, I know firsthand how isolating and overwhelming this journey can often feel. Torn between the demands of academia and the responsibilities of parenthood, many PhD mothers like myself, have struggled to find a blend that supports excellence in both domains without compromising our well-being or neglecting our loved ones. That’s why I created the Scholarly Mamas Collective.

I have navigated this intricate path myself, obtaining my PhD in Nutritional Sciences while having and raising my three sons. I experienced the challenges of blending my academic ambitions with familial obligations every step of the way.

In this blog post, I’ll share my inspirational story, the motivation behind creating the Scholarly Mamas Collective, and how this innovative platform aims to support and empower mothers like you, on your scholarly journeys. By the way, if you would like to listen to the podcast episode related to this post, feel free to use the player below:

My Journey of Becoming: The Inspiration Behind Scholarly Mamas

I was raised in the Caribbean, a culture that deeply values education. Excelling academically from a young age, my unwavering dedication and love for learning propelled me through numerous achievements, culminating in the pursuit of my PhD.

However, as I embarked on my doctoral journey while already a mother of one, I soon realised that my traditional definition of success no longer aligned with my new reality. Juggling the demands of my PhD, raising my children (I became a mother of three by the end of my PhD), and nurturing my family life, I yearned for a more purposeful and holistic approach.

The Defining Moment: Embracing the Purposeful Way

It was during the COVID-19 pandemic, when I found myself thrust into homeschooling my sons while pregnant and navigating uncertainties, that a profound realisation struck me: the only time I truly had was the present.

As the pandemic ensued, I was forced to take an interruption from my PhD journey for a bit and I began to reflect on how I could embark on my purposeful work. This was something placed on my heart many years before but I never had the courage to actually act upon it.

Recognising time’s fleeting nature and the importance of cherishing the present moment, I resolved to no longer delay my purposeful work – a calling brewing within me for years.

Filling the Void: Creating a Space for Scholarly Mamas Like Me

As I reflected on my PhD journey, I couldn’t help but notice the lack of representation and support systems for mothers like me navigating scholarly pursuits while raising families. I struggled to see people who displayed the characteristics I wanted to emulate or who were living lives I admired.

Determined to create the supportive community I wished I had, I launched my blog, Mrs Mummy PhD, and wrote the children’s book series Doodle Dozen. These initial steps paved the way for my ultimate vision: the Scholarly Mamas Collective.

The Scholarly Mamas Collective: My Purposeful Space

The Scholarly Mamas Collective is a manifestation of my desire to provide a safe haven for mothers like me pursuing PhDs – a space where we can feel understood, supported, and empowered to embrace our multifaceted identities as scholars and caregivers.

I created the Scholarly Mamas Collective because I want to create that safe space for Mamas doing PhDs to feel like they belong, to feel they’re not alone on this journey.

Through a combination of courses, community, and coaching, my collective aims to equip members with strategies and tools to navigate PhD motherhood purposefully, enabling them to achieve academic goals without sacrificing what matters most.

A Purposeful Blend: How I Redefined Success and Balance

One core value underpinning my Scholarly Mamas Collective is redefining success and balance for PhD motherhood. I underwent a transformative shift in my personal conceptualisation of these terms, recognising that the traditional pursuit of academic excellence often came at the expense of other vital aspects of my life.

I decided to go about it the purposeful way, which admittedly took me longer, but it was so worth it. Because now that I’ve finished my PhD, I’m not saying ‘Oh, now I can get back to my kids or life or family’ because throughout my PhD, they were a priority for me.

By embracing a purposeful blend of scholarly aspirations and motherhood, I completed my PhD without compromising the fulfilling aspects of my life.

My collective aims to support this purposeful mindset, empowering members to redefine success on their own terms and cultivate a harmonious blend honouring their multifaceted identities.

A Supportive Community: No Longer the Exception

A fundamental goal of my Scholarly Mamas Collective is to create a sense of belonging and community for PhD mothers, who often find themselves isolated and operating as exceptions within traditional academic settings.

Being a Scholarly Mama, you’ll be part of a community of mothers doing PhDs who really understand this journey. By combining our signature curriculum, community and coaching, we can support each other.

By fostering a supportive network of like-minded individuals, the Scholarly Mamas Collective aims to provide a safe space where PhD mothers can share experiences, seek guidance, and draw strength from one another, creating collective empowerment transcending individual journeys.

Embracing Purposeful Motherhood and Scholarship

My Scholarly Mamas Collective is more than a resource for navigating PhD motherhood’s practical challenges; it celebrates and honours the unique contributions and perspectives of mothers in academia.

It’s worth joining the waitlist to stay in the loop and get background on why I created this, who it’s for, and all the details when doors open again.

By joining Scholarly Mamas, you can embark on a transformative journey of self-discovery, empowerment, and purposeful living – embracing your multifaceted identity to thrive as a scholar, caregiver, and individual.

It’s a purposeful space for mothers pursuing PhDs – for mothers on a doctoral journey who want to acknowledge their unique contributions, feel celebrated, and be empowered to become everything they were meant to be, within their PhD journey but also beyond it.

My Scholarly Mamas Collective: A Beacon of Hope and Empowerment

When the Scholarly Mamas Collective doors open again, my vision of a supportive, purposeful community for PhD mothers will become even more of a reality. By fostering a nurturing environment celebrating the unique strengths of Scholarly Mamas, my collective promises to be a beacon of hope and empowerment for mothers navigating academic pursuits and family life.

Whether you’re a seasoned PhD mother seeking encouragement and guidance, or just starting this transformative journey, I invite you to join a movement redefining success, cultivating balance, and empowering mothers to embrace multifaceted identities with purpose and grace.

As I extend this invitation, I look forward to welcoming you inside Scholarly Mamas, because here, you are no longer the exception – you are the celebrated norm, part of a purposeful community supporting your journeys of becoming.

Sending you lots of love and gratitude,

Signature | Mrs Mummy PhD
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Meet Mrs Mummy PhD®

Hey! I'm Dr Michelle Gibbs and this little corner of the internet exists to help ambitious Mamas like you, achieve your life and academic goals without sacrificing what matters most. If you're juggling family, career, academia and everything else in-between, then it's time to say 'yes' to savouring the moments that truly matter, while doing what sets your heart on fire! So Mama, are you in? Fabulous! These are our journeys of becoming :-)

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