"Village on a Hill: Introductions: Micah Luce"

Well, the last full week of Hebrew is complete. My last quiz has been taken, my last test as well (except the Final Exam of course…that’s on Tuesday/Start of My Summer). But in the meantime, Ghana just lost a heartbreaker, so the joyful me has turned despondent. To make myself feel better... I get to post my interview with the great man Micah Luce.

Micah Luce. Also known as “The Funny Man”. 250 points if you can name the movie with a character by that name before the link appears later in this post. He is the manager of the Student Book Supply, the YDS bookstore. Micah is one of the first lines of defense whenever there is a perceived laughter deficiency in the halls. He hails from Memphis, Tennessee, where he went to Rhodes, one of my alma mater's rival schools. A graduate of the Divinity School, he is still very much invested in the life of the Div School outside of the hallways. Below: an excerpt from an interview with the Funny Man himself:

Q: Micah, you’re the manager of the Student Book Supply. How did you get to be where you are?

A: I stumbled into this job as a surprise. I completed an MDiv at a school down South and only headed to New Haven after a 2 year detour in Brooklyn. Believing that I came to YDS to further strengthen my work towards a PhD somewhere, I freed myself from that ball and chain by having the MAR and STM degrees here convince me to do otherwise. Upon graduating in 2008 with the STM, I wasn't quite ready to leave New Haven in search of my true love: cinema management and ownership. While looking for a job in the area, a former YDS employee gently reminded me that the Student Book Supply manager position was going to be vacated by Lisa Huck as she would be taking over the position of registrar. Having appreciated her amazing 20 years of service as the SBS Manager, I hoped to give back to YDS in the same way (Lisa is an MDiv graduate of YDS). Being a generally social creature, I figured the Student Book Supply would be a place that I could learn business and management skills while having the joy of being around such a great group of students day in and day out.

Q: So what is the Student Book Supply?

A: The Student Book Supply is the last student co-op bookstore in the Ivy Leagues. Located right inside the Divinity School doors, we carry textbooks for classes as well as books by Yale profs, Div School merchandise, and thousands of titles on religious and non-religious topics.

One of the greatest things is the membership discount. Students who join the co-op for a yearly $25 fee receive 15% off of all purchases (except clearance items which are already discounted way beyond 15%).

Q: Back to you personally. MDiv, MAR, and STM. That leaves you in a unique position to give thoughts on the three degrees. What did you like best, or how would you rank them?

A: I would say each degree came at a perfect time in life for me and fulfilled different purposes along the way. While each focused on different aspects of Christianity, they were so very different. My MDiv was at a smaller, much more conservative school just outside of Memphis, TN when I was quite a bit younger and thinking I wanted to pursue a life in ministry. I was able to understand the serious giftings, calling, and devotion that must accompany such a life. The MAR was my final crack at strengthening my PhD applications and preparation, but after a year and a half of that degree, I also realized that a life of academics would require the same 3 qualities as a life of ministry. Both of these degrees effectively convinced me that I wasn't ready for either ministry or academics as a lifestyle. Finally, my STM degree allowed me to calm down a bit, think about interests closest to my heart (religion and cinema), and focus on some serious academic work without the pressure of wondering if it was going to be 'good enough' to get me into this school or that school for PhD work. It was a sort of culmination of what I had thought about up to that point, and it continues to be my fondest memories of reading, writing, studying, and conversing in classrooms. The STM was perhaps my favorite, but this couldn't have come without first knowing what I did NOT want. I guess the MDiv and MAR degrees were apophatic education for me. It's also worth noting that the MAR and STM were also strongly influenced by the two years I spent completely apart from academics after finishing my MDiv. Working for a magazine in New York and resting my head in Brooklyn among brilliant and thoughtful friends was an education every bit as important and formative as any time I spent in the classroom.

Q: What a great politician's answer: something nice about everything. What is it like having been a student and now a staff member? Are the two worlds exclusive?

A: They can be as exclusive as one wants them to be. I know that's not what I desire, however, and I'm grateful that school-wide events such as community dinners or daily chapel in Marquand are focused on providing situations where the tenured professor, fourth year staff member, or first year student are all involved in worship, discussion, or eating together. Isn't that more in line with the Christian concept of equality? Neither male nor female, Jew nor Greek? It may be frustrating at times to live as though the 'walls of division' have been broken down among us, but the hard work of inclusivity can really have moments of gorgeous payoff. Hopefully, the two worlds of 'student' or 'staff' are likewise equalized at such moments. One other equalizing force for me may sound banal, but it's actually quite meaningful: the Divinity School Paracleat soccer team. Once we're all out on the field (or 'pitch' for you soccer hipsters), there's a real sense of purpose, fun, and energy. Having played on the team for 9 seasons now, this is a really great part of my experience at YDS. We definitely look forward to defending our championship this Fall.

I find that as the students with whom I shared classroom space are almost all graduated now, these worlds become more apparent for me. Thus I find myself adjusting in relationships among different peoples at YDS, but I would in no way say that this change makes the experiences 'exclusive.'

Q: What advice do you have for new students?

A: You are going to be overwhelmed both at the offerings YDS, Yale, and New Haven have to offer. Take your time and don't let this discourage you. One of the things I find most freeing as I grow is learning to say 'no.' It makes my 'yes' much more powerful. Don't just serve on committees or take classes on a whim. Be patient and thoughtful about how you are involved. But, by all means, get involved! It took me a year and a half to realize that "Cinema at the Whitney" with Yale's film studies program downtown was my absolute favorite thing about all of New Haven (though budget cuts last year brought it to a hopeful temporary end). Take some courses downtown. While life on the hill at YDS can potentially become isolating, you have a chance to get downtown and meet a hundred different people in art, history, science, politics, law, or business programs who are every bit as interested in being ministers as we are at the div school.


Q: Do you have any fashion tips for the new student in search of proper attire? Are man-pris on the comeback?

A: I have no idea why I would be asked about fashion. I find this a bit ridiculous, as my first year and a half at YDS were in full, sloppy revolt of having to dress up for work every day in New York. I also get made fun of for my blue pants, tie clips, and man-pris here at YDS. I guess my advice is 'don't dress like I do.' However, maybe that leads to the best fashion advice, which is dress like you do. I think you should probably save this question for the likes of Jeremy Hultin, Tom Troeger, or Andrea Hart, who all have far superior sense of fashion than I do.

Q: Tell us more about the Student Book Supply, especially if anything new is coming up.

A: One of my favorite things about the job is the freedom that Dean Attridge and Sandy Lynch give me. I have been able to have a really good time giving the SBS a flavor that is somewhat reflective of my own personality while also being able to build on the amazing success that Lisa Huck had during her time as Manager here. We've changed a bit of the look of the place in the last year, but we've also had new offerings (including free popcorn on Fridays, sidewalk sales, and updated clothing styles). I have a few plans in the works this year to also improve our used book selection, a textbook buyback program that will kick off this year, and a few other long-term improvements that are in the works (read: surprises). While I'm always open to suggestions, improvements, and applications, our staff for next year is pretty much established with the fantastic additions of Terry Archambeault (left), Willie Barnes, and Stephen Scarff to the already-brilliant Bebe Dwyer. Each of these students working at the SBS will be a fantastic part of our staff ready to help you the moment you walk into the bookstore, unless, of course, we happen to be having a little too much fun of our own.

p.s. Answer to where "Funny Man" is from: this movie of course!