Portfolio Rationale
“It's a dangerous business, Frodo, going out your door. You step onto the road, and if you don't keep your feet, there's no knowing where you might be swept off to.”
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring
The Time that is Given Us
In J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings, an unlikely hero named Frodo Baggins embarks upon an epic quest on which hangs the fate of his world. He has inherited the One Ring of power and must destroy it before it falls into the wrong hands. To do this, he must travel to Mount Doom and throw the ring into the volcanic fires from which it was forged. Frodo, being a mild mannered hobbit, is daunted by the task which is set before him and despairs at the thought of the journey ahead. Luckily, Frodo does not have to carry this burden alone. With him are a motley fellowship of companions who help alone the way.
On his journey, Frodo faces opposition at every turn. Trolls, goblins, and even giant arachnids stand between him and his goal. But, in every instance, through strength of will and with the help of his friends, Frodo is able to persevere. After a long time walking the roads and trails of Middle-Earth, he is able to reach his destination and complete his quest.
When reflecting on my own journey through the Public School Leadership Doctoral Program at Marshall University, I could not help but to think of the task set before Mr. Frodo Baggins. Like Frodo, I did not know if I was up to the task of reaching my goal. I was daunted by the trails I expected and discouraged by the ones that popped up unexpectedly along the way. But, like him, through perseverance and with help from a few trusted companions, I have journeyed a great way and now stand at the foot of the last mountain to be climbed.
I have finished my coursework and portfolio requirements. Metaphorically, I am standing at the base of Mount Doom. The only task left to me is to climb the mountain and my mountain, of course, is the dissertation process.
The following account is of my own quest to earn a doctoral degree. While not all of the trails I faced were pleasant, I approached each as a challenge that brought the opportunity for growth as opposed to an obstacle merely to overcome.
On his journey, Frodo faces opposition at every turn. Trolls, goblins, and even giant arachnids stand between him and his goal. But, in every instance, through strength of will and with the help of his friends, Frodo is able to persevere. After a long time walking the roads and trails of Middle-Earth, he is able to reach his destination and complete his quest.
When reflecting on my own journey through the Public School Leadership Doctoral Program at Marshall University, I could not help but to think of the task set before Mr. Frodo Baggins. Like Frodo, I did not know if I was up to the task of reaching my goal. I was daunted by the trails I expected and discouraged by the ones that popped up unexpectedly along the way. But, like him, through perseverance and with help from a few trusted companions, I have journeyed a great way and now stand at the foot of the last mountain to be climbed.
I have finished my coursework and portfolio requirements. Metaphorically, I am standing at the base of Mount Doom. The only task left to me is to climb the mountain and my mountain, of course, is the dissertation process.
The following account is of my own quest to earn a doctoral degree. While not all of the trails I faced were pleasant, I approached each as a challenge that brought the opportunity for growth as opposed to an obstacle merely to overcome.