 The same year, he became a student of Saint Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary in Crestwood, New York, graduating with a Master of Divinity in theology in 1983 with thesis titled "Life, personality and ideas of Sergius Stragorodsky, Bishop of Yamburgh and Archbishop of Vyborgh and Finland (later patriarch of Moscow and all Russia) before 1917".In 1984, Dvorkin received American citizenship.In 1984, he enrolled in doctoral studies at the Department of Medieval History at the Jesuit-affiliated independent school — Fordham University.