“Martino is an absolute treasure. I learned a lot about incorporating spirituality into academia and discussing it evenhandedly and factually while acknowledging spiritual questions that arise. Martino was one of the best professors I have had in college so far. He made the space very open for learning and asking questions and most of his readings were engaging and books that I wanted to read.”
— Josh, Oberlin College Student
“Open discussion was the best part. I liked the activities on the different anthropologists we covered where we split into small groups and taught the class but were given assignments to keep us engaged in other’s presentations. Martino did a great job teaching the class and I really enjoyed it.”
— Missy, University of Michigan Student
“The course was very well organized. Course readings did a great job of supplementing and expanding on the course lectures. Martino is such an enthusiastic instructor, it’s infectious! Really made this class a pleasure to attend. I had a very weak understanding of religion in Tibet and Buddhism prior to this class and now I feel I have a good concrete understanding. Course was challenging, engaging, and ultimately incredibly fulfilling.”
— Chris, Oberlin College Student
“I enjoyed journeying into a realm of consciousness completely different from anything I’ve studied before. I have a new perspective on magic and religion in general, and this will contribute to my open mind in many ways. I’ve found a lot of inner peace since learning about the teachings of Buddhism. Also, my awareness of the issues of Tibet in relation to the Chinese occupation has been greatly expanded. I have very little criticism to offer. Martino is an excellent teacher.”
— Ray, University of Michigan
“The lectures were easy to follow and well organized. Martino gets really excited about answering questions, and he pretty much always knows the answer. It seems like he knows everything about Buddhism there is to know. Class felt very casual, but was still serious. We would often laugh and joke with Martino, who did a great job building a rapport with the class. I know we are all sad to see him go.”
— Melanie, Oberlin College Student