The day started as a great day. It was Friday, the sun was shining, and I felt good. I drove to the University, entered my office, and got ready to start the day I went to the third floor to have a conversation with another colleague when a mutual friend on the hall came in […]
In 2011, Eric Yuan founded Zoom Video Communications, Inc. Less than a decade later, the word “Zoom” took on a new meaning in numerous cultures. As the COVID-19 pandemic devastated societies, many looked to Zoom to hold healthcare appointments, business meetings, and classes. Through this communication technology, some even celebrated birthdays, baby showers, and family […]
As Christians, we are told, “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.” (I Peter 3:15) I’m learning that I need to be prepared to give a question as well. Seeking to be a witness for Jesus on campus, in my […]
In the summer of 2021, I was diagnosed with metastatic appendix cancer. Thankfully, despite its inconveniences, chemotherapy seems to be working well for me. Two years prior to my diagnosis, my wife was diagnosed with ovarian cancer, and a decade prior to that, my sister with uterine cancer. This past April, my sister died, followed […]
This past year I’ve been reminded that Christ is the vine, and I am just a branch. I can do nothing apart from him. So, as I make it my focus to be a Christian professor, God is teaching me that only if I stay connected to him—really hidden in him—will I be able to […]
I have a picture in my house that says, “And if not, He is still good.” It’s a loose interpretation of Daniel 3:18, where Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, declare to King Nebuchadnezzar their confidence that the one true God would save them from the fiery furnace, the punishment for refusing to bow down to Nebuchadnezzar’s […]
On a warm autumn afternoon, I navigated across campus to hear student feedback regarding a policy I had implemented as the Social Work Program Director. Upon entering the classroom, it became evident that this was no ordinary student feedback session. The desks had been arranged conference style resembling a long rectangle with students along each […]
In a recent presentation given at Cal Poly, one of the questions that was asked of the faculty attendees was, “How can we measure success?” Number of publications High teaching evaluations Grants These were some of the answers that emerged. But to my surprise, one of the professors answered, “Free time.” That was such a […]
Not long ago, I was at a research conference with students and faculty members from the region. At a mentoring breakfast, I sat with several students and a “more seasoned” faculty member from another institution. A student asked the two of us to share about our academic training and how we ended up in academia.The […]
Last summer, a Christian colleague encouraged me to share my story of trusting Jesus Christ on MeetTheProf.com. MeetTheProf is a website for Christian professors to write about their faith journeys and other information about themselves, making it easy to share the link with their students and colleagues. I liked the idea of having my profile […]
