My time under a legend

I studied under a legend at Vanderbilt, and I'll never forget it.

I had just switched into my Public Policy Studies major and my track was focusing on Middle East Policy.  I spent that first morning of classes frantically trying to find the room my class was in.  Again and again, I checked every room number in Buttrick Hall, but I couldn't find the one I needed.

I finally found it hidden in the corridor with the professors' offices - it was completely empty.  Thankfully the secretary for the Jewish Studies department was next door.  She kindly guided me to Professor Somehk's office door down the hall.

It turns out I was one of two students who enrolled in the course.  I reckoned that the confusing course title ("SpTp: LitJews MuslimLands") accounted for the low enrollment.

I walked into Professor Somehk's office and got one of the most exciting opportunities I've ever had as a student.  It turns out that he was a visiting professor from a Tel Aviv University.  He would be here one semester to help restructure the Jewish Studies department.  He would meet with me, alone, once a week for class.  Since the other enrollee was a graduate student, we would meet separately, he suggested.

So, the course commenced.  Every week, Professor Somehk assign me a book.  I would spend hours in the bottom of the Central Library finding and reading it.  I would walk back over to his quaint office and discuss the text.  At the end of our discussion (which had no time limit - we finished when we finished), he would tell me about another book and I would go in search of it, as well.

The best thing about this class is that I went into it wanting to know everything about the Jewish-Arab relationship.  Their origins were so similar - so why all of the violence and fighting?  Go figure that Professor Somehk grew up in a Jewish community in Iraq.  In 1941 his neighborhood was attacked by a pro-Nazi mob.  His family ended up fleeing, only to end up in Israel years later.  That one attack began the decline of the Jewish community in Iraq and coincided with a similar Jewish exodus from the rest of the Middle East.

While opening the Jews Among Arabs conference, Somehk said, "I feel that I am the last Arabic Jew..."

I'm proud to have served under Professor Somehk.  I know that when I reflect on my time here, my study under him will rank among my top fond memories.

Latching onto an idea

It's late. I'm working on the first portion of what looks like a 30-page research paper for my "Conducting Political Research" class.

My research discusses how democratic states are actually far more prone to terrorism. For instance, over the last two decades, all but two suicide attacks have happened inside democracies. And what about those two that occurred in non-democracies? Well, they were directed toward the U.S. military, so they really don't count.

This paper is cool. The class itself teaches us how to write articles, like the ones we revere and read for before every meeting. It feels powerful, being able to write articles with massive amounts of citations (academic weaponry) - all the while feeling that your paper makes a startling, strong point that you think should be posted on every news website in the country.

So why am I on here talking to you about this? Because it's just so very Vandy.

You see, I grew up discussing politics with my dad. We'd sit in the hot tub and I'd ask 1,000 questions, always amazed at the things he knew. He worked all the time, so how did he find this stuff out?

Fast forward to junior year. I'm registering for classes in my room. Then, by chance, I walk out into the common room and begin talking to a guy in my suite about how I wish I could find a major that encompassed classes on Islam, Middle Eastern Politics, etc. He mentions he's a Public Policy Major.

"What's that?"

"It's interdisciplinary."

"Right, so what's that?"

"Well, it means that my major combines classes from several different colleges in the university. For instance, my Public Policy Major requires classes from Peabody and A&S. Wanna know the best part about it?"

"Tell me!"

"You pick your own track. You could pick something like 'Middle Eastern Politics,' then you'd choose whatever 5 classes you think would fulfill that track. Islam, Jewish Studies - whatever you like."

So, I immediately set out finding the classes that would comprise my "Public Policy Studies" major. "Intro to Islam," "Diplomacy in the Middle East," Jewish Studies courses, etc.

That leads me to here. I've never been so hungry to devour information. I love my classes. I love my major. My grades have shot up tremendously. Why? Because I deeply love what I'm doing here. I'm not just learning, I'm contributing. Maybe I'll post my work when I'm finished in a few weeks.