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Sachin H. Jain: Who was a teacher that made a difference in your life?

Sachin H. Jain/LinkedIn

Apr 7, 2025, 18:44

Sachin H. Jain: Who was a teacher that made a difference in your life?

Sachin H. Jain, President and CEO of SCAN Group and Health Plan, shared a post on LinkedIn:

“Yesterday, I had the priviledge of attending the retirement celebration of Christopher Winship from Harvard University.

I first met Professor Winship (eventually, Chris) when I was a freshman in college and wandered into a course with a compelling and provocative name: ‘Poverty, Public Policy, and Controversy.’

It was a senior level course and I approached Chris—then the sociology department chair—about whether I might take the course as a freshman.

In his typical style, he encouraged me to stretch—and thus began a relationship that would continue throughout college.

After I took his course, he welcomed me to his research group to assist with his research into the Boston Ten Point Coalition, a group of ministers who partnered to address gang violence in the African American community.

He subsequently supervised my thesis, ‘Hustler on the High Road: The Life and Leadership of Eugene River.’

At every phase of our academic work, he introduced me to frameworks that would remain salient in the years ahead:

1) In my freshman class, he taught me LeGrand’s concept of “knights, knaves, or pawns,” a framework that shaped my perspective on healthcare industry regulation

2) In our research together, he helped me understand the difference between hypothesis generating and hypothesis testing research.

3) In my senior thesis research, he introduced me to Michael Walzer’s notion of embedded critics—a notion that encourages leaders steeped in a field or society to leverage their credibility to drive meaningful change from within.

Chris was always generous with his time and demonstrated a kindness and candor that got me through a formative period of my life.

His personal touch and understated approach made a large academic university where many often feel anonymous feel to me like an intimate liberal arts college.

Attending his retirement celebration, it was clear that Chris made a similar impact on countless others through a lifetime of world-class research and meaningful relationships.

One of his former students even likened his impact to that of William James, the prominent psychologist who is known as the “father of modern psychology.”

It was great to reconnect with Van C. Tran and Felix Elwert; and meet other similarly lot grateful Winship alumni. Was also special to meet Elijah Anderson whose work I have long admired.

At a time when academia is under assault from many directions, Chris is an important reminder that teachers make a profound impact in the world.

Who was a teacher that made a difference in your life?”

Sachin H. Jain: Who was a teacher that made a difference in your life?