Roger Mack is tall. No, that is an understatement. He is very tall. But he is the gentlest giant you will ever encounter. He inserts humor into his conversations like a baker inserts crème into his pastries. Just by talking with him one can see that he is in love with life. But one must beware, his love of life is quite contagious. His passion for teaching is unlimited. He started teaching at De Anza 33 years ago. He teaches the only community college behavioral economics course in the nation. His teaching career began at the San Francisco State University at the age of 19, where he taught social science for three years. He lived in Europe for a year where he taught at the European university in Florence. Mack’s philosophy on teaching is that he wants to get his students to see the world around them differently. “I want them to get a better understanding on everything they think they know by putting it into a new content and adding to it. And when you add, you don’t just add one new fact. It changes everything you thought you knew. You gain a new perspective” Mack said.He considers that economics and sociology, the two subjects that he teaches, are really arts more than facts. To him they are an important way of understanding the world around you. He has been a member of De Anza’s executive council for 30 years, where his colleagues are quick to praise him. “Roger has played a fundamental role in the Faculty Association’s success in protecting and advancing the rights of faculty,” mathematics professor and longtime colleague Richard Hansen said, “he has been a reliable advisor to several generations of FA leadership through his long-term membership on the Executive Council. In FA deliberations, what Roger contributes is always noteworthy, often insightful, and sometimes essential to determining the correct course of action.” Mack does not believe in sulking in the presence of challenge or danger. He believes that students should “pick up their boots and decide what they are going to do. Are you going to be scared or are you going to do something about it?”In the classroom, Mack often plays the devils advocate as he feels that is a quality that constitutes a good teacher. “A good teacher will take whatever position he needs to keep the discussion going. I do that all the time.” Mack said. You will never hear Mack say that a students goal is income maximizing. He finds income to be secondary to happiness. He wants his students to lead the best life they can. “I tell students to find a passion and follow it, income will follow. Don’t go looking for income and hate what you are doing” Mack encourages his students to voice an opinion and not be afraid of being wrong. “There is nothing wrong with being wrong. You have a chance to discuss an idea and understand a new way of understanding it” Mack said. Born in January 1945, to two schoolteachers, Mack has teaching engraved in his bones. He received the second interdisciplinary social science masters degree ever offered, but is still the first male to receive it. His hobbies include; golfing, skiing, painting, sculpting, restoring cars, traveling intensely with his students all over the world. He lived in Europe for a couple years. He has taught in Arizona, Zurich and Italy. Mack has been married for 43 years and considers it “best decision I ever made.” Mack and his wife are involved with Sacred Heart charities. Mack believes that it makes no difference what you do in life, just be good at it. “I believe that there are two real things in this world, passion and a sense of humor. Love what you do and be able to laugh at yourself.”When asked what his philosophy on life is he refers to an old Italian saying, “Everybody deserves good food, wine and a fantasy.” Roger Mack, you could not be any more correct.