Is there anything more fascinating than seeing a professor struck absolutely exuberant over a course’s subject matter? I recently had the privilege of witnessing such an occurrence in my Christ Centered Wellness course one Thursday evening.

For those of you who don’t know, Christ Centered Wellness is essentially the brainchild of Professor Al Bacchus, who fused conventional concepts of health and wellness with his understanding of the teachings and character traits of Jesus. It was clear from the first day of class that Dr. Bacchus had invested much of himself into the course, and it was his desire to open his students’ minds to the unique ideas the course presented.

There are only eight students, but it certainly makes for intimate class sessions permeated by the overwhelming atmosphere of mutual understanding and respect. As a result, students are unafraid to make bold statements or to share their personal insight. Each student has her or his own personal background and beliefs that are infused into the course discussions, and it is always fascinating to witness Dr. Bacchus’ reaction when the verbal discourse begins touching on points that are enlightening not only for his students but for he himself as well.

I believe that in many ways, such experiences are unique phenomena to colleges similar in size to CUC. At larger universities where class sizes swell to accommodate hundreds and hundreds of students, the opportunity for professors to routinely engage in mutual intellectual growth on the same level as their students is rare. CUC professors have such opportunities as evidenced by the experiences in the Christ Centered Wellness Course, and I believe that such opportunities make for more passionate learning experiences for everyone involved.

--- Daniel Alexander Granderson

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During a recent conversation, a friend of mine divulged her secret for maximizing her learning experience at CUC. Instead of exclusively following stringent guidelines about the specific classes she needed to fulfill her major, she chose to select classes based upon her perceived level of interest in the topic regardless of its pertinence to her prescribed course of studies. It was a system I personally christened 'A La Carte Education'. It went something like this - 'Introduction to Geometric Shapes sounds interesting. Ancient Hieroglyphics 365, could be fun. Scuba Diving 101, hmmm... might as well since I already own a wetsuit and snorkel...'

By her own calculations, my friend was about a semester behind where she probably should have been. Still, I couldn’t help but envy her decision to boldly seize control of what she learned while in college. I personally believe that at times, students become too focused on fulfilling the minimum obligations for their majors, and in the process fail to explore the possibilities that await them in other courses.

And isn’t exploration what college is really all about? How else can a person say for certain that the major they have chosen to spend tens of thousands of dollars to pursue is indeed the right career path for her or him? Obviously I am not advocating that students waste their time or money by frivolously taking an abundance of excess classes, but I believe that there is merit in 'A Late Carte Education'. It could direct students to more fulfilling career paths, or at the very least make them that much more knowledgeable. If being behind a semester is what it takes to solidify one’s commitment to a particular career path, then so be it. It is certainly better than the alternative of spending the next 40 years of one’s life in mathematics when one’s true desire is studying world philosophies, or vice versa.

--- Daniel Alexander Granderson

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