Oral History Interview with Dr. DaJuan Ferrell

Oral History Interview with Dr. DaJuan Ferrell

In March 2020 when university instruction moved primarily online, DaJuan Ferrell was tasked with learning how to teach his undergraduate students in a virtual environment. He also faced the prospect of finishing his doctoral research within new social distance parameters. Ferrell graduated from UW-Milwaukee in the summer of 2020 with a Ph.D. in sociology. In this oral history interview, he explains that his path to academic and professional success were unaltered by the pandemic. If anything, the pandemic, and the subsequent stay-at-home orders, helped him focus more on his research and writing. Setting a daily schedule that allotted time for research, writing, and advisory meetings, Ferrell also intentionally made time for relaxation to ease his stress and anxiety. He reflects on the importance of finding joy in times of struggle and the value in staying true to oneself in the midst of chaos. With the successful defense of his dissertation, Ferrell relocated to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to start his career as a university writing instructor. While he is enjoying this new chapter in his life, there are disappointments and missed opportunities from the previous chapter, many of which Ferrell discusses in his interview.

Jamee N. Pritchard

April 22, 2021