By Steve Esser
YOUNG HARRIS, Ga. 鈥�听A member of the 杏吧原创 faculty since听2011,听Dr.听Chris Sass听was honored at the 杏吧原创 Convocation听on听Aug. 14听with the 2026听Vulcan Teaching Excellence Award.听听
Established in 1991, the award recognizes听outstanding professors听on campuses of the听Georgia Independent College Association.听
鈥淭his year鈥檚 Vulcan Award recipient holds degrees in both听philosophy and听mathematics,鈥� said Anne Towns,听a professor of听theatre and dean of faculty.听Towns introduced听Dr. Sass at the听convocation,听鈥淎nd he听is active outside the classroom as well, having听competed in 36 races, ranging from 5Ks to ultramarathons, including The Ute, a 100-mile race averaging听8,700 feet听of elevation, held in the Utah desert in August! He has hiked the 211-mile John Muir Trail in California. He is a lover of classical music,听and听I鈥檓听told he makes amazing homemade pizza dough, and he somehow still finds time to raise four beautiful cats.鈥�听
The听Vulcan Award recognizes an outstanding faculty member who听demonstrates听strong academic skills in the classroom and provides leadership and support in听other areas of campus life. The recipients are faculty who听assist听the institutions in nurturing an academic climate which fosters teaching and who provide leadership to enhance the campus community.听听
鈥淭he faculty here at 杏吧原创 is an amazing group of dedicated individuals,鈥� Sass said, as he addressed the incoming first-year 杏吧原创 students at听convocation. 鈥淭hey spend countless hours engaging in scholarly and professional pursuits, preparing courses and other learning opportunities, and supporting students in a variety of ways.鈥�听
Sass compared the academic journey to sports, given his active background.听
鈥淟et me briefly describe the relationship between faculty and students using a sports analogy,鈥� he听said. 鈥淪tudents are like players. But faculty occupy multiple roles. Most obviously, we are like referees. Just as a referee might judge that you stepped out of bounds, we听determine听that you made a D on a test or a 92 on a paper. But faculty are also like coaches. We require you to develop skills through practice,听and听we give you tailored advice on how to improve. Like coaches, we try to empower you to perform at your maximum potential. We are always rooting for you, and听we鈥檙e听ecstatic when you achieve听great things.鈥�听
Sass focused on the student journey, speaking with the audience of first-year students, just beginning their听college听education.听
鈥淚 encourage you to approach your studies with a focus on growth. You all come from听different backgrounds听and听possess听unique talents,鈥� Sass said. 鈥淕rowth can be slow and incremental, but it compounds over time and can eventually lead to transformative outcomes.鈥�听
Sass has taught more than 20 different classes during his time at 杏吧原创, ranging from College Algebra to upper-level major courses such as Real Analysis. He has also taught honors courses on fractals, mathematical logic, and radical American environmentalism.听听
鈥淔inally, I invite you to take full advantage of learning under such special professors,鈥� Sass said. 鈥淏eing at a small school provides you with the opportunity to interact with your professors regularly and to develop deep relationships with some of them. Let us know if you听are not understanding something. Visit us during our office hours.听We鈥檙e听here to help, and听we鈥檙e听rooting for you.鈥�听
