Next year, along with calculus and psychology, some Yale University students will have the opportunity to learn about globalization from former British prime minister Tony Blair.
Blair, appointed to the school's Howland Distinguished Fellowship, will lead a seminar on faith and globalization. His position is a joint appointment to the Schools of Divinity and Management.
Such appointments have become more prevalent in recent years, as universities realize the benefits real-world perspectives can add to an education.
At Penn, a number of nontraditional scholars, from ex-governors to actors, help enrich the learning experience of students.
"People are becoming more cognizant of how useful it is and how powerful it is" when students have these experiences, College Dean Dennis DeTurck said. DeTurck also said visiting professorships have become more common as people have become more mobile.
Temporary appointments at Penn run the gamut from one-time guest lecturers to visiting professors from other universities to professionals from a variety of fields, Vincent Price, Penn's associate provost for faculty affairs, said.
"These appointments generally originate from the faculty that are operating certain programs," he said.
This makes it difficult to predict where and when the next Kalpen Modi, commonly known as Kal Penn, or Ed Rendell might appear. Both the actor and Pennsylvania governor have taught or are teaching courses at Penn.
"Most of these [appointments] are pretty opportunistic," DeTurck said. "Somebody at Penn . knows some high-profile person that happens to be free or they are interested [in] being in academia."
Once the department identifies a potential visiting scholar, the department chairman works with the dean of the school and eventually the provost to make necessary arrangements.
Typically, payment, logistics and the course's academic rigor are handled on a case-by-case basis by the individual department.
Price said visiting professors' qualifications are scrutinized, and if the appointee is new to teaching, "it may be that the person is co-teaching."
The Provost's Office also runs programs like the Distinguished International Scholars program, which appoints foreign academics to positions at Penn.
At Yale, although Blair won't be on campus for several months, students are already talking about what his impact could be.
"I think it's cool," Yale freshman Elizabeth Kim said, and she added that she would try to attend one of his speeches.
"I guess that's one of the amazing things about going to a school like Yale, where we have access to . people who have firsthand experience," she said.
Students in Modi's class signed a waiver saying they would not discuss the course with the press.
