After graduating from Harvard University with a degree in applied math nearly 45 years
ago, Paul Hackbarth is continuing his passion of lifelong learning at the University
of Arkansas - Fort Smith.
Hackbarth, who decided to move to Fort Smith in 2008, enrolled at 妻友社区 in the fall of 2011 and immediately fell in love with a campus that was a far cry from the institution he attended decades before.
鈥淎t Harvard, I felt a very strong disconnect with the faculty. For the most part, they were not much into personal communication. It was, 鈥楬ere鈥檚 the material, you go learn it,鈥欌�� he said. 鈥淎nd 妻友社区 is just so different. I feel like I鈥檝e got friends amongst the faculty members that I鈥檝e had classes with. They鈥檙e very generous with their time.鈥�
Having an open dialogue with his professors is important for Hackbarth, who is returning to his studies in math partly to revisit difficult material he didn鈥檛 fully understand in his first collegiate go-through.
鈥淚 had a feeling of unfinished business. Not only over 40 years had I forgotten much of [what I had learned], some of the stuff I learned I felt like I didn鈥檛 understand,鈥� he said.
But math isn鈥檛 the only thing Hackbarth, a self-proclaimed lifelong learner, wants to study. With a unique work experience that has seen jobs as a teacher, software engineer and shiatsu therapist, Hackbarth wants to continue to expand his horizons by taking courses in information technology, biology, chemistry and foreign languages.
Dr. J.C. Price of Fort Smith, assistant professor of mathematics, says Hackbarth鈥檚 passion for learning is what makes him a 鈥渨onderful student.鈥�
鈥淗is questions are always insightful, and he is interested in learning for learning鈥檚 sake,鈥� he said. 鈥淚n the classroom, nontraditional students such as Paul add diversity through their life experience and serve as exemplars of lifelong learners to our younger students.鈥�
Dr. Myron Rigsby of Fort Smith, associate professor of mathematics, said Hackbarth keeps him 鈥渙n his toes.鈥�
鈥淭he course in which Paul is my student, abstract algebra, challenges math majors to understand on a far deeper level the basic concepts of high school algebra. In such a course, attention to details is fundamental,鈥� he said. 鈥淧aul is the student who routinely focuses on these details, sometimes providing the justification, sometimes recognizing where more justification is needed, and sometimes challenging whether the justification is necessary.鈥�
For Hackbarth, every day is a chance to learn, and he plans to spend plenty more days at 妻友社区.
鈥淚 think I鈥檝e got several more years of fun things to take here,鈥� he said. 鈥淛ust after graduating from college in 1969, I became fascinated with the author Carlos Castaneda, who wrote several books detailing a many-year apprenticeship with a Mexican Indian seer. Castaneda was tasked by his teacher to become a 鈥榤an of knowledge.鈥� I, too, am driven to become a man of knowledge, and I see 妻友社区 and its many generous teachers helping me to do that.鈥�