Interview with a Professor

Getting to Know Redeemer’s Faculty

By: Helana Mulder, reporter

Name: Laurie Busuttil

Department: Business

 

How long have you been teaching at Redeemer?

I have been full-time at Redeemer for 7 years. Before that, I was here for one year of part-time teaching.

How did you come to teach at Redeemer?

I was working full time and finishing up my M.B.A. at McMaster. I was already friends with Prof. Van Weelden and she told me that Redeemer needed someone to teach Personal Finance. I thought this was a great opportunity for me as I was already in a ministry at my church where I helped people dealing with financial struggles. So, I took on the class for the fall semester and actually picked up two more courses for the winter semester. Then, Redeemer posted the job for the Marketing and Managing full-time position, and my work with the church ministry was coming to an end. I wrestled with God about applying for the job, but finally decided that I would apply and if I got it, I would take it. I really felt as though God was nudging me to take this job, so when I was offered it, I accepted it.

What is your favourite part of teaching?

I love those light bulb moments where what I am teaching finally clicks in a student’s mind; those are the best. I also love when we forget that we’re in a classroom and we just start talking. We forget that I am the teacher and that you’re the student and we engage in debate and discussion: we set aside the lesson plan and focus on the content.

What is your favourite thing about Redeemer?

I love the opportunity I have to build relationships. I love that I can offer prayer to others and have people pray for me. I’ve even had students tell me that they were praying for me. I just love the community God has provided us with here at Redeemer.

Besides dark chocolate, what is your go-to snack?

There really is no go-to snack other than dark chocolate. But, if I had to choose, I would say Jellybeans. I don’t buy them anymore because I have no self-control. I used to have them as a way of rewarding myself for marking test answers, but I would slowly start to take more and more as I went through them. I had to stop.

What is a favourite place you have travelled to?

That’s a hard one. I have travelled all across Canada and I just know that we have the most beautiful country and the most beautiful people. I’ve been to Nairobi in Kenya and worshipped with around 10,000 people on a Sunday morning. I’ve been to the mountains in Colombia. I’ve stayed in Czechoslovakia and I stayed with people who made me realize just what it means to give your best and be generous to people.

If there was a movie about your life, what genre would it be and who would play you?

It would definitely be a Murder Mystery… and it would have to be British because those are so well-written. It could even be structured like The Princess Bride where I am a grandma reading a murder mystery to my grandchild. It could also be ghostwritten by P.D. James. And I would have Judy Dench play me; she’s been in everything and she’s brilliant.