Dr. John Chen, Curtis Hankamer Chair in Entrepreneurship; Associate Professor
When I was first invited to Communio, I had no idea what it was. I asked a friend who had participated before, and he described it as “theoretical reflection” or something similar. He added, “You’d like it.” He knows me well!
His description was spot on. Going into Communio, I found myself occasionally checking the boxes of professorship, a safe distance from burnout but hovering uncomfortably close to the question of “why am I still doing this?” Communio created space for a healthier exploration of that question—one that I believe we should ask in any vocation, and, especially as Christians, in light of our call to bring glory to God.
One of the key things I took away from Communio was an invitation to move beyond a checkbox mentality and reengage the life of the mind as the lifeblood of our vocation. Our guest speakers, Ellen Davis and Jonathan Tran, offered compelling reminders that thinking lies at the heart of academic life, rooted not in performance but in wonder. This resonates deeply with being God’s image-bearers, capable of marveling at His creation through deep reflection.
Dr. Davis emphasized that thinking well begins with listening well—including what she called “altruistic curiosity” toward our students. Dr. Tran reminded us that writing is not just a way of recording what we already know, but a generative practice that helps us discover what we have yet to see. I left Communio feeling renewed in my calling as an academic—not to merely check boxes, but to think critically and to invite my students into that same posture.