I have been involved with Faculty Commons, Cru’s faculty ministry, for many years as a professor. Now that I have retired and joined Faculty Commons staff, I have discovered a ministry idea that allows the Christian faculty at my university to be a blessing to many other professors, as well as providing opportunities to interact with faculty who may have a spiritual interest.
It is a strategy called "Thank-a-Prof"
It’s pretty simple and doesn’t take a lot of time or human resources. Set up a table in an area that students frequent. Stock the table with some cheap thank-you notes and a few pens. Hang a small poster from the table with an invitation to “Thank a Prof.”
As students stop by, ask them to think of a former (not current) professor and simply write them a brief note of gratitude, and even better if they can name something specific the prof did that helped them. They are not to seal the envelope, but to write the professor’s name and department on the envelope. You check the notes to make sure they are legitimate expressions of gratitude.
Then you email the professor and arrange personally to deliver the hand-written thank-you notes. If you have a lot of notes, you can enlist your Christian Faculty colleagues to help. Also, students involved with Cru or another Christian organization can help with the deliveries too. Most faculty are thrilled to be thanked because it’s a fairly rare occurrence. I have kept a file of every written thank-you over my career. It isn’t that thick.
As you deliver the thank you notes, you can commend them and say something like, “The Thank-a-prof” table was sponsored by the Christian faculty at our campus. I was wondering, if you don’t mind me asking, if you have ever had any interest in Christianity?” If you find someone with spiritual interest, or at least openness, you can invite them to a book discussion of Keller’s “Reasons for God” or some appropriate campus event.
You never know how God might work if you just take a small step.
One variation that I used in my first attempt at this strategy, and which I recommend is to begin by asking the Cru students to write thank-yous. Our local Cru leader even allowed me to challenge students and grad students at their Cru group meeting.
There are at least two benefits to having Christian students write the letters.
First, it is good for them to practice the virtue of gratitude.
Second, it’s good to get the Christian students thinking about the need to reach out to their professors.
Depending on the number of thank-you notes you get, and how much help you have, you may be able to run this strategy a couple of times a year.
It’s simple, it’s cheap, and it doesn’t take a ton of time.
Why not give it a try?
Phil Bishop
Emeritus, UA