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"Why Rollins Professors Are Amazing"

May 21, 2007

At Dr. Pequeno's with Peru roommate Sam (center) and fellow traveler Kelly

I think I’ve already touched on this topic in previous entries, but it deserves revisiting. As earlier journals mention, the professors at Rollins are enthusiastic, incredibly knowledgeable, and (dare I admit it?) even fun to be around. They delight in making students think, and they try to approach education in new ways. An example: My economics professor this semester had the class play Civilization IV to learn and apply economic principles. It was the first time he’d done it—my class was a test case—but it actually worked. Not perfectly, but the potential as a serious learning tool was definitely there. Cool, right? Who wouldn’t want to play a computer game for class? It sure makes a nice break from reading…

Yet there is one more factor that takes Rollins professors from merely awesome to utterly amazing: Sometimes they will invite you to their homes and feed you delicious food. Compared to their other qualities, this may not seem all that important. However, after you’ve been living off school food and staring at the concrete block walls of a dorm for four months, a home-cooked meal and a glance at a cheery living space become the things you live for. And so I offer two tales of just such memorable evenings. They are some of my favorite Rollins experiences so far.

Dr. Pequeno and his wife Emma

The first story dates way back to April 29. (Less than a month ago, but with exams in between it seems like forever.) Dr. Pequeño, the anthropology professor who led the Spring Break trip to Peru, invited everyone who’d gone on the trip to his home for dinner. What a house! On every wall hung vibrant paintings from all over Latin America. I couldn’t help smiling—I’d bought three paintings myself while in Peru. Even better than the cozy atmosphere was the dinner. Dr. Pequeño’s wife, Emma, who had come with us to Peru, spent days in the kitchen making countless dishes—pork, chicken, rice, beans, salad, bread, mini quiches, various sauces and dips, flan, fruit pie…My taste buds were in heaven. I didn’t go home at all during the spring semester, so this was the first home-cooked meal I’d eaten since being home for Christmas. Add to this the good company of my fellow world travelers, and you get an idea of what the evening was like. Good times.

Story number two took place May 6, the last Sunday of term. This time, the hosting professor was Dr. Cook. It was actually the second time I’ve been to Dr. Cook’s house; last fall he had my RCC class over for dinner. The philosophy professors, majors, and members of the philosophy club were the lucky group this time. I am a faithful attendee of philosophy club meetings and a frequent participant in philosophy club events; the members of the club are a great group of people, so it was fun to spend a few hours hanging out with them while feasting on Dr. Cook’s delicious hamburgers. Besides, at that point I still had three exams to finish, and that break probably kept me from cognitive overload. In every way, it was a much-needed, much-appreciated respite.

In sum, professors at Rollins not only coach students through four years of mental gymnastics; many open their homes and offer students their hospitality. They are just one of the many factors that make Rollins not just a school, but a community.

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