The Best Seat in the House
A Welcome Message from Dr. Leon Richards, Interim Chancellor
It is my great pleasure to welcome you all to a new academic year. I greet you with a warm Aloha, and the acknowledgement that you have made a terrific
choice in being part of the KapCC ohana.A recent visitor to the College asked me if I had a favorite spot on campus that was special to me. And within the last week, a returning student asked me, since math was not a strong suit for him, did I know of a course that was the equivalent of, “Math for Dummies.”
Although I chuckled at each question, both questions gave me pause to think about the communities that we serve. This is a College of people. In the mix of faculty, staff, students, visitors and friends, the College is vibrant, dynamic, diverse, and imaginative. The strength of our College comes from our rich history, our sound educational programs, and, in striving for the highest, our commitment to the achievement and excellence in all that we do.
Let us therefore remind ourselves about why we are here. We choose to be here because we want to make a good thing better, and we want to be in the best place to accomplish our goals. What does it mean to be in the best place at any given time? I compare this to wanting the best seat in the house.
I think it is human nature to want to sit in the best seat in the house. At a learning institution, the best seat in the house is wherever learning takes place. This can take place anywhere on campus, not just in the library or the classroom. A great lecture can begin to make sense as you walk from your classroom through the cactus garden to your car. Or, in the cafeteria or around the great lawn while talking to other students, or in the International Café where you can hear the cadence of multiple languages being spoken. At a learning institution, we need to appreciate the dynamics between teaching and learning. Sometimes we teach, sometimes we learn. To appreciate this, one has only to go to the Malama Hawai'i Center to witness engaging dialogues between the kumu and students, or observe any service learning project in the community
If you are new to campus, give me the chance and I will learn your name and face. If you are a returning member to the KapCC ohana, I look forward to seeing you and possibly chatting with you regarding any concerns or special interests you might have.
Have a phenomenal year!
