Old School

The following is an email exchange from the Fall of 2008 between myself and a former professor of mine.

In the fall of 1999 I decided to give undergrad another try. I enrolled at the College of William and Mary and started taking pre-med classes. That first semester I found myself in Dr Orwoll's General Chemistry class. Bob Orwoll is an incredibly kind and dignified man. His encouragement and generosity were invaluable to a young man facing an uphill battle with self doubt. I am eternally grateful that the Universe saw fit to have such a kind soul waiting for me when I was ready to take chance on something that at the time seemed like quite a long shot. Gassho


Hey Bob- Christian O'Neil here- one of your former Chemistry proteges. You cross my mind from time to time and I thought I'd take a minute to write.

It was the Fall of 1999 when I started my second college career at W&M.

When I walked in to your class, I knew that O was oxygen, H was hydrogen and was reasonably certain that N was nitrogen. That was about the extent of my chemistry knowledge. To make a long story short, I did go on to medical school- I started at the University of Cincinnati in 2004. I graduated a few months ago and am now a first year psychiatry resident at the University of New Mexico.

Anyway, just wanted to drop a line and say hello. Your kindness and patience during my first semester (when I was surrounded by all of those bright, young whippersnappers) has not been forgotten. Hope all is well with you. Best- Christian O'Neil MD : )



Hi Christian O'Neil MD,

It's letters like yours that make teaching so rewarding.

I can confess to you now that, during your first weeks in General
Chemistry, I thought that you had set an unachievable goal for
yourself. As you just wrote, you showed little understanding of the
basic principles of math and science. I'd seen others with similar
good intentions but without the basic knowledge who didn't even make
it to the end of the first semester. I was quite certain that you
were going to be another casualty. So when you finished with your A
in my class, I gave myself a good scolding for prejudging your
case. You taught me an important lesson.

So, Christian, my enthusiastic congratulations for your
accomplishments have to be tempered a little with an apology for my
doubts that you wouldn't even make it through General Chem. Your
persistence and determination were outstanding.

So, thank you for writing. Your e-mail made my day.

Bob