Connecting the Dots

Dr. Paul Zingg 
President, CSU, Chico 

Early in his presentation, Dr.Paul Zingg, CSU, Chico’s President since 2004, states that “connect the dots” is a metaphor he uses frequently to describe his career. When he read E.M. Forster’s novel, “Howards End,” 40 years ago, something the protagonist said struck him and has continued to guide him: “Only connect the prose and the passion.” He traces his career in higher education, from graduate student to history professor to his current position. Along the way, he had some interesting experiences, including having Dean Rusk (former Secretary of State under President Kennedy) as his grad school mentor and sharing tea with Libyan Colonel Muammar Khadaffi in his tent (as part of his research for his dissertation). As for “connecting prose with passion,” he has written numerous books about the history of sports. 

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Recorded: September 19, 2014