Nothing Ventured, Nothing Gained

Abstract

Pursuing a doctorate poses myriad challenges and intellectual risks to students (Austin, 2003; Golde, 2000; Twale & Kochan, 2000); however, risk is believed to be the way to progress, innovation, and creativity (Kehrer, 1989). Professionals will be expected to deal with risks encountered on their jobs, yet the topic has received limited coverage in the higher education literature (Stein & Short, 2001; Weidman, Twale, & Stein, 2001; Zhang & Strange, 1992). If we expect leaders to undertake the risks associated with systemic change and reform, we must first understand risk-taking behavior and the role it plays in the lives of students preparing to be those leaders. The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine how an entering cohort of students dealt with risk and intellectual risk-taking behavior both as individuals and as a group in their first year of a doctoral program. Insights from this group not only may inform entering doctoral students but also students entering all phases of college in terms of their ability to address risk and take risks.