{"id":43776,"date":"2026-02-20T22:20:24","date_gmt":"2026-02-20T22:20:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ternalnews.info\/?p=43776"},"modified":"2026-02-20T22:20:24","modified_gmt":"2026-02-20T22:20:24","slug":"30-minutes-ago-in-new-york-city-michael-j-fox-was-confirmed-assee-more","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ternalnews.info\/?p=43776","title":{"rendered":"30 Minutes ago in New York City, Michael J. Fox was confirmed as\u2026See more"},"content":{"rendered":"

In an emotional announcement at Columbia\u2019s Low Library, beloved actor and Parkinson\u2019s advocate Michael J. Fox was named the university\u2019s inaugural Professor of Optimism and Resilience\u2014a first-of-its-kind position bridging neuroscience, philosophy, and lived experience. The Back to the Future star, 62, received a standing ovation as he joked, \u201cTurns out you don\u2019t need a PhD when life gives you a masterclass in getting back up.\u201d The role will see him lead seminars on hope as a \u201ccognitive discipline\u201d and mentor students facing adversity<\/p>\n

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The unconventional appointment was spearheaded by Columbia\u2019s neurology department, inspired by Fox\u2019s decades of Parkinson\u2019s research advocacy. \u201cMichael\u2019s work proves optimism isn\u2019t naivete\u2014it\u2019s a revolutionary act,\u201d said University President Minouche Shafik. His \u201cFox Fellows\u201d program will fund studies on neuroplasticity and trauma recovery, with a quirky twist: final projects must include \u201cone impractical idea that makes the world more joyful.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Hollywood and academia collided in the reactions. Stephen Colbert tweeted \u201cFinally, a professor who\u2019ll give A\u2019s for time-travel essays,\u201d while Dr. Sanjay Gupta called it \u201cthe missing link between brain science and human spirit.\u201d Even Fox\u2019s Family Ties co-star Meredith Baxter shared a throwback clip with the caption \u201cAlex P. Keaton just became the most inspiring teacher.\u201d<\/p>\n

Fox\u2019s first lecture\u2014\u201cBack to the Future: Building Tomorrow With Today\u2019s Hope\u201d\u2014kicks off this fall. True to form, he ended the announcement by quipping, \u201cOffice hours include laughing at bad jokes and plotting how to outsmart fate.\u201d The line brought down the house\u2014proving once again that life, like his career, needs no sequel.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In an emotional announcement at Columbia\u2019s Low Library, beloved actor and Parkinson\u2019s advocate Michael J. Fox was named the university\u2019s inaugural Professor of Optimism and Resilience\u2014a first-of-its-kind… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":43777,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-43776","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\n30 Minutes ago in New York City, Michael J. 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