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

Labels: Daniel Granderson