1996 Ph.D., Philosophy
"I enjoyed my time as a graduate student tremendously. It allowed me to grow intellectually and I had the luxury of time for hobbies, relationships and friends. I progressed as a thinker, writer and researcher. I made several lifelong friendships while at Duke and met my wife there as well. I enjoyed learning about good food and wine through department speaker dinners. After completing my PhD, I taught for several years and that valuable experience would not have been available to me without my time at Duke. My PhD and teaching experience have also been helpful to me in law school and as a lawyer as well as shaping my views on life."
"Do not go into debt to get a PhD--only go to a program that is supporting you and live within your means. Start thinking about a thesis early and maintain the discipline to finish it quickly. Ideally it should be something that can be turned into a series of published papers or a book. Creative projects are easier to do when you are young and have fewer responsibilities so make the most of it. Academic success in the form of professional recognition takes more time than you might think--published pieces and reviews turn around slowly. Be open to non-academic options if you find your interests changing or academic opportunities are not what you hoped (it a big exciting world out there!) but recognize that the people who may best be able to help you to achieve those goals are not likely to be the professors in your research program."
Department of Philosophy