Chapman Professor’s Family Legacy: 3 Generations in Education
Three Generations of Teaching: A Family Legacy
As Chapman University in Orange, California resumes fall classes this week, one of its business professors, Dr. Pradip Shukla, reflects on his family’s rich history in academia. With over four decades of teaching experience, Dr. Shukla has had the privilege of co-teaching alongside both his father and his daughter, creating cherished memories that span generations.
Dr. Shukla’s journey began when his family immigrated from a small town near Mumbai, India to Los Angeles in 1960. His father, Kantilal, completed his Ph.D. at the University of Southern California (USC) and went on to teach business and accounting at Compton Community College.
Inspired by his father’s career, Dr. Shukla followed in his footsteps, earning his Ph.D. in business from the University of California–Los Angeles and an MBA from USC. Early in his career, he had the opportunity to teach alongside his father at Compton Community College, a precious time they shared before his father’s passing.
“It was special at that point because he actually saw me teaching in the classroom and said, ‘oh, you’re a good professor.’ Normally parents tend to be proud of their children, but they don’t see their children at work or in the work setting. So that meant a lot.”
Dr. Shukla attributes his own passion for teaching to his father’s tenacity and their Indian culture, where following in the footsteps of parents is common. This legacy continued with Dr. Shukla’s wife, who is also a professor at Chapman University, and whose father and grandfather were educators as well.
Recently, Dr. Shukla had the opportunity to co-teach a business course with his daughter, Monica Shukla-Belmontes, who is an assistant dean at Brandman University’s business school. Over the course of eight weeks, they collaborated on a business project management course, with Dr. Shukla observing his daughter’s skills in the classroom.
“It was the first time I was actually there the entire session. And she’s really good at technology and engaging the students and using online activities. And she knows more about that than I do in terms of how to use some of the online features of our learning platform system. It worked out well.”
Their co-taught course received high praise from students, with a rating of 4.3 out of 5 stars. Dr. Shukla looks forward to future opportunities to co-teach with his daughter, continuing their family legacy of education.
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