As a first-semester freshman, I knew our incoming president, Christopher Eisgruber, not as the provost of the University, but as "professor." I took his freshman seminar, FRS 139: The Supreme Court and Constitutional Democracy, a class about constitutional interpretation theory and the role of the Supreme Court. As the provost of the University, he always had a packed schedule, yet he dedicated three hours a week — 7:30 to 10:30 p.m. on Tuesday nights — to teaching our freshman seminar, in addition to hours of preparation beforehand as well as office hours. And despite his multitude of responsibilities overseeing University operations, our class never knew exactly how busy he was. He always came to class energetic and enthusiastic, and he ended class the exact same way. For a three-hour-long night class, that’s an impressive feat for anyone, especially the provost of the University.
It was easy to tell that Professor Eisgruber loved to teach and that he was good at it too. He fostered a class environment that made every student feel like he or she was a valuable contributor to the discussion. In most classes, we learned through discussion of Supreme Court cases, which Professor Eisgruber facilitated and encouraged. He made sure everyone participated and made sure to weight everyone’s opinion equally. We felt like we all had a stake in the group, which made for a welcoming environment that drove arguments and discussions forward. These traits that made him a good professor are also important for the presidency of the University. He understands the finer details of the academic aspect of running the University, along with the significance of quality teaching.
I found out that Professor Eisgruber was a physics major as an undergraduate when I asked him after our third class. He never straightforwardly told us the degree or magnitude of his achievements. We all knew he was ridiculously smart, but he never made us feel overwhelmed or intimidated. Whenever we asked him questions, no matter how basic, he always took them seriously and explained the concepts fully. I remember that I went to office hours to ask about the appellate versus original jurisdiction referenced in Marbury v. Madison, and he took a full half-hour drawing diagrams until I understood. Despite the overwhelming scope of his daily responsibilities, Professor Eisgruber makes an effort to build personal connections.
Eisgruber’s ability to foster personal connections and his equal commitment to all of his students are strengths that will make him a good president — he will be able to make people feel like they truly know their president. Even now that our freshman seminar is over, he still makes sure to keep in touch with his students and follow up on how we’re doing. I feel very welcome to talk to him — either over email or just dropping by his office.
Not only is Professor Eisgruber dedicated to his students and his teaching. He is also fully dedicated to Princeton University itself, having been an undergraduate here and having been our provost for so long. At our final freshman seminar dinner, he told us about the history of the buildings and architecture — a collage of different time periods and styles. He debunked a few longstanding myths, including the one that Whitman Dining Hall was originally intended to be separated into two stories. I could tell by the way he talked about this place that it is his passion. I am confident that everything he will do as president, he will do with the mindset of making Princeton a better place. He always keeps in mind that Princeton has a reputation as one of the leading academic institutions in the world to maintain. He brings to the table a wholehearted and genuine dedication to Princeton that is so incredibly important for a president to have.
Barbara Zhan is a freshman from Plainsboro, N.J. She can be reached at barbaraz@princeton.edu.
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