“Is it all right if I ask my advisor questions?” asked a new international graduate student. He was excited but nervous about studying in the U.S. Like so many students, especially those from overseas, he was unfamiliar with the unwritten rules of how professors and students are meant to interact. I assured him that generally […]
My colleague Yukako handed me a tiny, printed list of titles, and I considered my options. I had been fascinated with Japan for decades. In the same month, I had my first taste of sushi and taught my first lesson on intercultural communication. Soon after, while serving at a Christian camp, I learned how unreached […]
I’m an underwater coward. I admit it. I have a student who works in my lab and likes to scuba dive with sharks. I’d never do that, but she loves it. I’ve heard that sometimes people even “chum” the water when they want to attract sharks: tossing in pieces of fish to pull sharks and […]
God can use even small steps of faith in ways we can’t imagine. In 2017 a Faculty Commons staff member visiting Florence gave me a copy of A Grander Story. God used the testimonies in that book to remind me that teaching is far more than a job—it is a calling. When I was in Rome eight […]
Our university, like most, has dirt paths created by repeated foot traffic. These quick routes off the sidewalks are called “desire paths.” I know groundskeepers resent them; the destruction of the turf, the erosion, and the accompanying mud. Students, and at least a few faculty, like them. Who doesn’t want shortcuts in our busy days? […]
At the start of my academic career I mostly kept my Christian faith separate from my work. I tried to ensure that I performed my duties ethically, treated my students fairly, and served as a positive role model for my students and colleagues. However, I didn’t really express my faith in tangible ways. In fact, […]
At times in my life I have looked at witnessing more as a duty, which I dreaded, rather than a privilege to be nurtured and enjoyed. It isn’t always easy, but when I take that step of faith, it brings joy. Our Privilege It is so humbling that God, who could do everything without us, […]
I didn’t realize what I was missing. I became involved in the Christian faculty group on my campus because of what it did for me. It was a blessing to receive prayer and to meet other Christian professors. They Were Academic Our faculty group met regularly, and over the years I even became one of […]
My heart beats to live on mission. Why? I am a product of just one brave, considerate teacher who shared her faith and invited me to a Christian youth conference when I was a senior in high school. My family had experienced significant levels of trauma: violence, divorce, poverty; this day-to-day chaos significantly impacted my […]
My husband and I recently retired from our work in higher education. The thought has crossed my mind several times, “So where do I go from here? During the past five years I have participated in a virtual Faculty Commons book study group that has greatly enriched my life and my teaching. During a recent […]
