Professorship

I am very excited to say that yesterday I formally accepted an offer from Nova Southeastern University’s Department of Conflict Analysis and Resolution. I will be employed fulltime beginning Fall 2009 as an Assistant Professor of Conflict Resolution and Philosophy.  

It is an exciting time in my life as my expertise in international diplomacy, peacekeeping and conflict resolution has been recognized by a major university. I intend to continue writing and discussing issues of peace and war, terrorism and torture for many, many years to come.

I don’t think the university realizes what a workhorse they just got :-)

Now the Work Begins

Yesterday I successfully defended my Ph.D. dissertation and earned my doctorate degree. Now the work begins.

Thanks,

Dr. Jay :-)

My Hatred for Statistics

After four years of studying evil, after spending hundreds of hours analyzing audio from my interviews with Holocaust survivors, today I finally get to defend my PhD dissertation. I’m excited and humbled by that opportunity.

This, however, is not a post on that accomplishment. This is a post on the power of overcoming obstacles. As a child, abandoned by my father at 13, eldest of six children, it could have been easy for me to turn to the streets. The fact is that the number one cause of death for African-American males ages 18-34 is homicide.

I understand the tragic reality of that statistic. R.I.P. to may fallen homeboys:

1. Floyd Beckworth: Lupus
2. Donnie Walker: Murder
3. Roderick Walker: Murder
4. Nigel Whatley: Murder
5. Daniel: Suicide

I’m lucky that my name doesn’t appear on that list. I’ve been to the funerals and seen the pain their parents felt in having to bury a child. I know the pain of having to lose a best friend. I was lucky to avoid becoming another statistic.

Despite the tragedy of their deaths one of us made it out. And I know, were they still to be alive, they’d be proud of me. If someone were to ask me how I did it, and what information I can impart to at-risk urban males, of any color, I’d say set a goal, work hard and be patient. For me, my way out was education.

There are so many that face that statistic, that have a personal understanding of its meaning, that it would be a waste of a degree not to help those that might not be capable of helping themselves. Fortunately for me, I have accepted a fulltime university position for the fall, which will allow me to finally recognize my dream of being a university professor and also help at-risk children overcome that daunting statistic so that they too may make it out of the ghetto.