I am defending my dissertation November 5th and would like to give my mentoring professor a gift (after the defense ). She has invested a lot of time and wisdom in me and I want to get her a really nice gift that says "thanks." I keep leaning toward a restaurant gift certificate with a card and a handwritten note, but that seems so blah. Any ideas? She doesn't have much wall space and doesn't strike me as a knick-knack person, but I would like to get something personal. BTW, her area of specialty is child language and/or reading disabilities, so anything along those lines would also be appropriate. Any ideas?

By Conni on Wednesday, October 17, 2007 - 07:56 am:

Does she drink coffee? Maybe something along those lines...a gift basket that includes a gift cert to a coffee house.

fruit basket.

flowers

plant

gift cert to Dillards (somewhere similar).

picture frame (how about a digital one)

a desk set?

a painting with children...

ok, that's all sounding a little costly. ;)

I don't know! lol

Good luck with everything!!

By Ginny~moderator on Wednesday, October 17, 2007 - 10:26 am:

If she drinks coffee, is there a coffee house or Starbucks or WaWa where she gets coffee? I just got one of my sons a WAWA card because he stops there a couple of times a week. Or, a bottle of a very nice wine??

Or, given that she's a professor - either an Amazon.com gift certificate (and she could buy something other than a book) or whatever is the big book store in your town - Barnes&Noble or Borders.

By Happynerdmom on Wednesday, October 17, 2007 - 10:37 am:

I don't have any more ideas than those above, but whatever you get her, the handwritten note will mean the most. Those are the things we always remember!

By Tarable on Wednesday, October 17, 2007 - 11:46 am:

Is there some kind of toy type things she might use in her work that would be a good gift. I know that my nephew's speech therapist uses different types of toys and such to help with her work. Is there something new and cool that she might not have but be wanting?

I don't know much about that line of work but i think that would be a great gift if there is something like that.

By Kaye on Wednesday, October 17, 2007 - 11:57 am:

I think a nice book, like coffee table book, with an inscription in it would be very nice taste.

I mostly favor consumable items, but to me the idea of something that she will keep is nice. Does she mentor many students? I think that plays a role too. If she is getting 2-3 gifts a year, those add up, if there is really one a year maybe, than a keepsake is in order.