JOHN BOYD, CLASS OF 2007
John Boyd graduated from University High School in 2007 and is currently exploring Ph.D. programs in religious studies. Below John answers questions about his college experience and how University prepared him for Indiana University and beyond.
What have you been up to since leaving University?
Since leaving UHS, I’ve completed my BA and MA at Indiana University in Political Science and Near Eastern Languages and Cultures (essentially Middle East studies) respectively. I’ve been fortunate enough to spend ample time abroad doing research and teaching in East Africa and parts of the Middle East. I recently finished Ph.D. applications in Religious Studies departments, with an intended focus on the African-American experience of “Islam.” I am currently in Bloomington teaching and working on a few projects about the history of Islam in North America that will published in Turkey and the Middle East in English, Turkish, and Arabic.
How do you feel University best prepared you for college?
After transferring to UHS for my final two years of high school, I was finally being pushed in a way that I had not before and for the first time cared about my academic success. While there were countless struggles, the faculty and staff at UHS encouraged me to ask for help, something that I had had trouble with in the past. Being able to establish relationships with my teachers at University helped me carry that over for my undergraduate and master’s degrees. Without these relationships and the ability to ask for help when you need it, survival in most realms of life can be quite difficult.
Do you see that the core values you learned at University still apply to your life now? How?
The open-mindedness that University prides itself on is something that drew me into wanting to leave my previous high school and join UHS. Being able to express yourself and feel comfortable doing so are invaluable characteristics that are championed by the atmosphere that UHS provides. Being able to express your own ideas as well as listen to other ideas that might initially seem counterintuitive or inaccurate but that in turn create dialogue, critical thinking, and and self-evaluation is a crucial component to University that I still strongly believe in and propagate.
What’s your best University memory?
My favorite memory during my UHS days has to be my first J-Term experience. I was lucky enough to be part of Dr. Vesper’s U.S. Occupation of Afghanistan and Failed States course. I had always had an interest in U.S. foreign policy and international politics, but this was the first time I was able to study such things with a teacher to guide me. This class paved the way for my undergraduate studies as well as my master’s. While my topics have changed some for my Ph.D., this class is the clear starting point of when I began to take education seriously and found a niche of sorts within the larger frame of scholastic work.
What has been the most valuable experience you have had since leaving University?
The most valuable experience I have had since leaving UHS would probably be the year I am taking now between my master’s and Ph.D. Being a professional student of sorts over the last three years exhausted me and changed my feelings a bit about academia. When I finished my master’s I had no idea what was next. I applied to countless jobs relating to my field and received little interest. I then realized that I was on my own and could do literally whatever I wanted. I tried a few things and made plans to move abroad, but when it came to making a final decision, I knew I wanted to be close to the academy and that teaching was my true passion. I have been able to teach here in Bloomington for the past six months and will be pursuing my Ph.D. with the ultimate end goal of teaching higher education. This time away from school, or a “time off,” was actually a “time on” in a sense. I was able to evaluate what I really wanted to do and make the sacrifices that were needed in order to help make this goal achievable.
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