Posts by Rodney Caruthers II

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Posts by Rodney Caruthers II

A Bit of Delayed Gratification

April 20, 2012 | By Rodney Caruthers II, Ph.D. Student, Near Eastern Studies

As the winter term winds down to an end planning for the spring/summer season has already commenced. More than likely I will take some time to recharge but more importantly the summer will serve as an extended prelude to the fall semester. One of the many great pieces of advice I have received has been to take advantage of this time while I have it. I totally understand how swiftly three years can pass by. My objective is to utilize this training period very wisely by prioritizing my goals and maintaining a ‘big picture’ perspective of why I am here. …

Published in: Student Voices

Fun in Ann Arbor! (From a Historical Perspective)

March 30, 2012 | By Rodney Caruthers II, Ph.D. Student, Near Eastern Studies

If there is one thing about Ann Arbor that I appreciate it is the numerous events that take place throughout the year. When I transitioned back to Michigan and made Ann Arbor home I wondered what the community offered in regard to extracurricular activities. Although I had been to Ann Arbor plenty of times before it was typically for business reasons and not necessarily to explore the city or its downtown area. Now that I am here I have found the city to be exciting and eclectic. Considering that I have not been in Ann Arbor for any real length…

Published in: Student Voices

The Pursuit of Passion

February 20, 2012 | By Rodney Caruthers II, Ph.D. Student, Near Eastern Studies

My decision to commit to the University of Michigan for doctoral study was in many ways a product of progressive enlightenment. Arriving at an important decision such as choosing which institution to pursue graduate study is vital not only for one’s future endeavors but also for personal satisfaction. The program selection process, as I gradually came to understand, is one that should command considerable attention even at the risk of being somewhat persnickety. There are many factors to account for regarding why a particular destination should be on the list of possibilities. In my case two of the biggest factors…

Published in: Student Voices

Winter Adjustments

January 20, 2012 | By Rodney Caruthers II, Ph.D. Student, Near Eastern Studies

Winter in Ann Arbor brings to mind the need for two types of adjustments: one to the winter climate and the other to the semester. Although I was raised in Michigan and should be accustomed to the weather by now, my almost two year hiatus in Atlanta, Georgia provided me with just enough of a change from my winter upbringing. Having already spent some time in Alabama when I first went to college I knew that the winters there would be short and in comparison not as challenging. When I arrived in Georgia I had already resigned myself to no…

Published in: Student Voices

A Reflection from Shakespeare

December 13, 2011 | By Rodney Caruthers II, Ph.D. Student, Near Eastern Studies

As the fall semester reaches its denouement after getting blue books, studying for final exams, preparing presentations, and polishing that very last research paper, another opportunity arises just before the New Year arrives, a moment to reflect. The usual modus operandi of life is plenty of business and/or busyness. Sadly, because of this we are often left with very little time to reflect on the significance of what has transpired, what we want to transpire, or the magnificence that is transpiring in our lives. While typical New Year’s Resolutions include diet, exercise, and better organization plans I submit that time…

Published in: Student Voices

Faculty Connections: Advising for the Future

November 16, 2011 | By Rodney Caruthers II, Ph.D. Student, Near Eastern Studies

When navigating the vast ocean otherwise known as the graduate school experience, with its many waves and sometimes foggy conditions, one cannot underestimate the immense value it is to have a compass to guide the way. The ocean is matriculation through graduate school and reaching the shore is commencement and obtaining a career. The much needed compass, or I guess nowadays Global Positioning System (GPS), is your Graduate Advisor. No amount of hyperbole could express how invaluable a thoughtful and committed Advisor can be to one’s success in graduate school and beyond. There is a thick enough “fog” inhibiting one’s…

Published in: Student Voices

Balance: Lessons Learned from the Business World

October 5, 2011 | By Rodney Caruthers II, Ph.D. Student, Near Eastern Studies

A week or so into the fall semester and it becomes fairly evident that life as a graduate student will be full of making decisive adjustments. While calculating how many credits to take is an important task another more elusive task is locating that faint and blurry line between feelings of shirking your responsibilities or being a compulsive workaholic. My first job in the corporate world, after being late or missing a few meetings, taught me two things very quickly. One was the meaning of the quote, “If you don't know where you are going, any road will get you…

Published in: Student Voices

Meet the Bloggers: Rodney Caruthers II

September 8, 2011 | By Rodney Caruthers II, Ph.D. Student, Near Eastern Studies

My name is Rodney Caruthers II and I am beginning my first semester at the University of Michigan in their doctoral program in Near Eastern Studies. My program’s focus is in Second Temple Judaism and Christian Origins/New Testament. It has been a wonderful journey getting to this point. I was born in Detroit, MI but grew up in Oak Park and Southfield, MI, spending my summers in Hueytown, AL. I began my academic career at the University of Alabama before transferring to Oakland University in Rochester, MI where I earned a B.A. in Psychology. Following my undergraduate studies I gained…

Published in: Student Voices

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