By Grant Clark

We often hear about and celebrate those courageous students who return to finish their degree after a long absence, but what about professors who return to teaching after a prolonged absence?

Clark Hirschi is one such professor. Hirshi taught at the BYU Salt Lake Center seven years ago. After teaching for about four years, he had to stop, as his family continued to grow and his bishopric calling demanded much of his time. After being released from his calling, Hirschi received a call from BYU inquiring whether or not he was interested in teaching again. In the years since Hirschi had taught, BYU had moved into the Triad Center in Salt Lake City, which is just a few blocks from Temple Square, where Hirschi works as a public relations professional for the LDS Church.

Hirschi said he was excited to teach again, but things change so quickly, he felt he really needed to adapt to the new textbook so he could get a feel for how he wanted to teach.

“I originally didn’t envision teaching, but when I worked at BYU Hawaii, we all wore many hats, and it was there that I was first asked to teach,” Hirschi said.

He also noted that technology has changed greatly. “The church didn’t even have a Web site when I first taught,” he said. “Now there is social media and computers in the classroom, and technology is changing at such a pace that the textbook will never be able to keep up with new technology.”

A strength Hirschi has noticed in students is that they are computer savvy and know their way around technology. With that, Hirschi points out that students often lack awareness of news and they do not consume news they way they should. This can result in students not knowing about the world around them.

He also noted the importance of excellent writing skills. “Since we live in a world with casual conversation and instant message communication, good writing and good communication skills often fall to the wayside.”

He also acknowledged that the BYU public relations program is held in high regard by professionals in the field and by organizations such as the Public Relations Society of America. “People in the public relations profession are always commenting on the high caliber of students who come from BYU,” he said.

As for working in public relations while teaching, Hirschi said, “I remember taking classes from adjunct teachers and it was invaluable when they brought real life issues that were happening at that time and we could see real-world application.”

He also said, “BYU does an excellent job at hiring those who have real-world experience.”

He said he finds it useful to discuss with students what he is currently working on with the Church since it allows them to see how and why different situations are handled.

Hirschi notes that perhaps one of the best reasons for returning to teach is, “It keeps me young.”