DR. JOHN CHRISTENSEN '70

In a recent conversation I had with Mike Jones ’71, vice president for institutional advancement, he inquired about particular influences Dana College had on my life. I responded rather quickly with a statement something like the Intersession experience changed my life. Upon reflection I realized although this was a rather quick and dramatic statement, it was unquestionably true.

If my memory serves me, I enrolled in an Exceptional Child Intersession course during my final year at Dana. The beauty of this experience was it afforded me the opportunity to explore content and issues outside the typical boundaries of my major course of study. Frankly, I don’t believe that I would have taken this course as a regular semester offering, albeit a topic of some interest to me.

As it turned out, I was fascinated by issues concerning persons with disabilities. Although I possessed lay information and perhaps most of the common misperceptions associated with exceptionality, I had no sense of the facts, complexities and career opportunities concerning human services as it were. Moreover, I had an awakening with respect to my own gifts (which I had not used to this point in a very productive fashion) and good fortune in stark contrast to those who faced significant life challenges and overcame personal, social and physical barriers in remarkable fashion.

I left the experience better informed, humbled, motivated and believing that I too could make a difference in some meaningful way regarding the life quest of special people. Essentially, I had focus and I was on a mission that has lasted for almost 30 years.

It would be my hope that Dana continues to offer students this special window into topical areas they might not otherwise experience. This rather unique opportunity to learn and reflect is one of Dana’s treasures.

Thank you, Dana, for this beginning, and thank you for the opportunity to meet some of the best people I have known in my life, Jan (Sorensen ’72) Christensen, being one of those

— Dr. John Christensen ’70
Omaha, Nebraska