Dear fellow peers,

I invite you to embark on a journey of reflection with me about our beloved Piedmont University and its impacts on your lives as you have traveled through your education here. As a returning student who stepped back into the pursuit of her education later in life, I found the mission and values of Piedmont University to be admirable. When considering this college as a contender among many, one of the things that stood out to me was that Piedmont University “dedicates itself to…the development of compassionate leaders.”

To become a compassionate leader, one must first observe and communicate with other compassionate leaders. In our case, it is through modeling of genuine compassion from our instructors that we, the students, become aware of what true compassion looks like, speaks and behaves like, and how it treats others.  

In my three years at Piedmont and of all the instructors I have had, I can only think of three instructors that have shown veritable compassion in their teachings and for their students.

Dr. Perry Rettig is one of the only instructors with unalloyed care and concern for what he teaches and whom he teaches. His communication skills are superb, as he ensures understanding of the material and provides support when needed. He is sure to make his pupils feel valued and respected as developing professionals. Moreover, Dr. Rettig doesn’t teach at his students; he teaches and learns with us. He leaves room for critical and creative thinking as well as meaningful dialog. As you may recall, these are some of the core values here at Piedmont University.

Recently, Dr. Rettig referenced Michelangelo’s art of sculpting and accredited his famous words that the sculptures were already inside, that Michelangelo simply set them free. Dr. Rettig followed with, “I think our best teachers are Michelangelos.”

I could not agree more. In all the schools I have had the privilege of walking into, elementary, upper grades, and colleges, one common denominator among principals and presidents is that they pride themselves and their schools on having hardworking, dedicated teachers who love what they do and love whom they do it for. In a recent interview, I asked the principal what sets her school apart from other schools in our area. Her credits were all due to the teachers. She expressed, “We are intentional about the teachers we employ here. We want to make sure they have an authentic heart for our students and help them mature not only academically but into the wonderful individuals they are meant to be.”   

I urge you to ask yourself the following questions:

Why Piedmont University over other colleges? What do you appreciate most and look for in your professors to help you become the best professional in your future/current career? And, as students, how is it that we become compassionate leaders? Do passionate instructors not help pave the pathway to our success through their encouragement and dedication to teaching us effectively and compassionately? Why would a school want to get rid of those teachers?!

Have positively impactful instructors been a rare find for you here or in other school settings, maybe even as a child? If so, you know the importance of having these types of instructors be a part of your learning and educational walk.

We need instructors who value us as students.

We need instructors willing to put in the time and effort to help us be our most successful selves.

We need teachers who genuinely care about what they are teaching and whom they are teaching.

We need compassionate educators so we ourselves can become compassionate leaders.

We need Michelangelos.

We need Dr. Perry Rettig.

Will you join the movement to help save Dr. Rettig’s position at Piedmont?

Please sign the petition, and thank you for your support.

May you become a compassionate leader shaped by compassionate professors.