Career Shifting to West Texas
I firmly believe that there are a handful of moments that define one's life. I have written about defining moments here before.
This spring marked another important defining moment. I have an excellent rapport with my school's director, Carroll Glynn, and she has given me every possible resource to succeed as an academic. However, since I moved to Columbus, I have realized how difficult it is to be 1,700 miles from one's family. This is especially true when one's parents begin to have health problems.
So I started looking at job opportunities in the Southwest. One program really stood out: the new College of Mass Communications at Texas Tech University. They appear to have an ideal blueprint on how to build a program.
Within the past two years, the program has become a stand-alone college, and it has developed a Ph.D. program. More importantly -- to me -- is that Tech has an extremely impressive, collegial faculty. Their growth has led to an infusion of young talent, and it is a very exciting place to be. But it is a fun place to be.
I had a great time in Lubbock during my interview, and I am lucky to have been offered a position in the soon-to-be department of advertising. I will have a great dean, a well respected department head, and wonderful colleagues. It is an ideal situation for a young scholar.
More importantly, it is going to be fun to recruit people to West Texas. It may sound like the end of the Earth to some folks, but it's a great place to study mass communications. Lubbock is a city of about a quarter million, and the major markets of Dallas and Houston are a short flight away. With the faculty in place at Tech, I believe our Ph.D. students quickly will be welcomed as faculty members at the "old guard" programs.
It is difficult to leave OSU, with its own blend of excitement and growth. However, the chance to be a 5 1/2 hour car ride from home and just one hour from the New Mexico border was just too much of a pull. Kids who grow up in New Mexico don't call it "The Land of Entrapment" for nothing.
Finally, this move completes my retracing of coach Bob Knight's steps. He earned his degree and played college ball at OSU (I'm here), won three national titles at Indiana (my Ph.D. graduation ceremony was just under those championship banners), and he now coaches at Tech (is it too early to order season tickets?).
This spring marked another important defining moment. I have an excellent rapport with my school's director, Carroll Glynn, and she has given me every possible resource to succeed as an academic. However, since I moved to Columbus, I have realized how difficult it is to be 1,700 miles from one's family. This is especially true when one's parents begin to have health problems.
So I started looking at job opportunities in the Southwest. One program really stood out: the new College of Mass Communications at Texas Tech University. They appear to have an ideal blueprint on how to build a program.
Within the past two years, the program has become a stand-alone college, and it has developed a Ph.D. program. More importantly -- to me -- is that Tech has an extremely impressive, collegial faculty. Their growth has led to an infusion of young talent, and it is a very exciting place to be. But it is a fun place to be.
I had a great time in Lubbock during my interview, and I am lucky to have been offered a position in the soon-to-be department of advertising. I will have a great dean, a well respected department head, and wonderful colleagues. It is an ideal situation for a young scholar.
More importantly, it is going to be fun to recruit people to West Texas. It may sound like the end of the Earth to some folks, but it's a great place to study mass communications. Lubbock is a city of about a quarter million, and the major markets of Dallas and Houston are a short flight away. With the faculty in place at Tech, I believe our Ph.D. students quickly will be welcomed as faculty members at the "old guard" programs.
It is difficult to leave OSU, with its own blend of excitement and growth. However, the chance to be a 5 1/2 hour car ride from home and just one hour from the New Mexico border was just too much of a pull. Kids who grow up in New Mexico don't call it "The Land of Entrapment" for nothing.
Finally, this move completes my retracing of coach Bob Knight's steps. He earned his degree and played college ball at OSU (I'm here), won three national titles at Indiana (my Ph.D. graduation ceremony was just under those championship banners), and he now coaches at Tech (is it too early to order season tickets?).
Labels: career, meaning of life, Texas Tech
posted by Samuel D. Bradley at 5:50 PM
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2 Comments:
Congrats big man. If the state of Ohio crumbles without you, you're getting an angry phone call.
Okay. What should I say? I'm still a little surprised by the quick change. But big congratunations! It is always nice to be close to home. And, I'm always support your decision.
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