But when I see my students lovingly devoted to learning, service and community, I sense the continuity. Of course, not every student shows up in class ready for deep thought or the quest for meaning, but a surprising number of them become excited with a little coaching. It is a pure delight to see hungry scholars locate the courses and the professors on the campus known for their power to activate the mind and motivate one to service. It is an inspiration to see our most intellectually alive students choosing to work in the inner city or to serve quietly in remote corners of the world. Before long, our best students get their bearings and learn that Whitehead is right.
All teachers worth their salt are merely ignorant people doing some deep thinking.
The other half is what I receive every day when I work with students. A friendly, affirming community is essential for higher learning, and ACU offers this environment. In my 12 years at ACU, I have been the happy participant in the best dialogues of my life concerning ideas, beliefs and values. I am not merely a professor. I am an equal partner in the business of discovery.