Roads less travelled

Abstract

My life and career can be characterized as a series of roads less travelled. I began my academic journey as a woman with family responsibilities at a time when the academy was largely dominated by men and women were expected to know their place. I pursued service-oriented scholarship in an environment that favored more basic research. I was unexpectedly thrust into the policy arena as a result of my scholarly pursuits. I became a dean when I had never aspired to this type of leadership. The following describes my journey on these roads and the lessons I learned along the way.