Professor Powell - The Person Behind the Pulpit

You've probably heard about the Friday Forum speaker this week, but how many of you know who this guy - Professor Gregory Powell - really is? I would venture to guess a few of you have been students in one of his classes at the university.  BA 1010? MGMT 4100? MGMT 3180? Sound familiar? Professor Powell is a management guru. He and Professor Kim Craft (an SUU Economics Professor) created Meridian Consulting Group, LLC and have been offering consulting services to businesses all over the place (including the in-town Metalcraft Technologies, Inc) Yeah, he's pretty much a big deal. ;) As a student in his MGMT 3180 class this semester, it has been enjoyable learning from him. He is loud, assertive, and entirely professional. He expects much from his classes. Already this semester, he has reamed a MGMT 3180 section for not performing as well as he had expected them to. If he knows you have potential, he'll let you know if you're not meeting it. So, yeah, yeah - he's a smart guy and good professor. So what? You want to read something that you didn't already know, right? Let's learn a little more about Professor P.

Did you know, for example, that Professor Gregory J. Powell lived in Peru for two years preaching the gospel on his mission?  He must have decided the suit wasn't too bad of a look for him because once he came back to the states he jumped into school to pursue a Business Management degree from none other than our very own Southern Utah University! Pretty cool, huh? I wonder if he liked his management professors. ;) I guess he must have since he said he never once wondered if he should change majors. He just charged ahead fearlessly toward that coveted SUU B.A. degree.

Professor Powell has not always been fearless, however. In fact, in a conversation over the phone he told me about a fear he has had his entire life: HEIGHTS. He's not alone. Acrophobia (fear of heights) is the second most common fear, according to the likely unreliable Web site that popped up when I googled the subject.

Last Saturday Powell decided to take this fear head on! (Despite its intimidatingly high ranking on the unreliable Web site.) He told his wife he was going to put this fear behind him and drove solo all the way to the base of Angel's Landing. For those of you that don't know, Angel's Landing is one of the most treacherous hikes in Zion's National Park. The altitude you gain in just 2.5 miles of the hike is remarkable! Those of you that have hiked it know that it is no hike for the acrophobic. Yet here Powell found himself, ready to beat the beast. Evidence of his success below:

Summit of Angel's Landing in Zion National Park, Sat. Sept. 21, 2013

Do you see how high that is?? Holy! Also, if I remember right, when you reach the top, there are engravings in the stones on the summit that say "RIP so and so. You will be missed." and "In Memory of so and so. 1997" etc. NOT comforting. But he did it, nonetheless.

When asked what advice he might offer to students at our institute, Powell related the following quote:

"WE MUST BE WILLING TO LET GO OF THE LIFE WE PLANNED SO AS TO HAVE THE LIFE THAT IS WAITING FOR US"

                                                                                      - Joseph Campbell


This is such an awesome quote! In fact, I thought it went very well with the scripture Professor Powell also shared with me. It is from 1 Nephi. Chapter 4, verse 6. It's the one that talks about Nephi being "led by the Spirit not knowing beforehand the things which he should do."

I have the utmost respect for Professor Powell in class. I think he is a wonderful teacher and a clear thinker. I am truly looking forward to his talk at the Friday Forum on Sept. 26. There is much we can learn from this man. Hope to see y'all there!