Taking his lessons to London

BARSTOW • It’s no accident that Gen. George S. Patton, one of the dominating military figures of World War II, is also a towering presence in Ramon Vasconcellos’ office at Barstow Community College.

Though the collectible action figure version of Patton may stand less than one foot tall, it rests atop a bookshelf filled with texts from Vasconcellos’ academic career that span from math to economics to accounting. But the WWII period is one of his favorite topics.

Vasconcellos is a bit of an American and Western history buff and will be taking his expertise overseas when he teaches at the University of London next fall. The 43-year-old Barstow resident is the first BCC instructor to be invited to teach in an exchange program in London, according to Maureen Stokes, college spokeswoman.

Teaching abroad will cause Vasconcellos to consider some parts of history from a different perspective.

“If I’m teaching American history, then I’m definitely going to have to teach the Revolution from the perspective of the British,” he said. Vasconcellos said he’s looking forward to his upcoming time abroad — both as a new teaching and learning experience. Living in England will give him a chance to soak in another academic environment and culture, and will give him a chance to pick up new ideas — “where I can learn, as a teacher,” he said.

Vasconcellos makes a point of tying lectures to current events — and sometimes the lessons even seem to line themselves up. A BCC faculty since 2004, Vasconcellos remembers how in October of 2008 when the financial industry took a dive with the collapse of major banks like Lehman Brothers — that day he was just beginning to teach on Keynesian economics, which discusses ideas like government involvement in the private sector.

College student Michelle Bond has taken several classes taught by Vasconcellos, including courses on economics which Bond said have been illuminating especially with the country’s current economic recession.

“Had I not been in that class,” said Bond, “I wouldn’t have known what was going on to the degree that I did.”

The Los Angeles native said he enjoys when students mention having seen a lecture topic on MSNBC or Fox Business News.

“It’s a wonderful feeling when you see that spark,” Vasconcellos said. Also a part-time financial advisor with a practice in Los Angeles, Vasconcellos said he wants his students see themselves as entrepreneurs — risk-takers who have a stake in the outcome, which in this case is their education.

“He strives to get the most out of his students,” said fellow college instructor James Dorn. Both a friend and colleague, Dorn describes Vasconcellos is an academic who appreciates intellectual conversation and always makes time for his students. “He has a lot of passion for teaching,” Dorn said.

Contact the writer:
(760) 256-4122 or elee@desertdispatch.com