Back to School

Emory University, Atlanta

A friend of mine teaches a course on private equity at Emory’s business school in Atlanta, and he was kind enough to let me join his class this fall semester.  

It’s no secret that I’ve long missed college. If I had it to do over again, I would’ve studied classics at Dartmouth, joined the ski team, and set my sights on teaching at Yale after getting a PhD in literature. The point is, I never would’ve left a college campus. 

To be in the presence of classical architecture and centuries-old horticulture; to have access to libraries, museums, and musical venues; to be able to attend a variety of year round sporting events and lectures from accomplished academics; to be part of a learned community with shared traditions and an altruistic mission; again, where’s the upside in leaving? The further a man is removed from his college years, the less sense it makes as to why he left.

I love being back in a lecture hall, seeing the ambition and innocence in students, and enjoying the simple pleasures of moseying around campus. It’s the one part of my week when I get to totally escape.  

I’m a believer in the pursuit of lifelong education, be it learning the cinematic differences between French New Wave and Italian Neorealism, studying quantitative easing and the role of the Federal Reserve, or pretending to be a student in a private equity class - I’ve done all three this year.  

Unfortunately, class is coming to an end. Students will soon be home for Christmas, all the leaves will have fallen, and we’ll be ushering in a new year.

No doubt I’ll miss it, but I’ll find something new to learn until I’m back on campus.