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The Man Who Taught Me to Care

My name is Scott and I am 36 years old. I have spent most of my adult life working in an unfulfilling job, and by doing so I had a very cynical view of life and the world around me. I thought that the humane qualities of man had been replaced by materialism and self absorption. Thanks to this jaded view of the world, I saw no point in trying to better my life or the lives of the people around me.

Two years ago my girlfriend (now my wife) convinced me to return to school and work toward a career that I would find fulfilling. So I enrolled in Long Beach City College to pursue a degree in history. Last semester I took a political science class. It was not the class itself that had such a profound impact on me as it was the instructor. Dr. Rock served in the Air Force, worked in the U.S. nuclear program and served as a White House aide during the Reagan administration. When I asked another instructor why someone who was so overqualified worked at a small community college, she simply told me because he wants to.

This intrigued me, so I asked 'Doc Rock' himself why he did not pursue a more glamorous role in his career. What he told me has changed my life forever. He told me that by working at the college he would be able to reach the kinds of students he believed would make a difference in the world. He said that with the right motivation and support, the students he taught could become the future leaders of our country. He said that he preferred the inner city college because the students there showed the most promise and cared deeply for their education.

Dr. Rock's class covered the basics of U.S. government and the tenants of the Constitution, but it was his attention to the needs of the community that really taught me how to care. He encouraged us to take part in our community in any way we could. He encouraged us not to be led by our emotions, prejudices, or biases, but to be led by common sense and decency.

I thought that I was the only one that was affected by his inspirational discourse, but at the end of the semester I found that the entire class had felt the same change come over them that came over me. Dr. Rock taught us how to care about our country, our community and ourselves.

Story was submitted anonymously