Wednesday, January 31, 2001

Hey! Teach!

After a few weeks of negotiation, it appears that I will be teaching again this fall, at my alma mater of all places. When I was in college, it was a common joke that a degree from my university uniquely qualified a person to...teach at my university. There seemed to be a certain self-perpetuating machinery in place, since so many of my professors -- in the introductory level courses, especially -- held credentials from the place.

I've been invited to teach a mid-level journalism course, imparting my knowledge of writing and reporting to sophomores and juniors who have declared a major in my chosen field. This is my opportunity to shape careers, to mold young minds, to take my place in a tradition of scribes who have returned to the academy and insure the life of our noble profession into the next generation.

In other words, it's payback time!