Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.
- James 1:17 (KJV)

I was delighted to learn yesterday that I'd been accepted into the Accelerated Masters Level Program which will allow me to start on my first year of graduate-level study in Public Policy while concurrently completing my final year of undergraduate work. The Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy is ranked 3rd in the nation for Public Policy Analysis (after UC Berkeley and Harvard's Kennedy School of Government), and 8th overall in the USA for Public Policy Studies- and so it will be an excellent place for me to continue my education in public affairs. I really thank God for this wonderful opportunity since Masters' degree options are quite limited (in US schools, most social science graduate degrees require 2 or more years of study after graduating with a Bachelor's degree- my next options were to apply to Columbia or Northwestern's Medill for a one-year degree in political journalism, had I not been accepted to the Ford School). So the Accelerated track will allow me to finish both degrees in 4 years which is perfect. I hope to get an opportunity someday to do a doctorate in Political Science, but that will probably be quite a long way from now since Polsci graduate degrees take anywhere between 4-6 years to complete.

Yesterday was full of pleasant surprises- I received an invitation to the Honors Convocation and was also notified that I had been recognized as a James B. Angell Scholar for three consecutive terms and had also received University Honors. I entirely appreciate any accolade which can be added to my resume, ha ha.

And I also managed to register my car today (a 2002 black Ford Escape XLT SUV, shared with Wilson Liu) at the Secretary of State. And I just couldn't resist- I had to get a personalized license plate, since you can't get one of those in SG, and here it is!


Yeah I know, it's very nice. Ha ha.

And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them.
- Ether 12:27 (BOM)