Sorry for the interruption -- I had to interview for a job, take the job, finish three research projects, pack up, and move cross-country! I'm now happily ensconced as the new addition to the Music Therapy division at Nazareth College in Rochester, NY. No, really!
There were several things that attracted me to this job, and lured me into taking their offer knowing that I'd have to finish my dissertation long-distance. First, the music therapy program is well-established, having been at Nazareth for 25 years. They've just added a master's degree, which is why they added a professor. Second, the school has several related master's and PhD programs: art therapy, speech/language pathology, physical therapy, social work, and nursing -- and most of those programs have functioning clinics on campus -- and are ready, willing and able to work with music therapy. Third, the college is small and class sizes are as well. This gives teachers the opportunity to mentor as well as teach: something that was important to me.
Finally, the job gave me the opportunity to live somewhere I'd like. Rochester is a Great Lakes city, sitting just south of Lake Ontario. The Genessee River runs through it, as does the Erie Canal. Lots and lots of water, which I'd been missing. Four seasons (yes, lots of winter, but not below-zero winter) and old neighborhoods and just the right size.
So I'm settling in, teaching and planning...and keeping my eye on the ball, which -- in this case -- is a defense of my dissertation next summer. The Amazing Nine-Month Dissertation! We'll see. :-)
