By Steve Esser
YOUNG HARRIS, Ga. — A member of the Young Harris College faculty since 2011, Dr. Chris Sass was honored at the Young Harris College Convocation on Aug. 14 with the 2026 Vulcan Teaching Excellence Award.
Established in 1991, the award recognizes outstanding professors on campuses of the Georgia Independent College Association.
“This year’s Vulcan Award recipient holds degrees in both philosophy and mathematics,” said Anne Towns, a professor of theatre and dean of faculty. Towns introduced Dr. Sass at the convocation, “And he is active outside the classroom as well, having competed in 36 races, ranging from 5Ks to ultramarathons, including The Ute, a 100-mile race averaging 8,700 feet of elevation, held in the Utah desert in August! He has hiked the 211-mile John Muir Trail in California. He is a lover of classical music, and I’m told he makes amazing homemade pizza dough, and he somehow still finds time to raise four beautiful cats.”
The Vulcan Award recognizes an outstanding faculty member who demonstrates strong academic skills in the classroom and provides leadership and support in other areas of campus life. The recipients are faculty who assist the institutions in nurturing an academic climate which fosters teaching and who provide leadership to enhance the campus community.
“The faculty here at Young Harris College is an amazing group of dedicated individuals,” Sass said, as he addressed the incoming first-year YHC students at convocation. “They spend countless hours engaging in scholarly and professional pursuits, preparing courses and other learning opportunities, and supporting students in a variety of ways.”
Sass compared the academic journey to sports, given his active background.
“Let me briefly describe the relationship between faculty and students using a sports analogy,” he said. “Students are like players. But faculty occupy multiple roles. Most obviously, we are like referees. Just as a referee might judge that you stepped out of bounds, we determine that you made a D on a test or a 92 on a paper. But faculty are also like coaches. We require you to develop skills through practice, and we give you tailored advice on how to improve. Like coaches, we try to empower you to perform at your maximum potential. We are always rooting for you, and we’re ecstatic when you achieve great things.”
Sass focused on the student journey, speaking with the audience of first-year students, just beginning their college education.
“I encourage you to approach your studies with a focus on growth. You all come from different backgrounds and possess unique talents,” Sass said. “Growth can be slow and incremental, but it compounds over time and can eventually lead to transformative outcomes.”
Sass has taught more than 20 different classes during his time at YHC, ranging from College Algebra to upper-level major courses such as Real Analysis. He has also taught honors courses on fractals, mathematical logic, and radical American environmentalism.
“Finally, I invite you to take full advantage of learning under such special professors,” Sass said. “Being at a small school provides you with the opportunity to interact with your professors regularly and to develop deep relationships with some of them. Let us know if you are not understanding something. Visit us during our office hours. We’re here to help, and we’re rooting for you.”
