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今年是我在Florida State University讀博士班的第二年。由於我們學校暑假比照春、秋兩季照常開課，在暑假修滿學分的情況下，我在這裡兩年的時間修完了別的地方三年才修的完的課。雖然，整年從頭到尾不停的修課真是一件非常累的事情。但是為了省學費、省時間，我也就咬著牙給他修下去了。到今年暑假的時候，我的博士班課程已經差不多修完了，所有剩下的只有兩門副修的選修課。在經過我的指導教授同意之後，我在今年暑假參加了博士資格考。我們的博士資格考分成兩階段：第一階段是為期兩天的專業科目考試，第二階段是要跟我的博士審查委員會答辯(defend)博士論文的前兩章。我在今年七月參加了第一部份的專業科目考試。兩天考六科，每個科目一題，總共六題。感謝 神的恩典，在經過兩個月不眠不休的準備之後，我順利的通過了第一階段的博士資格考。
在通過了第一階段的博士資格考之後，我便開始跟我的指導教授討論我的論文計畫。這一部份的進行不是非常的順利。我本來想要做的論文題目是關於美國大學生的靈性發展(Spiritual Development)。但是我發現這方面的研究文獻並不是很多，並且在執行上有很多的技術性的難題。有一天當我在跟我的指導教授討論的時候，他跟我說：「Daniel，你何不等到拿到博士學位後再來做這個題目呢？」我想想也對，等我比較有做研究的經驗的時候再來解決這些技術上的難題。於是我捨棄了我原本的論文題目，把我的題目轉成大學生的道德發展(Character Development)。由於我這個秋天還有最後兩門課要修，沒有辦法花很多的時間在準備我的論文，因此我的論文寫作並沒有很大的進展。我目前的計畫是利用今年寒假完成我的論文前兩章，並且在明年一月進行博士資格考第二階段的答辯。若是 神允許的話，我希望能在明年的聖誕節之前拿到博士學位。
很多人最近都在關心我畢業之後要作什麼？其實我心裡並沒有特別的打算。我有可能留在美國，也有可能回台灣－端看神如何開路。今年暑假除了參加考試之外，我也結束了作了兩年的研究工作。過去兩年我一直幫著我的指導教授作研究。今年年初，他告訴我希望我能出去外面看看。在經過一些面試之後，我拿到Florida州政府教育局的一份半職的工作。我目前的工作主要是作一些教育政策的研究，並且追蹤Florida州議會的立法進度。我非常的感謝 神給我這個機會到這裡的政府機關親身體驗教育政策的運作。我的新老闆以及同事都對我非常的好，而我也非常珍惜這樣的機會。
去年(2002)，我去了好多個城市參加不同的研討會。今年我出門的次數少了很多。三月的時候我代表我的指導教授到在聖路易斯（St. Louis）舉辦的全國學生事務人員(NASPA)年會上發表了一篇我們共同完成的論文。這是我第一次在全國性的研討會中發表，是個蠻有趣了經驗。發表後的反應似乎不錯，而我也認識了一些來自全美國其他學校的教授以及學生事務人員。
在Tallahassee的華人教會我繼續的參加聚會以及一些服事。我目前參加了一個本地的台灣學生組成的查經班；每週六我們在本地的一個台灣學生家中聚會。我也從今年的秋天開始參與我們教會兒童主日學的服事。目前我只擔任助教，明年若有機會可能會開始教兒童主日學。
這些就是我今年一年發生在我身上的事了。今年一年沒有生什麼大病，倒是小病（感冒加過敏）不斷。這一年來我每個禮拜都固定的到體育館運動，因此體重、血壓都維持穩定。沒有大事發生，感謝 神保守一切的平安。
請為我論文的進度代禱。寫論文的壓力很大，而我有的時候真的寫的很煩。請為我代禱讓我能有從 神來的智慧、決心、以及耐心來完成這個學位。也請為我畢業後的出路代禱，願 神帶領我去祂所要使用我的地方。我的電話、地址、E-mail、網站都依然沒變。請讓我知道您的近況好在禱告中互相記念。願恩惠、平安從 神我們的父和主耶穌基督歸與您。 祝
聖誕快樂 新年如意
It is again the time of Christmas, and Daniel is here to share with you God’s amazing grace in my life of the past year. I wish that you will enjoy reading the letter, and please share with me your current situation so I can remember you in my prayers.
This past year was a busy year for me just as many previous years. I just finished my doctoral course work by the end of this fall semester. After taking 67 credit hours courses in two and a half years, I am ready to leave course work behind me. Since I have finished all my departmental required courses in the summer, I took the first stage of my doctoral preliminary exam, or so called doctoral comprehensive exam, in June. For our department’s doctoral students, we have to pass a two-stage doctoral preliminary exam before we can formally work on our dissertation. The first-stage doctoral exam was a two-day writing exam. We were put in a closed room and asked to answer six questions in two days. Well, six questions in two days did not sound like a big deal, right? Wrong! I was almost not able to finish it in time. Afterward, I did not feel very good about my answers, but thank for God’s grace, I did pass the first-stage doctoral preliminary exam.
The second-stage doctoral preliminary exam is to present a dissertation mini-prospectus, which is the first two chapters of a dissertation, to your doctoral directive committee. Originally, I planned to do a dissertation on American college student’s spiritual development. After conducting the literature review, however, I found very few empirical researches in this topic. Because I am a doctoral student and not a recognized researcher, I must have sufficient literature to support my arguments. It is very difficult for a doctoral student in social science to conduct a research without good literature support. After discussing with my major professor, we decided to change my dissertation topic to American college student’s character and moral development, which was a topic with more current literature. Since I still had classes to take this past fall semester, I did not do much in writing my mini-prospectus. I hope to work on it during this winter break and defend in the early January 2004.
After two years worked as a research assistant and webmaster for my major professor, I changed my assistantship this summer. My major professor suggested me find another assistantship because he wanted me to see things from outside the academia. After some interviews, I began to work with Florida Department of Education in this fall. My current job is to assist the policy and training director in the Office of Student Financial Assistance to conduct policy analysis and other related tasks. I have learned a lot about educational policy and student financial aid legislation in the past several months. I love this job very much and I am very thankful for God giving me this opportunity to learn from so many different people.
Last year (2002), I had attended several professional conferences around the country. This year I did not travel that much. The only conference I attended this year was the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators’ (NASPA) annual conference in St. Louis, Missouri. I led a group of colleagues to present a research paper that my major professor and I did last year. This was my first time being a leading presenter in a national conference and I enjoyed the experience very much.
In Tallahassee, I am still attending the only Chinese church here in town. Beside the Sunday worship, I also attended a student-formed Bible study group every Saturday night. I have also begun to be a teaching assistant in our children’s Sunday school since this October. I hope to begin teaching children’s Sunday school next year.
Nothing very dramatic has happened to me this past year. No serious disease, but small health problems like allergy and flu have bothered me the whole year. I have had regular work out in the gym this past year, and my weight and blood pressure have been well under control.
Please pray for my dissertation writing. I am very much stressed and I do not know how to get it done. Please pray that God grants me determination, patience, and wisdom to finish the project that He put in my hands. Please also let me know if there are things I can pray for you. My contact information can be found in the bottom of the page. May grace and peace to you from our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ!
Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!