# Proper gift for a newly-minted Ph.D? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 18, 2015, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proper-gift-for-a-newly-minted-ph-d/720276 "2015-05-18T00:24:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2015, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proper-gift-for-a-newly-minted-ph-d/720276/1 "2015-05-18T00:24:07Z")
Well, actually, D.Be. My baby sister (well, she turns 56 this year) recently successfully defended her doctoral dissertation and was awarded her doctorate in Bioethics from Loyola University in Chicago. This coming Saturday, there will be a family gathering to celebrate this achievement (along with seven or eight birthdays our family has for the month – my parents were married at the end of August in 1951). She’s the first of any of my siblings to have earned ANY college degree (to tell you the truth, she might still be the only one, AFAIK), and this puts a nice topper on her academic career. We’re all justly proud of her. Anyway, OTHER than offering to pick up the tab on her student loans, what’s a fitting gift for a newly-minted doctor in academe? TIA for all responses. ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2015, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proper-gift-for-a-newly-minted-ph-d/720276/2 "2015-05-18T00:36:56Z")
Well, as I was reading I was thinking the answer was “money”. But maybe gift cards to nice restaurants, if she likes eating out. That could be a good way to kick back. I imagine she’s had a lot of stress, and good food and drinks could help relieve that. ---
**Author:** ![Truman\_Burbank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecc23a/32.png) [@Truman\_Burbank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Truman_Burbank)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2015, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proper-gift-for-a-newly-minted-ph-d/720276/3 "2015-05-18T02:00:35Z")
Some sort of a Bose sound system?🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Sattua](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sattua/32/11906_2.png) [@Sattua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sattua)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2015, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proper-gift-for-a-newly-minted-ph-d/720276/4 "2015-05-18T02:16:23Z")
I had a college professor who carried around a battered, but very sturdy, leather briefcase. It wasn’t like a businessman’s briefcase–more like a satchel type. Very attractive. Had obviously been expensive. She said it was given to her when she defended her dissertation. I always thought that was nice–nicer still that she carried it around. ---
**Author:** ![F.Pu-du-he-pa-as](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c89c15/32.png) [@F.Pu-du-he-pa-as](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/F.Pu-du-he-pa-as)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2015, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proper-gift-for-a-newly-minted-ph-d/720276/5 "2015-05-18T04:34:09Z")
Recent Ph.D. recipient here-- why not ask her what she’d like? ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2015, 6:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proper-gift-for-a-newly-minted-ph-d/720276/6 "2015-05-18T06:02:21Z")
> [@F.Pu-du-he-pa-as](#): > > Recent Ph.D. recipient here-- why not ask her what she’d like? I did (more accurately, I asked my dad). She had left word with him that she’d like for everyone to bring something to donate to the local food bank. I also sent her an email asking if she has an academia-related license plate frame. ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2015, 11:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proper-gift-for-a-newly-minted-ph-d/720276/7 "2015-05-18T11:46:52Z")
For my doctorate, my parents gave me a really nice frame for my diploma. It’s about 24"x18", includes a nice line drawing of some recognizable buildings on the campus of my alma mater, and a nice configuration of matting and frame. It’s a step up from the basic vinyl diploma holder that the school gives you. If you Google “diploma holder” or “diploma frame,” you should be able to find multiple vendors who make something appropriate for your sister’s school. ---
**Author:** ![mcgato](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac8455/32.png) [@mcgato](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mcgato)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2015, 12:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proper-gift-for-a-newly-minted-ph-d/720276/8 "2015-05-18T12:29:31Z")
A nice pen and pencil set. That’s what my mom got me, and I still have them 15 years later. ---
**Author:** ![DrumBum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e79b87/32.png) [@DrumBum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrumBum)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2015, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proper-gift-for-a-newly-minted-ph-d/720276/9 "2015-05-18T12:35:00Z")
My parents flew out to California and took me to dinner at the [Top of the Mark](http://www.intercontinentalmarkhopkins.com/top-of-the-mark.aspx). Mom got a chuckle when I showed her the “Bankers Heart.” 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2015, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proper-gift-for-a-newly-minted-ph-d/720276/10 "2015-05-18T17:43:01Z")
Get her a [T-shirt](http://www.zazzle.com/ladies_phinished_t_shirt_phd_graduate-235218889504668725) that says, “Phinished!” ---
**Author:** ![robert\_columbia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@robert\_columbia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robert_columbia)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2015, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proper-gift-for-a-newly-minted-ph-d/720276/11 "2015-05-18T17:45:18Z")
> [@Truman\_Burbank](#): > > Some sort of a Bose sound system?🙂 Piled high and deep. ---
**Author:** ![stillownedbysetters](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/41988e/32.png) [@stillownedbysetters](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stillownedbysetters)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2015, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proper-gift-for-a-newly-minted-ph-d/720276/12 "2015-05-18T17:54:59Z")
> [@Sattua](#): > > I had a college professor who carried around a battered, but very sturdy, leather briefcase. It wasn’t like a businessman’s briefcase–more like a satchel type. Very attractive. Had obviously been expensive. > > She said it was given to her when she defended her dissertation. I always thought that was nice–nicer still that she carried it around. My husband received one of those, too. It was well-used and well-loved. It had an engraved plate with his initials, followed by the PhD and the graduation date. ---
**Author:** ![Dendarii\_Dame](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bbce88/32.png) [@Dendarii\_Dame](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dendarii_Dame)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2015, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proper-gift-for-a-newly-minted-ph-d/720276/13 "2015-05-18T18:10:04Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > I did (more accurately, I asked my dad). She had left word with him that she’d like for everyone to bring something to donate to the local food bank. If that’s what she’s asked for, that’s what I’d give. You could bring a bag filled with foods, instead of just one can of vegetables. ---
**Author:** ![birchtree](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@birchtree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/birchtree)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2015, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proper-gift-for-a-newly-minted-ph-d/720276/14 "2015-05-18T18:10:52Z")
Might be fun to poke around at: [http://mcphee.com/shop/all-products.html](http://mcphee.com/shop/all-products.html) ---
**Author:** ![Scoobysnax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c4cdca/32.png) [@Scoobysnax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scoobysnax)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2015, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proper-gift-for-a-newly-minted-ph-d/720276/15 "2015-05-18T18:16:45Z")
I bought my sister a nice watch.