This was also one of the first algorithms I had to implement in university. It's really great to teach about dynamic programming / recursion and how different approaches to a problem can have vastly different outcomes. And the result is great and visual.. unlike most of the early algorithms you learn like sorting algs.
Any thoughts on that course, if you've taken it?
I really enjoyed it. I liked the style, presentation, and the projects. Sedgwick clearly knows his stuff. The textbook is a classic, and the "booksite" is crammed with extra stuff.