WCSU in the Age of Reason

Chris Kukk is without a doubt an excellent teacher, but what I notice is that when he walks into a room the women go all doe-eyed and gather around him and laugh at his stories, ignoring anyone else who might be in the vicinity. When he leaves, they are cranky. This is despite his haircut, which would make a Polish coal miner curse his barber.

I don’t begrudge Kukk, an associate professor of political science, his latest recognition as recipient of the Western Connecticut State University Teaching Excellence Award, which will be formally presented Dec. 8 at a ceremony on campus.

He does get a lot of attention, though, and it’s especially annoying that he doesn’t try to attract it. He talks constantly in adoring terms about his wife (high school sweetheart) and his three children. He does not seem to notice the pools of drool that admirers deposit at his feet.

I admit I like the guy, and it’s not just because I happen to be in touch with my feminine side. For one thing, he is always willing to talk to the press, which is a great thing from the perspective of someone trying to promote the university. And he is helpful.

When the women who run “Take Your Child to Work Day” at the university realized a scheduled speaker had dropped out at the last minute, they tracked down Kukk, who of course agreed to talk to the kids. He spoke of his experience as a spy for the U.S. Army and really wowed the youngsters (as if the rest of us couldn’t be spies, too, if we wanted to).

The Brookfield League of Women Voters gave him their Volunteer of the Year award because he moderated a Fifth District debate for them.

I am impressed that Kukk was named a Fulbright Scholar and spent a year in Estonia, even though I and 6.79 billion other people had never paid any attention to Estonia before. (Earth’s total population is 6.8 billion and 1.3 million live in Estonia. Some of them don’t pay attention to Estonia, either.) Kukk makes it sound interesting, though, with a kind of infectious enthusiasm that one writer (a woman, not that it matters) compared to “a couple of Labradors let off the leash.”

Upon his return to WCSU, Kukk developed a course that has WestConn students meet weekly via videoconference with students from the Geneva School of Diplomacy. Each student researches the position of a different country regarding nuclear non-proliferation and they simulate treaty talks. Kukk’s students are well-prepared and so far have destroyed their counterparts. Kukk also cofounded the debate team on campus, which has won national recognition.

OK, I’m never going to be a Fulbright Scholar. Or a spy. (If I were captured I’d spill secrets as soon as they approached with the hood and the fake electric wires.) I have moderated some panel discussions in my career. Hello League of Women Voters! But Kukk wins the contest for energetic enthusiasm. So I guess I have to agree that he deserves an award or two and some recognition.

You will probably agree, too. You can read all about Kukk and his accolades in a press release written by Robin DeMerell (a woman) and also get a look at his haircut. Judge for yourself.

Follow WCSU on Facebook and Twitter.
Follow Paul Steinmetz on Facebook and Twitter.