Jen Russum

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Good news!

You might remember about a month ago when I wrote this post? If you are new to my journey, here is the long story short. About a year ago, I felt like I needed to make a change. I was one semester into my PhD program in literature and suddenly God started opening doors for me in another field. It’s a different branch in our English department called Rhetoric, Composition and Linguistics. This was completely surprising for me – a long time British literature lover {nerdy, I know}… but it all made sense. Switching programs would allow me to pursue a really awesome research project. It would allow me to teach a greater variety of classes in the future. It would give me a better chance of getting published. And it would make me far more likely to get a job after I graduate. Win/win/win/win. Thus started a year long journey of figuring out what it would take to switch programs. I learned I would have to reapply and had just missed the application deadline for last year. I took a leap of faith and started taking classes and working on my research {studying mommy bloggers!}, even though I hadn’t officially been accepted to the new program yet.

About a month ago, I finally finished and submitted my application with lots of prayer and hope. And last week I finally got the answer. I’m in! I am seriously praising God right now!

And the moment I got the news, I felt a great weight lifted from my shoulders. I hadn’t realized how stressful it was for me to bridge two programs and take classes for each, not knowing what the result of this application would be. But no more of that heavy feeling anymore!

Not much will change, honestly. I will stay in the same office, teach the same classes, continue working with the same teachers that have been helping me with my research already. But now it’s all official. I can finally choose the committee that will oversee my dissertation. I can finally choose a specific dissertation topic. Life is good and I feel like I am right where God wants me. My grad school journey has been crazy, but I know that God has been directing my steps along the way. Thank you for your prayers, friends!

xoxo,
Jen


*Linking up with Jami and Casey!*

Comments

  2. YEAH!!! Congratulations!! I did a Rhetoric class last semester, and I know I will sound like a teacher here, but…it does help in a lot of areas like public speaking, debate and such. Enjoy!!!

  11. I was just thinking about this exact thing this morning and whether or not you had heard back! Thanks for sharing the fabulous news! What a great encouragement and affirmation.
    xoxo

  17. congrats! how totally exciting! what an interesting field of research for your doctorate! (I'm just as nerdy love English/Language Arts hehe!)