TULANE TALK

February 22, 2013

Good Morning:

For the past five years, my daughter Amanda, an assistant professor of management at the University of Virginia, has invited me to serve as a guest lecturer in her organizational behavior class. Throughout the class I discuss the topics of leadership and crisis management using the narrative of Tulane’s experiences during and after Katrina. These one-day sessions have resulted in two articles published by Amanda and me in management journals, once again bringing Tulane’s recovery and the lessons learned to a national audience.

These annual visits also remind me how much I love the classroom and how fortunate I am to have the opportunity to teach here at Tulane. Whether it’s a course on leadership through the Tulane InterDisciplinary Experience Seminars or as a guest lecturer in social work or any number of other academic departments, there is nothing I like more than interacting with a group of Tulane students, exchanging ideas and information.

Teaching, of course, is at the heart of a great university like Tulane. From a student examining the physical and biological properties of cells to a class on the theme of alienation in Shakespeare, imparting knowledge, know-how and enlightenment through scholarship, research and the arts informs our every action and decision. Sometimes it’s nice to be reminded how much fun it all is, too.

Someone should start a “Bring Your Dad to Work” movement. Every dad should be so lucky.

Have a great weekend,