One Duquesne professor’s message to his students has gone viral all across the country after the Dukes won their first NCAA tournament game in 55 years.
Professor Bob Healy, who teaches a media and sports course at Duquesne, cancelled classes after the Dukes beat BYU on Thursday.
“At the viewing party and seeing the excitement and euphoria that was long awaited on that campus, I thought there’s no way in hell anyone’s listening to me from 3:05 to 4:20 at this point listen to me talk about hockey on TV,” Healy told The Fan Morning Show.
Healy says a lot of his students and alumni are either in Omaha, covering the Dukes, or at PPG Paints Arena covering the NCAA tournament in Pittsburgh.
Healy says he knows he was already a popular professor before he gave his students the day off.
“I don’t just teach from the textbook, I know that sounds cliché,” said Healy. “I sound like one of those priests who shows up in jeans, that’s not what I’m trying to say, but I definitely teach from personal experience, I was in the industry for a while, broadcaster, journalist.”
Healy says he knew it would be an opportunity to highlight the sports journalism school and the university itself.
And, it paid off.
“This opportunity, to experience part of what college is in America and part of what the culture is in America,” said Healy. “We cannot be cultural citizens if we don’t take part in this, so this is honestly a learning opportunity.”
Healy adds the excitement of March Madness and participating in it “is all part of the college experience.”
The #11 Dukes look to make the Sweet 16 on Saturday night, when they take on #3 Illinois.