As I sit and reflect on my undergraduate experience, I think about all of the exceptional people that I have had the pleasure of meeting.
From acquaintances made in the classroom to lifelong friends I made through living arrangements, each has impacted my life to some degree. However, no group of people has had as much influence on me as my professors.
Considering the amount of time and work that professors put into leading a class, I believe they are under-appreciated. They’re far more likely to hear when their performance is inadequate than when they are performing well.
For instance, I can recall many a hand raised in class, followed by a complaint regarding the difficulty of an assignment or a deadline, but not a single bit of praise for their hard work or adept attention to student needs.
This pressing issue has resulted in my wish to occupy this space with my appreciation for five School of Management professors that have had the greatest impact on me, both in and out of the classroom.
While changing my career path in the penultimate semester of my undergraduate studies was a product of many factors, I would also like to credit these professors for influencing my decision.
My decision, that is, to pursue a career in academia and become a professor.
So here are a few words from student to professor:
Shelley Dionne: While I never had the pleasure of learning from you in the classroom, I recognize my few interactions with you as just as valuable. Thank you for speaking to me about my career path and exposing me to doctoral students. You were the first person to hold my hand and truly pull me into the world of academia.
Ali Yayla: I enjoyed both of your classes more than I can express. You opened my eyes to a subject area beyond my major — a subject that is now one of my central priorities. Thank you for displaying a value that all professors should hold: equality amongst students and teachers.
Rui Huang: Your specialized attention to each student impresses me and is unlike any other professor’s who I have known. You know every student’s name by the second day of class and keep a memory of their performance as well. I enjoyed your class and would like to thank you for challenging me to think creatively. A professor is one of the most beautiful occupations, and you do it justice.
Surinder Kahai: You are a tremendous teacher, the one professor who could significantly stimulate my intellectual curiosity. It was in your classroom that I first recall saying the phrase, “I think I want to be a professor,” which likely was not a coincidence. Thank you for inspiring me.
Danielle Dunne: This column could have been entirely devoted to my appreciation for you. Hearing you speak at Spotlight on SOM persuaded me to take your class. I went in with high expectations and all were exceeded. Your class helped me grow at a time when I needed to grow the most. Thank you for being a role model and I’m lucky to have met you. May Fordham students appreciate you as much as I do. Binghamton will miss you.
Thank you to these five professors for having a very real impact on me. It is my hope to influence other students to always express their gratitude to their professors. If you appreciate your professors, you should tell them. If you liked their class and learned something new, you should let them know.
That is the message I choose to leave as I now begin my journey from student to professor.