burcu is a "hodja" now

burcu sunar my ex-student, friend and now colleague, who is the guilty party in convincing me to launch this blog yesterday called me to inform that she passed the eligibility exam to become a research assistant at the istanbul university's department of political science and international relations attached to the faculty of economics! she became one of the two elected from some 30 plus highly competent peers vying for the positions in i.r.

so, big deal you say? yes it damn well is! first of all, burcu graduated from the faculty of communication at the bilgi universiy, with a minor in international relations only. secondly, the i.u. is the oldest, largest, richest, most established academic institution in the country, founded on the sultan's own territory named at firs the dar-ul funnun - the porte of sciences. burcu, a graduate of bilgi, a private school of 10 years' history, did not just come out primus inter pares in a match of equals, she bore the cross of coming of age for her alma mater (and very probably all private universities, too) up a via dolores she was a stranger to. for most state universities, private ones are no better than finishing schools where chic boys and fancy chicks get their diplomas after four years of cruising through light courses.

burcu broke the barriers of a prejudice. i do believe she has a lot more in store to show the academic world.

oh, she's not only intelligent, bright and well learnt, she's quite cute, too. petite, colored eyes, light complexion, almost golden hair, so she might be declared a pride of blondes.

bravo burcu "hodja"!