Small world, big screen.

I went to a speaker series that UC Santa Cruz gave Saturday night.  I was there to represent my partial alma mater, UCSC.

Professor Mark Carr — in the Marine Sciences division — presented first.  He talked about what his students are learning and how important “hands on” field trips are to the curriculum.

Then he began to read a letter he’d gotten just the week before from a former student.

My ears perked up.

My college roommate Karen’s son Joseph was a star in marine biology at Santa Cruz.

The professor went on.

“This letter is from a student who graduated a few years ago,” (and now I’m calculating,

so did Joseph) — “and is in graduate school now.”  (Yes, yes, he is.)

“This young man wrote me a thank you for giving him a chance to get hands-on

experience,” the professor said, and he had a tug in his throat as he finished the letter.

Suddenly, up on the screen was — a picture of JOSEPH CURTIS.  He was standing in a wetsuit,

framed against a blue lagoon, and his name was printed out on the right hand side of the enormous

screen.

170 people, VIP’s and Trustees got to see him.

My friend!

Karen and Roger’s son!

I was screaming inside, but struggled to stay composed.  I was there on official business, I couldn’t

jump up and down.

I told my table, “He’s my FRIEND! I sent him a birthday card just last week!”

Afterwards, I went up to Professor Carr and shared the coincidence.

I told him it was because of Joseph that I’d donated my first $75. back to the school, directly

to the Marine Biology Department, and from there, I’d gotten steadily more involved.

I followed it up with a letter to him today, and of course I’m copying Joseph.

It was a small world example, and a perfect model of how one ‘thank you’ makes

a huge difference in a professor’s life — and that of many more students who may

be helped too.