Al Gore To Teach At Fisk University

Jet, Feb 19, 2001

Former Vice President Al Gore soon will have a new title--professor.

He recently announced plans to teach a new course in community-building at Fisk University in Nashville, TN.

Gore will take on the role of visiting professor at Fisk and will also guest-lecture at other historically Black colleges and universities across America.

In addition, Gore revealed he also will teach at Middle Tennessee State University, University of California, Los Angeles, and Columbia University, where he will join its School of Journalism.

He will begin teaching classes this spring and will continue into the fall 2001 semester.

At Fisk, Gore, who served in the U.S. Senate representing Tennessee before he served as vice president in the Clinton administration, will teach the course along with Rep. John Lewis (D-GA), who is a Fisk graduate.

The community-building program seeks to bring together authorities from fields like education, business, architecture, law and public policy to teach "all of the skills that are relevant to bring a community to life," Gore explained in the New York Times.

John L. Smith, president of Fisk, said he is thrilled about adding Gore as a faculty member. Smith stated that Gore will "bring valuable insight and a terrific intellect."

"Tennessee is home to exceptional institutions of learning. I am proud and humbled to be a part of the tradition of excellence that Fisk offers," Gore said.