Meet The Prof

Dr. Denis LaClare is a Professor of Education at Porterville College in California with a rare perspective: he serves both as a campus minister and as a full-time professor. In this episode, Denis shares his powerful testimony of how a sports-focused Canadian student came to Christ through brokenness, family, and a coach's profanity. He also opens up about the challenges of early evangelism, his transition from ministry to the classroom, and how professors can step into disciple-making right where they are.

Read more about Denis LaClare online: https://meettheprof.com/view/professors/entry/denis-laclare/

Resources from Faculty Commons, a Cru ministry:

• Find 500+ Christian professors at https://meettheprof.com/
• Faculty Commons – https://www.facultycommons.org/
• A Grander Story – https://a.co/d/8VoYXSV

Watch MTP on YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@MeetTheProfOfficial/videos

You can support Meet The Prof through Shane Hartley's work with Faculty Commons, a Cru ministry, at this link: ⁠⁠⁠https://give.cru.org/0424344⁠⁠⁠

In Part 2 of our interview, Dr. Sara Myers, Associate Chancellor of Research and Creative Activity and Professor of Biomechanics at the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO), shares how she has grown bolder in her faith as a professor. In response to a student’s question about faith and legal boundaries, she gives practical advice for Christian professors. Sara also tells the story of starting a thriving Christian faculty fellowship at UNO and shares tips on engaging students and new faculty.

Read more about Sara Myers online:
https://meettheprof.com/view/professors/entry/sara-myers

Books Mentioned:

• A Grander Story   https://a.co/d/8VoYXSV
• The Case For Christ   https://a.co/d/hjzQmoB
• The Case For Faith   https://a.co/d/a9pioL0

CHAPTERS

• (01:00) – Rachel’s Question: Boldness and Legality
• (01:15) – Sara’s mentors and her perspective on public faith
• (02:27) – Offering prayer in professional settings
• (02:45) – Creative visibility through Meet the Prof
• (03:47) – Her daughter’s mission trip and open professor responses
• (05:15) – How Sara introduces her faith when teaching
• (06:23) – Finding Christian community through professional associations
• (08:59) – Launching a grassroots Christian faculty group at UNO
• (11:36) – What they actually do when they gather
• (13:47) – Discussion on “A Grander Story”
• (14:37) – Transitioning to Faculty Commons G3 Lessons
• (15:42) – Locations and visibility on campus
• (16:14) – Lightning Round: Advice for professors, students, and parents
• (19:25) – Her next step: Reaching out to new faculty and students
• (20:03) – Final encouragement

Resources from Faculty Commons, a Cru ministry:

• Find 500+ Christian professors at https://meettheprof.com/
• Faculty Commons – https://www.facultycommons.org/
• A Grander Story – https://a.co/d/8VoYXSV

Watch MTP on YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@MeetTheProfOfficial/videos

You can support Meet The Prof through Shane Hartley's work with Faculty Commons, a Cru ministry, at this link: ⁠⁠⁠https://give.cru.org/0424344⁠⁠⁠

In this episode of Meet the Prof, we sit down with Dr. Sara Myers, Professor of Biomechanics and Associate Vice Chancellor for Research and Creative Activity at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. Sara shares openly about a challenging season in her marriage during grad school, and how God used that time to deepen her faith, reshape her priorities, and teach her to surrender both her career and parenting to Him.

Read more about Sara Myers online:
 https://meettheprof.com/view/professors/entry/sara-myers

Main Takeaways

• God used Sara’s marital separation and academic stress to draw her into a deeper, daily relationship with Jesus.
• Surrendering identity in career opened the door to spiritual growth and greater professional success.
• Parenting teenagers and young adults involves discernment, surrender, and honest dialogue.
• Professors often struggle with over-identifying with achievement and need reminders that identity is in Christ.
• Professors can model faith by demonstrating transparency, humility, and prayerful dependence.
  
  

CHAPTERS
 00:01 – Student question: How can professors be bold in faith and still honor legal boundaries?
 00:50 – Introduction to Sara Myers’ roles and volleyball humor
 02:30 – Embarrassing moment: forgetting a student’s name
 04:06 – How God used marital separation to reshape her priorities and deepen her faith
 08:50 – Identity in career vs. identity in Christ
 11:23 – Trusting God with your marriage and taking faith steps
 12:50 – Surrendering kids’ decisions to God as a parent
 14:19 – Parenting teens with honesty and open dialogue
 15:56 – Prayer for discernment in parenting
 16:20 – Teaser for future episode on parenting + career

Resources from Faculty Commons, a Cru ministry:

• Find 500+ Christian professors at https://meettheprof.com/
• Faculty Commons – https://www.facultycommons.org/
• A Grander Story – https://a.co/d/8VoYXSV

Watch MTP on YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@MeetTheProfOfficial/videos

You can support Meet The Prof through Shane Hartley's work with Faculty Commons, a Cru ministry, at this link: ⁠⁠⁠https://give.cru.org/0424344⁠⁠⁠

In this second episode, Dr. Jonathan Boreyko, Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Virginia Tech, shares how he integrates his Christian faith into his teaching, collaborates with ministries through the Bradley Study Center, and encourages bold yet peaceful Christian witness on campus. He discusses student doubts, research on fog harvesting and synthetic trees, and what it means to be a scientist and a Christian without falling into the trap of culture war thinking. His testimony of leading discussions on books by John Lennox and seeing students return to faith is both inspiring and practical for professors and students.

Read more about Jonathan Boreyko online:
 https://meettheprof.com/view/professors/entry/jonathan-boreyko/

Email: [email protected]

Main Takeaways:

• Faith can be introduced into classroom discussions respectfully and meaningfully.
• Students often respond positively to professors who are both bold and genuine in sharing their Christian worldview.
• Study centers like the Bradley Study Center foster collaboration between faculty and student ministries.
• Professors can avoid culture war mentalities and instead build communities centered on truth and grace.
• Research can reflect God’s creative design and lead to worship through discovery.

Resources from Faculty Commons, a Cru ministry:

• Find 500+ Christian professors at https://meettheprof.com/
• Faculty Commons – https://www.facultycommons.org/
• A Grander Story – https://a.co/d/8VoYXSV

Watch MTP on YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@MeetTheProfOfficial/videos

You can support Meet The Prof through Shane Hartley's work with Faculty Commons, a Cru ministry, at this link: ⁠⁠⁠https://give.cru.org/0424344⁠⁠⁠

In this episode, we talk with Dr. Jonathan Boreyko, Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Virginia Tech. Jonathan shares his journey from a works-based "moralistic therapeutic deism" to a vibrant faith in Christ sparked by a Bible study in Romans. He discusses teaching thermodynamics with a theological twist, guiding students through conversations about truth, and using C.S. Lewis’s The Abolition of Man to frame knowledge under objective morality. We also hear some hilarious classroom moments and how a water polo teammate helped transform his spiritual life.

Read more about Jonathan Boreyko online:
 https://meettheprof.com/view/professors/entry/jonathan-boreyko/

Contact Jonathan Boreyko at:
[email protected]

Resources from Faculty Commons, a Cru ministry:

• Find 500+ Christian professors at https://meettheprof.com/
• Faculty Commons – https://www.facultycommons.org/
• A Grander Story – https://a.co/d/8VoYXSV

Watch MTP on YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@MeetTheProfOfficial/videos

You can support Meet The Prof through Shane Hartley's work with Faculty Commons, a Cru ministry, at this link: ⁠⁠⁠https://give.cru.org/0424344⁠⁠⁠

In this inspiring second part of our interview, Dr. Qiong “Jane” Zhang, a professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of South Florida, shares her thoughts as a Christian professor about governmental policies affecting colleges and international students. She shares how she initiated a faculty prayer group on campus, offers prayer to students without rejection, and shares Christ naturally through daily conversations. Jane reflects on the importance of Christian faculty seeing their role as a strategic calling, her family’s salvation story, and her current season of discerning God’s next step as her husband pastors in New Hampshire.

Read more about Qiong Jane Zhang online:
 https://meettheprof.com/view/professors/entry/qiong-jane-zhang/

Resources from Faculty Commons, a Cru ministry:

• Find 500+ Christian professors at https://meettheprof.com/
• Faculty Commons – https://www.facultycommons.org/
• A Grander Story – https://a.co/d/8VoYXSV

Watch MTP on YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@MeetTheProfOfficial/videos

You can support Meet The Prof through Shane Hartley's work with Faculty Commons, a Cru ministry, at this link: ⁠⁠⁠https://give.cru.org/0424344⁠⁠⁠

Dr. Jane Qiong Zhang is a professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of South Florida. In this episode, she shares her powerful story of moving from China to the U.S. for graduate school and encountering the love of God in a small, remote town. She opens up about her early struggles with performance-based identity, the life-changing moment she embraced God’s unconditional love, and the creative ways she now makes her faith visible to students inside and outside the classroom.

Read more about Jane Zhang online:
 https://meettheprof.com/view/professors/entry/qiong-jane-zhang/

Main Takeaways from the Interview:

• Jane came to faith in a remote Bible study group in Michigan—proof that God can reach people anywhere.
• A turning point in her spiritual growth came when she realized she didn’t need to perform for God’s love.
• She creates simple yet bold opportunities for faith conversations with students through office décor, classroom discussions, and prayer.
• International students are still open to the gospel—but motivations have shifted over the years.
• Students, even non-believers, appreciate and receive prayer more often than we think.

Resources from Faculty Commons, a Cru ministry:

• Find 500+ Christian professors at https://meettheprof.com/
• Faculty Commons – https://www.facultycommons.org/
• A Grander Story – https://a.co/d/8VoYXSV

Watch MTP on YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@MeetTheProfOfficial/videos

You can support Meet The Prof through Shane Hartley's work with Faculty Commons, a Cru ministry, at this link: ⁠⁠⁠https://give.cru.org/0424344⁠⁠⁠

In this episode of Meet The Prof, Jon Walker, Professor of History at Forsyth Tech Community College, shares real-life stories of starting and leading a Christian student group on a community college campus. Jon talks about the power of offering prayer to students, building a sense of belonging, and creating space for Christ-centered conversations through Bible studies and outreach events like Spring Fling.  

He also gives practical advice for Christian professors considering how to influence their campuses, encourages students who are wrestling with doubts about God, and shares his vision for new campus worship events like Ash Wednesday and Advent services. 

If you're a Christian professor, college student, or parent looking to encourage faith on the college campus, you’ll find a lot of encouragement in Jon’s story.

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We invite Christian professors to Submit a Profile online sharing how Jesus rescued you at: https://meettheprof.com/create-profile/

College students can submit questions for professors by sending us a video by DM stating your name, campus, and question to:
https://www.instagram.com/meettheprofofficial/

Get free resources for answering questions about God at:
https://www.everystudent.com/

Listen to Meet The Prof on Apple Podcasts:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/meet-the-prof-with-shane-and-spence/id1733311320

Watch Meet The Prof on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/@MeetTheProfOfficial/videos

Listen on Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/show/6kizp6klascdMj1nqaj6LD

If you’d like to financially support our ministry, you can do so online at https://give.cru.org/0424344

Resources from Faculty Commons, a Cru ministry:

• Find 500+ Christian professors at https://meettheprof.com/
• Faculty Commons – https://www.facultycommons.org/
• A Grander Story – https://a.co/d/8VoYXSV

Watch MTP on YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@MeetTheProfOfficial/videos

You can support Meet The Prof through Shane Hartley's work with Faculty Commons, a Cru ministry, at this link: ⁠⁠⁠https://give.cru.org/0424344⁠⁠⁠

In this episode, Shane and Spence talk with Jon Walker, a history professor at Forsyth Tech Community College. Jon shares about his spiritual journey, how he wrestled with the decision between full-time ministry and teaching, and what it means to integrate faith in the classroom. He opens up about trauma in his early professional career, how God used those moments to redirect him, and how he now views teaching as a true calling and ministry. This episode will especially encourage Christian professors who are trying to discern their vocational path or how to express their faith naturally on campus.

Read more about Jon Walker online:
 https://meettheprof.com/view/professors/entry/jon-walker/

Email Jon Walker:
[email protected]

Main Takeaways:

• Teaching history can be deeply personal and transformative for students
• Embarrassing moments in the classroom can become teachable moments
• Faith became personal for Jon through discipleship in college
• Jon wrestled between teaching and vocational ministry, but found both can be ministry
• Professors can integrate faith by listening well and offering prayer when appropriate
• Boldness grows over time when representing Christ publicly on campus

Resources from Faculty Commons, a Cru ministry:

• Find 500+ Christian professors at https://meettheprof.com/
• Faculty Commons – https://www.facultycommons.org/
• A Grander Story – https://a.co/d/8VoYXSV

Watch MTP on YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@MeetTheProfOfficial/videos

You can support Meet The Prof through Shane Hartley's work with Faculty Commons, a Cru ministry, at this link: ⁠⁠⁠https://give.cru.org/0424344⁠⁠⁠

Jeff Colbert, Political Science professor at UNC Greensboro, shares wisdom on how Christian professors can be a godly influence without dominating classroom debates. He talks about praying for students, encouraging respectful dialogue, and building Christian faculty community. He also offers heartfelt advice for parents, students, and faculty—and shares how God is prompting him to re-engage in leadership on campus.

Read more about Jeff Colbert online:
 https://meettheprof.com/view/professors/entry/jeff-colbert 

Campus email: [email protected]

Main Takeaways:

• Professors can model respectful disagreement without always “showing their cards.”
• Mutual respect and understanding are core to good political discourse.
• Prayer for students matters, even if done imperfectly.
• Faculty groups help overcome fear and build courage.
• Professors play a key mentoring role—students should reach out more.
• Many parents over-manage their college-age kids—let them grow up.
• University resources are paid for—students should take advantage of them.

Resources from Faculty Commons, a Cru ministry:

• Find 500+ Christian professors at https://meettheprof.com/
• Faculty Commons – https://www.facultycommons.org/
• A Grander Story – https://a.co/d/8VoYXSV

Watch MTP on YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@MeetTheProfOfficial/videos

You can support Meet The Prof through Shane Hartley's work with Faculty Commons, a Cru ministry, at this link: ⁠⁠⁠https://give.cru.org/0424344⁠⁠⁠