Dr. Stephen Hartnett, Dept. of Communication, University of Colorado at Denver, 2016

…Indeed, as the Faculty Advisor to the campus Buddhist Club, I was simply overwhelmed by Rob’s tireless energy, as he turned the formerly sleepy outfit into a machine of activism. In this capacity, Rob scheduled art installations, speakers, films, hip-hop events, and workshops, all of them infused with his commitments to scholarship, ethical communication, and Buddhist spirituality. I can tell you this: I wish my tenure-track faculty were half-as-committed to creative campus citizenship as Rob. If I could hire him, I would.

After he graduated with his MA from CU Denver, Rob embarked on a glorious adventure to China, where he has been teaching U.S. History, creative writing, and English to Chinese students at universities in Dazhou, Chengdu, and Xinjin. This past spring, at Dazhou, he founded and edited Four Rivers Magazine, a U.S.-style tribute to free speech and self-expression. Moreover, Rob has merged his international work and his Buddhism in a series of invited lectures delivered in Chengdu, Littleton, and Denver, thus beginning what I imagine will become a long career as an organic intellectual who has one foot on campus and one foot in the community.

And so, because he is a historian and teacher, a young man working toward fluency in Mandarin and trained in teaching English as a second language, a serious Buddhist who actually lives in accordance with his beliefs, and a tireless advocate for social justice, I recommend Rob Acker to you in the highest possible terms. He will become a student favorite in the classroom, a trusted colleague, and a vibrant addition to your community.