ironchapman
High Elder
Some of you know by now that I have a Master's in History from Georgia Southern University. I've had it set out as a goal to get my PhD in History since I started college. After graduating from GSU with my MA, I encountered some difficult times. I wanted some time off from education for a year or so, but I ended up struggling to find and keep jobs (turns out that your average employer doesn't want someone with an MA working as a sales associate), and jobs in education or historical sites just work out.
So, this past Fall, I resolved to begin applying for schools again to continue my education. Since I wanted to study American Indian or American Western history, I applied to four schools out west where such specialties are common: University of Montana, Montana State, Nevada-Reno, and the University of North Dakota.
After the first two rejected me, I started to lose hope again (Montana State rejected me only 48 hours after the deadline for submissions, still curious why). However, I received word from UND's History graduate director that they had voted to admit me into the program with a teaching assistantship and a full tuition waiver.
It's a real answered prayer there, especially with the assistantship and waiver added to it. Incidentally, UND was the one school I was expecting to be rejected from, since they had the highest standard of admission (a 3.6 minimum History-only GPA), which I barely managed to clear, and they were the most respectable of the bunch. I suppose I have to thank not just God for this, but also my recommenders, who gave me great recommendations.
I begin in August, although my parents and I are going to move my stuff into storage in July. The apartment I've signed with won't be available until August, but my Mom's a school teacher and a trip then would be hard to pull off, especially since we were going to combine it with a summer vacation.
Also, there is no Orthodox Church in Grand Forks , North Dakota, but there is one in Fargo, which is about 80 or so minutes away. I don't think I can do that every week, but I think once every 2-3 weeks is doable.
So, thanks be to God for the opportunity given to me and pray that the move to North Dakota and my next 2-4 years of studies go well.
So, this past Fall, I resolved to begin applying for schools again to continue my education. Since I wanted to study American Indian or American Western history, I applied to four schools out west where such specialties are common: University of Montana, Montana State, Nevada-Reno, and the University of North Dakota.
After the first two rejected me, I started to lose hope again (Montana State rejected me only 48 hours after the deadline for submissions, still curious why). However, I received word from UND's History graduate director that they had voted to admit me into the program with a teaching assistantship and a full tuition waiver.
It's a real answered prayer there, especially with the assistantship and waiver added to it. Incidentally, UND was the one school I was expecting to be rejected from, since they had the highest standard of admission (a 3.6 minimum History-only GPA), which I barely managed to clear, and they were the most respectable of the bunch. I suppose I have to thank not just God for this, but also my recommenders, who gave me great recommendations.
I begin in August, although my parents and I are going to move my stuff into storage in July. The apartment I've signed with won't be available until August, but my Mom's a school teacher and a trip then would be hard to pull off, especially since we were going to combine it with a summer vacation.
Also, there is no Orthodox Church in Grand Forks , North Dakota, but there is one in Fargo, which is about 80 or so minutes away. I don't think I can do that every week, but I think once every 2-3 weeks is doable.
So, thanks be to God for the opportunity given to me and pray that the move to North Dakota and my next 2-4 years of studies go well.
