Dr. Kwon is the Student Senate Faculty of the Month for October. Dr. Kwon, Ph.D., MBA, MDiv, MSW/AM is a professor in the Theology and Philosophy Department. He has been at Saint Mary’s for three and a half years, since fall of 2018. When asked what is the favorite class he’s ever taught he replied, “I do love all the classes I have taught because all the students I have taught mean a lot to me – their presence, their smiles, and all those grateful moments I spent together mean so much to me. Every class at Saint Mary’s truly made my time here the best I’ve ever had – all these classes have a precious moment of their own, engineered by student-led conversations that explore texts, lessons, and meaningful questions.” When later asked what his favorite class he’s ever taken himself he replied, “I have a lot of favorite classes I’ve taken (and thankfully, I’ve met many good teachers in my life), but if I have to choose one that has ignited the passion for teaching and has served as my role model class, that would be Dr. Lindsay Thompson’s Business Ethics: Thought and Discourse at Johns Hopkins. She was my TA/RA professor, who showed me teaching ethics is not an “abstract” philosophical approach alone; but it is and should be taught in various ways such as anthropological, historical, psychological, literature (even classics), scientific, and religious and theological studies. Further, and more importantly, she always likened her classroom to a hospital operating room where she seemed to lead a medical team as head surgeon. A successful surgery is impossible without the contributions of a whole team of actors such as PAs, nurses, anesthesiologists, social workers, and lab technicians. Likewise, a successful classroom depends on the contributions of all its members; it demands collaboration among people who occupy well-defined roles that differ in responsibility and authority. Vital for bringing out the contributions of each student is proper contribution. Just like Dr. Thompson, I always have tried to liken this to an operating room as well, for successful surgery requires that all members of the medical team are well prepared to do what is expected of them. In view of this, just like what I have learned from her, I have tried to orchestrate an almost fully “flipped” classroom where students read texts, listen to lectures, and do active-learning tasks before gathering for in-person/“Discerning Community (DC)” group discussions and activities. This designed work readies students to carry out their responsibilities and engenders confidence in them. Having had the opportunity to process content at their own pace, they are more likely to come to class aware of the clarification they need and the comments and questions they have to offer. It was an interesting experience that I learned this ethical, anthropological, and theological teaching approach from Dr. Thompson at business school settings. After my MBA, she was the one who strongly suggested that I work on my doctoral studies in theological ethics at Boston College; and I call her my “American mom”. She has become one of my spiritual mentors as well (and she is from Minnesota).”
Dr. Kwon was nominated for this award by multiple students and represents what it means to truly be a Cardinal.
