Alums Respond
“What is the biggest adjustment you’ve had to make in graduate school?”
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“The separation between my school/work life and church life was something
that was new for me.”
Jonathan Duncan, 1997 Indiana State University
Master’s degree program in computer science and doctoral degree program
in mathematics.
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“It is a combination of culture and academics. Adjusting to life in
a secular dorm is awkward. Also, the style of learning is different at the
graduate level. Furthermore, being situated in the middle of a city is new
to me. All of these weigh equally.”
Thomas Eby, 1999 biblical languages graduate
Doctoral degree program in Assyriology, the study of ancient Mesopotamia
Yale University
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“The biggest adjustment for me has been learning to accept larger
class sizes. Quite often classes are split, containing both graduate and undergraduate
students. As a result, classes are larger and student/teacher contact time
is greatly reduced.”
Ronald Deininger, 1999 mechanical engineering
graduate
Master’s degree program in mechanical engineering
Oregon State University
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“The most difficult adjustment to graduate school was the financial
strain and needing to learn how to use computer tools to do mathematics in
the real world, things are not done by hand. I was extremely grateful for
Don Riley's emphasis on using Matlab and Pro-engineer. Calculus and other
math classes such as ordinary differential equations and linear algebra must
incorporate use of programs such as Matlab.”
Shon Darcy, 1995 bioengineering graduate
Doctoral degree program in bioengineering/biomechanics, anterior cruciate
ligament group (“Currently we are collecting position data using the
point cluster method and then replaying is using a Robot and Universal force
moment system on cadaver knees.”)
University of Pittsburgh
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“Everything is different. The people, the climate, the accent …
While it is all challenging in a positive way, probably the biggest adjustment
has been living so far away from friends, from family, from everything that
is home.”
Missy Jolliffe, 1999 English graduate
Doctoral degree program in art history
Emory University
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“Scholastically, the biggest adjustment I’ve had to make is adapting
to the freedom of my program and structuring my time. Personally, it has been
adjusting to life outside the Seventh-day Adventist community, where you take
the support systems for granted.”
Anita McChesney, 1997 German and English graduate
Doctoral degree program in German literature and philosophy
Johns Hopkins University
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“My biggest adjustment was having to commute and spend time away from
my husband. I also lived in the ‘freshman’ dorm during my first
year … which was quite an experience! Now I have a little baby boy …
the next big adjustment will be finishing grad school while raising my beautiful
son!”
Bobbie Sue Arias, 1996 bachelor’s of social
work graduate and 1998 master’s of social work graduate
Doctoral degree program in social work and social research
Portland State University
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“Being far away from friends and family.”
Kourtney Bowes, 1999 health sciences graduate
Medical degree program
Emory University
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“One of the biggest adjustments for me has been switching from mindset
of deadlines being externally provided, short-term, and clear-cut (e.g., homework
and exams) to the research mindset where deadlines are created primarily by
one’s self, are often long-term, and don’t necessarily have a clear
or positive answer.”
Pedrito Uriah Maynard-Reid II, 1994 electrical
engineering graduate Doctoral degree program in computer science, focus on
artificial intelligence
Stanford
University
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“The most difficult aspects of transitioning were understanding the
technical language being spoken and recognizing the distinct culture of academia.
The first is a matter of being familiar with the ‘cannon’ of literature.
The second requires you to be aware that university politics are very conservative.”
Paul Ford, 1995 mathematics, computer science
and humanities graduate
Philosophy doctoral degree program with a concentrations in medical ethics
and computer ethics
Vanderbilt University
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“I don't believe there was a big adjustment for me in entering
graduate school. Walla Walla College’s master’s program as well
as the mentoring I received from Scott Ligman, Jim Nestler, Joan Redd, Larry
McCloskey, Joe Galusha and Sue Dixon in the Biology Department and Ernie Bursey,
Steve Pauwuck, Richard Daley, and Mel Lang and many others as I prepared to
enter my doctorate after teaching at WWC as a contract instructor (1995-1996
school year) prepared me for what I would face academically and philosophically.
It was a big change for me to move to Detroit, Mich., with my new wife of
only two months after being a bachelor until I was 26 years old. Detroit was
a tough town but it truly taught both Jill (my wife) and I to cast all our
cares upon Jesus and trust in His guidance.”
Nathan Wall, 1991 biology graduate and 1995 master’s
of biology graduate Completed a doctoral degree program in cancer biology
at Wayne State University in 1991. Currently completing a post-doctoral fellowship
in the Department of Pathology at Yale University's School of Medicine.
More Alums In Graduate School
David
Albertsen
1997 English and history graduate
U.S. and Middle East history doctoral degree program
University of California, Berkeley
Elizabeth
(Thayne) Albertsen
1997 psychology and Spanish graduate
Doctoral degree program in clinical psychology
The Wright Institute
Jaime
Rodriguez
1989 history graduate
Doctoral degree program in Latin American history
Columbia University
Herb
Edward
1999 biology graduate
Master’s degree program in biology
Walla Walla College
Shelley
Schoepflin Sanders
1998 humanities graduate
Master’s of theological studies, Vanderbilt Divinity School
Medical degree program, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry
Hiroshi
Takagi
2000 mechanical engineering graduate
Master’s degree program in atmospheric sciences
University
of Wyoming
Patsy
Glatt
1991
English graduate
Doctoral
degree program in English literature
Washington State University
Cynthia
Dinwiddie
1995 engineering graduate 1997
Master of Science program in environmental systems engineering, emphasis on
hydrogeology, groundwater, and contaminant transport
Clemson University
2001 Doctoral
degree program in environmental engineering and science, emphasis on hydrogeology,
groundwater, and contaminant transport
Clemson University
Mark
Haun
1996 electrical engineering graduate Doctoral degree program in electrical
and computer engineering
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
These are just a few of the alums we located. If you are in grad school, help make this list more complete by letting us know where you are studying.