Knock, knock - Harvard calling...

kurt_messick · #1 02-17-2002, 09:13 PM

Last night I was at a dinner party -- one of those dinner parties, with connected people, etc. The prospect of going to Harvard was held out to me. Relocate to Boston, I was told, and finish your education at Harvard. They'd love to have you.

Actually, with my academic record, I could likely get into Harvard Divinity School.

Is this why I'm being let go from my seminary? Should I be following up on this?

<i>Cons (and rather big cons at that)</i>
Presently I may have to file for bankruptcy. I owe a lot already, and without a job in the near term, I'll default on everything. Even then I'll need to work to come up with some plan to repay everything. I'm not sure how easy it would be to relocate -- I'd likely have to spend an entire year setting everything up.

<i>Pros</i>
I would likely qualify for (and get) some sort of scholarship. Whether it would be sufficient to get me there and keep me there, I don't know.

Should I even be considering this, or is it a pipe dream?

ms_n · #2 02-17-2002, 09:44 PM

If it is a pipe dream, oh, what a lovely dream it is! Father Kurt,
I understand all the considerations you must make and would be equally cautious if I were you. Only you can decide. It sounds as though this serious, scholarly work is where your heart is. If this is where you are being led, you will be given an answer. I will pray for you.

quasar · #3 02-17-2002, 09:55 PM

Pros: You know a lot of people in Boston - there are quite a few of us here at EA. Ivy League degrees really do help get jobs later.

Cons: Boston is a very very expensive place to live.

I think it's a great opportunity, and I'll be a little selfish too and say I'd love to meet you.

Janice

**soxfan**[$] · #4 02-17-2002, 09:56 PM

I can't tell you what to do either, Fr. Kurt ... but I don't think it'd hurt to look more into it, or at least write the school for info.

Ailsa

sleeper54 · #5 02-17-2002, 10:00 PM

Fr. Kurt,

Definitely check it out !!

And do a 'MH' job of checking it out, not a 'NH' !!

sleeper54

nicholmere · #6 02-17-2002, 10:03 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by kurt_messick

Should I even be considering this, or is it a pipe dream?

I think it is always a good idea to consider all available options.

Is it something you want to do? How serious was the offer? How far can you go in the application process before you have to make that final decision? If you file for bankruptcy will you still be eligible for a scholarship? Would you live on campus (cats?)? If you still needed a job during your time at the school would you be able to do both - school and work?

So many questions, but that's the exciting part about discovering new options. So many new things to consider.

kurt_messick · #7 02-17-2002, 10:17 PM

Part of my concern is that I don't want to be wasting time exploring an option for Harvard when I should be looking at things closer to home.

Could I get into Harvard Divinity School? Yes. I've little doubt of that.

Could I get a scholarship? Probably. (Bankruptcy wouldn't affect scholarship eligibility, but it would affect my ability to live -- no scholarship is going to give me sufficient funds to discharge prior bankruptcies.)

Could I find a place to live? Possibly -- I do have friends in the area with whom I could probably live.

Could I find a job in Boston to support myself while doing HDS part-time? This is the million-dollar question. This is the one on which I stumble. Should I be looking for jobs there rather than here?

Given $40-50,000 to discharge all my debts thus far, fix-up and sell the house, I'd go in an instant. As that's not likely to happen, here is the problem...

**pluckyduck** · #8 02-17-2002, 10:20 PM

The thing that has impressed me most about the way you've taken "the news", Fr. Kurt, is how active you have been in exploring many options.

I can't tell you how many times, in the course of events, I've run into people given bad news such as yours, who are simply so stunned, they are non-active. In a bad turn of events, you end up with someone who is complaining loudly but taking no action to turn the situation around.

One could hardly say that about you, yes?

Because you are being so active, you're being given many possible scenerios. This Harvard one is intriguing! I know very little about the graduate academic life, other than it is hardly a way to get wealthy.

However, if you could find yourself in a scenerio where your basic living expenses would be covered by grants or stipends, and you would have health insurance, it could be a wonderful way to work your way into a career in higher academia. You'll find no greater fans of your work than the group here, yes?

I don't see how it would be a pipe dream. A good friend of mine, smart but not a traditional scholar was accepted in and graduated from Princeton's Divinity School. One of the reasons he was accepted was the School wanted people from diverse theological backgrounds. There aren't too many people with an undergraduate degree from Oral Roberts University who apply to Princeton Divinity!

(I love

my ecclectic friends!!!)

Your theological background, from, if I'm not mistaken the Old Catholic faith, is terribly intriguing. I'd be surprised if Harvard Divinity didn't jump on that in a second!

And, how many people can write with the grace and style you do? I suggest you show them your portfolio of gourmet reviews as well as your book reviews.

Andrea
who imagines Harvard demanding to include Fr. Kurt

phoenixx · #9 02-18-2002, 12:38 AM

I think you should jump at the chance, provided the opportunity is real and housing is available (housing is at a premium right now here - both hard to find and expensive). I only recently moved to this odd state - Massachusetts - and think there are many people here who'd love to have you in the mix, if only for purely selfish reasons.

As far as part time jobs go - the faith is having to do some serious house cleaning in Boston due to a group of bad apples, and it is leaving a variety of things open that could turn into part time jobs for you I would imagine.

Leslie

poseidon · #10 02-18-2002, 01:14 AM

Fr. Kurt,

God leads us in many directions, some we don't understand, some we don't want to go on.

I'm sure that Saul didn't see himself to be a follower of Christ until he became one. I'm also sure that he didn't see himself to be one of the most important and influential men in history, either.

Now, I'm not saying you're the Apostle Paul, but I am saying that perhaps this is a door that God is opening for you and that perhaps you should walk through that door.

I'm not sure how much influence Harvard Divinity School has... I'd imagine it is the same high standards that Harvard holds for all of its programs, true?

My dad told me when I was applying to college that if I graduated from Harvard, I could write my own ticket anywhere.

I realize that the secular world is slightly larger than the non-secular world, but wouldn't the same hold true?

Pray on it.
Jeff

**jgibson2**[$] · #11 02-18-2002, 03:54 PM

Temptation or opportunity? Sounds like an opportunity to me, but I do see your other difficulties. There are certainly MANY colleges in Boston which will need chaplains -- you did describe that as one of your dream jobs. IMHO, you should put in a few applications for jobs there and if one comes through which will meet your needs you should consider it an answered prayer.

**mjfrombuffalo**[$] · #12 02-19-2002, 10:42 AM

Fr. Kurt,

Have you examined the bankrupcy thing fully? Perhaps your pay-back rate will not be overly onerous and the Harvard position may work out. There's also something to be said for leaving it all - the moldy house, the debts, the current environment. Not saying run away and ignore responsibilities, but sometimes a drastic change can do marvelous things in your life.

I left Buffalo for NYC to follow a love interest (who turned out to be so NOT the person for me, it wasn't even funny). I was 25, all by myself, knew no one but that one person (who didn't lift a finger to help me with anything anyway)... Now I've got a great administrative job with great pay (for the non-profit world), a great husband, great friends, going to grad school (something I'd never considered while in Buffalo)... It was scary and exhilarating (sp?) and all that all at the same time and I cried and yelled and ran into trouble with a nasty landlord and I would do it all again in a heartbeat. Take a risk and have faith and you might be very surprised when you look back a year from now!

mj