Chitranjan Greer-Travis has traveled down many paths in his career, but all have one common goal: serving others.
After the sudden on-duty death of his brother, a Detroit Police sergeant, Greer-Travis joined the Detroit Police Department in his honor. He served for five years and wore the same badge number as his brother and father, a 35-year veteran of the police department.
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“After the tragic death of my brother, I was lost for a few years,” Greer-Travis said. “My brother always told me that I had the right temperament to do police work. I wanted to keep my promise to him and somehow honor his, and my dad’s, legacy.”
During the COVID-19 pandemic and after the on-duty death of his police officer partner, Greer-Travis decided it was time to change paths and follow his dreams.
Greer-Travis had graduated from Siena Heights University with a bachelor’s degree in philosophy in 2003 and graduated from The University of Toledo with a master’s degree in philosophy 17 years later. He currently teaches philosophy courses as an adjunct instructor at Washtenaw Community College.
“I recalled my experience at The University of Toledo as a student in the Philosophy M.A. program,” he said. “I was challenged and nurtured in the program in such a way that I wanted to ‘return to my roots,’ so to speak. In my quest to follow my dreams and live a bit more authentically, I gave graduate school some thought.
“Philosophy of Education appealed to me after falling in love with teaching philosophy,” Greer-Travis added. “I also appreciate the social and political investigations that are investigated.”
He enrolled in UToledo’s philosophy of education doctoral program after meeting Dr. David Ragland, a UToledo alumnus and co-founder of the Truth Telling Project, an organization that works to represent the traditionally silenced during times of violence.
Greer-Travis
“I fell in love with learning after my experience as a graduate student in the philosophy master’s program at UToledo,” Greer-Travis said. “Also, as a lifelong learner and exposed to systemic injustices while a police officer in Detroit, I wanted to study the causes of the injustices I was exposed to on the job.”
At UToledo, he has published articles in peace education journals, presented at the Peace and Justice Studies Association conference and moderated a 2021 UToledo webinar on the physiological and psychological effects of systemic racism.
Dr. Dale Snauwaert, professor of peace studies and philosophy of education, has seen first-hand Greer-Travis’ perseverance and determination to reach his goals.
“Chitranjan is a wonderful student with a great passion for knowledge, in particular philosophical insights into ethics, knowledge, the nature of being and how those insights interface with educational theory,” Snauwaert said. “He has undergone a transformative journey in his life from a Detroit police officer to philosophy to peace educator. He has enormous potential and is becoming a powerful scholar and educator.”
Greer-Travis started the program in 2020, but decided to take two years off to navigate through financial struggles. In 2021, he was hired by UToledo’s College of Medicine and Life Sciences as a learning specialist, which helped him fund his education and continue his passion for helping others.
After graduation, Greer-Travis said he hopes to continue what he does now — helping students get the most out of their academic experiences.
“In my role as a learning specialist, I provide personalized academic support through individualized coaching sessions and facilitated workshops,” Greer-Travis said. “I hope to empower students to come up with effective strategies through reflection and dialogue.”
