Featured Fellow: Gene Grossman
Featured Fellow:Â Gene Grossman
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Jacob Viner Professor of International Economics. Professor of Economics and International Affairs, Director, International Economics Section
Fellow, Men's Basketball/Football
IN HIS OWN WORDS...
I am Professor of Economics and International Affairs in the economics department and the Woodrow Wilson School, having just completed my 39th year on the Princeton faculty. I have been a Fellow for Men’s Basketball since Gary Walters began the program almost two decades ago, and later added Football as a second sport in my portfolio. I was motivated in each case by a passionate love of the game(s) and by a longing to interact with Princeton’s undergrads in a more casual and less hierarchical setting than the classroom.
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As a Fellow, I try to befriend the student-athletes and to break down the barriers between student and professor. I insist that the students call me by my first name and I try to get to know them personally, beyond their on-court or on-field personas. I attend basketball practices regularly and my wife and I travel with that team on at least one road trip per year. I encourage the student-athletes on both teams to come see me about their course selection and summer internships. I am particularly committed to pushing them to do something meaningful and enriching in the summer after sophomore year, which is an ideal time for travel abroad for an international internship experience.
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In my opinion, the key to being a good Fellow is to develop individual relationships. I invite students for casual dinners at my house or lunches on campus on a personal, individual basis, not as a message to a team email list. I expect the students to respond similarly as participants in a one-on-one relationship, putting commitments on their calendars and then honoring them when the time comes. I might also, for example, forward newspaper or journal articles to individuals that I think would be interested based on something we had previously discussed, or else propose a chance to share an activity that reflects our mutual interests. Â In short, I do all the things one would do for or with a friend and expect the same in return. In the best cases, these are friendships that extend well beyond the undergraduate years.
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I have been fortunate in my career and life to travel extensively and to have a diverse set of hobbies and interests. I try to share these passions with the teams. I know that global seminars and international internships can be life-changing experiences, especially for those who haven’t had much opportunity to travel abroad. Teaching at Princeton can (and should be) more than imparting book knowledge. I encourage exposure to a wider world, including international destinations, the arts, and the local craft-brew scene, to name a few, so that Princeton makes its mark beyond grades on a transcript or points on a scoresheet.
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Over the many years, I have learned how diverse and amazing Princeton students are. I have great respect for the student-athletes in particular, who must be unbelievably disciplined to make a commitment to their sport while at the same time handling a full and unrelenting academic load. I have also learned a great deal about basketball from the many film sessions, which has greatly enhanced my enjoyment and appreciation of the game!
Featured Fellows 2018-19
Gene Grossman
Jacqueline Deitch-Stackhouse
Patricia Fernandez-Kelly
Bryant Blount
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