Welcome to the “Perspectives from the President” series, where Dr. Tony Miksa shares insights on life at Johnson County Community College (JCCC), living in Kansas, higher education news, and the experiences that shape our campus community. From personal reflections to broader topics about college life and learning, these articles offer a glimpse into his journey as president and vision for JCCC.
Drawn to extremes
How many times have you been afraid to share your point of view when you were in the minority? When was the last time you were at a family or class reunion and, as people began to debate a topic, your perspective was quickly dismissed or ostracized? Scenes like these seem to be happening more and more as we navigate an increasingly polarized society.
As humans, we seem to be drawn to extremes. Many say it’s because of social media, but I would argue that we have always been compelled by extreme points of view. For example, when someone asks, “How was your day?” how often do you respond, “It was an average day—nothing too big or too small happened”? Another example: When getting fast food, when was the last time you ordered a regular-sized meal? We’ve grown accustomed to the “supersized” option and might even feel shortchanged without that extra large fry.
Seeing the good in others and situations
My wife, Deb, and I recently attended a dinner at the Dialogue Institute in Kansas City. The evening focused on how to move beyond extreme perspectives. One speaker, Dr. Scott C. Alexander, Professor of Islamic Studies and Christian-Muslim Relations and Director of the Interschool Doctor of Ministry Program at the Catholic Theological Union, introduced the concept of hoşgörü. In Turkish, hoşgörü suggests that we should practice seeing the good in others and situations.
This concept really made me reflect and reconsider my own approach to life. At the beginning of the semester, I asked everyone at JCCC to reflect on a line from Bob Dylan’s song Tangled Up in Blue: “We always did see it the same, just saw it from a different point of view.” Hoşgörü takes that idea a step further—it asks us not only to see another point of view, but also to recognize the positive within it.
Hoşgörü in higher ed
All of this brings me back to JCCC and our role in students’ lives. Our mission is to inspire, transform, and strengthen our community. Every degree we offer includes some form of general education coursework—typically in areas like English, speech, mathematics, psychology, sociology, and history. These courses are designed to give students a broad understanding of the world. That knowledge helps them listen thoughtfully to differing viewpoints (including extreme ones), see through others’ eyes, find what is good, and reflect on it.
In my opinion, this is why higher education—and JCCC in particular—is so important to Johnson County and the surrounding communities. The ability to listen, reflect, and find common ground brings people together and strengthens our community now and for generations to come.
Keep in touch with Dr. Miksa
“Perspectives from the President” articles will be regularly shared on JCCC’s LinkedIn page. Community members can also keep in touch with Dr. Miksa on Instagram (@tonymiksa).
Learn more about Dr. Miksa at jccc.edu/president.
