KIERSTEN DUNN
Staff Writer
Dr. Timothy Willis jubilantly confesses that his love for music as a youngster led him to putting a transistor radio under his pillow at night.
Years later, Willis now listens to music in his office while writing. Though he claims that he “is the only one in his family without an I-pod,” he does have the latest downloads from I-tunes.
Moreover, as his Pepperdine students might not guess, this humble and modest man likes the 70s band Supertramp. He also enjoys the free style of eurhythmics from the 80s.
Willis, a religion professor at Pepperdine University, began working in the fall of 1989. With an undergraduate degree and master’s from Abilene Christian University, he furthered his vast knowledge of religion with a PhD from Harvard.
Willis readily admits that he is very glad to be at Pepperdine. However, “at the time, I chose Pepperdine because it was available. I knew the chairman and he recommended the position.”
He has not always wanted to be a religion professor, though. He rattles off a list of his dream jobs in his youth: a youth minister, veterinarian, and an elementary school teacher.
Willis resolved to become a religion professor his junior and senior years of college at Abilene Christian. “I’d always known I wanted to be a teacher, but then I had a class when I had to do a real research paper and I found I really liked the research,” says Willis. “I chose to teach the Old Testament because it seemed like more opportunities there. There are more challenges and possibilities.”
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Willis enjoys Mexican food from Corral Beach Cantina and El Cholo in Santa Monica where he recommends the chicken. |
As a History and Religion of Israel, and Old Testament History professor, Willis excels in his use of PowerPoint, further expands information beyond the PowerPoint, and walks around the room in order to engage his students. He gives a quiz everyday in class to which his students claim help keep them on their toes.
Willis attends Conejo Valley Church of Christ, as does Professor Kindalee DeLong. “You can see his walk with Christ through his everyday life,” says DeLong.
“He has a good sense of humor and is a very good colleague” and has been helpful in making her transition for her first year at Pepperdine easier, DeLong adds.
Professor Randall Chesnutt, the chair of the Religion Division, has known Willis since he first arrived because he was involved in his interview process.
Chesnutt said they were fortunate to grab Willis because “he is a natural in the classroom and didn’t need a lot of mentoring because his father (also a professor) mentored him.”
Willis lives on campus with his wife, high school daughter, and yellow lab – Sunshine. He also has two sons – one a Pepperdine alum and the other, Daniel, a current junior.
Daniel usually gets to see his father about once a week. “It’s great because he is very supportive of me and all I am doing.”
Though Daniel never had his father as a teacher, he says that it is still nice having his dad on campus. “I live in the dorms so I feel like I’m pretty independent, although I can go home if I need anything.”
He chuckles as he says that he is not going to be a religion professor. “However, I respect my dad a lot and think he’s a great man who’s both good and wise. In that respect, I aspire to be like him and follow in his footsteps that way.”
His students agree.
“He gave us cookies one time,” said Karee Maxson, a student in his Religion 101 class. “That’s impressive because it’s an Elkins class.” She says she does not like lecture classes, but she definitely enjoys his.
Another student in his Religion 101 class, Kristin Schultz, said she also enjoys his class. “The other day he was singing “Getting to Know You” from “The King and I” with God in it. It was hilarious!”
Schultz says she has never read the Bible, but knew stories so it helps her to connect in class. She says that the class is nice because “it’s not too early in the morning.”
Erin Humphrey, another student in his Religion 101 class, states that Willis “knew who we were on the first day.” He is always dressed up and looks “like a professor should,” she adds.
“The most interesting thing I’ve learned is that Abraham and those guys lived like 800 years old and had babies at 500,” she jokingly chides. “I really like him and how he goes out of his way to shake hands and gets to know us.”
Willis’ favorite book in the Bible is Jeremiah. Jeremiah is known as the “weeping prophet” because after many failed attempts to preach to sinners, it saddened him that they would not listen.
“I like Jeremiah because I think it’s personal and challenging. I see a lot about the person of Jeremiah in it and the message is challenging and demanding. There are no cutting corners with him and no half-hearted faith yet, he is very optimistic,” says Willis.
In describing himself in three words, Willis decided upon these: dedicated, disciplined and curious. His colleagues and students agreed.
03-25-2008