Charlotte Augustine

2010 FTE Doctoral Fellow

		Charlotte Augustine "I quickly discovered that I was naturally drawn to asking questions about God and the meaning of life."

My completion of Claremont's Ph.D. program will allow me to achieve my goal of teaching and researching on the collegiate level.

Shortly after completing two years in the corporate arena, I had the opportunity to return to Texas A&M and obtain an M.S. in Accounting. My graduate studies at A&M proved crucial for me because I was also given the opportunity to teach undergraduate students. This experience resulted in the discovery of my life's passion.

While I had always enjoyed learning and interacting with my classmates as a student, disseminating knowledge in the college classroom surpassed anything I had experienced. I was enthralled by every aspect of the teaching process. I loved experimenting with different ways to effectively communicate and interact with the students. I welcomed the challenge of obtaining of the curriculum.

I quickly discovered, however, that I was naturally drawn to asking questions about God and about the meaning of life. This awareness led me immediately into an interest in theological studies. As a result, I enrolled in seminary to pursue a Masters in Theology.

Teaching on the collegiate level would also enable me to reach the additional goal of providing a safe environment for students to ask questions of existing paradigms. Events in my personal life during my years in seminary caused me to question some of my personal beliefs. At the time, I felt that neither my church, nor any other spiritual outlet, would have provided a safe haven for exploration. As a result, I was extremely grateful for the safety afforded me in my seminary classes.

My professional goal is to make my classroom as safe as possible for the exploration of ideas. If I can provide my students with a rigorously intellectual forum that is safe for the exploration of existentially important issues, then I will consider myself successful in terms of my career pursuits. I feel that the FTE fellowship, along with all of the accompanying tools such as the workshops, conversations with mentors, and networking with fellow FTE recipients, will be a crucial financial, academic, and mental/emotional tool for succeeding in a Ph.D. program. Many students do not have the benefit of such support. As a result, I feel that the best way that I can repay FTE's generosity, is to actively work to provide valuable support both to my students, as well as Ph.D. candidates who will follow in my footsteps.