Educators Who Score

At most athletics events, the athletes are the ones being cheered for their efforts, but on Feb. 16, the Titan women’s basketball team turned the tables to applaud faculty members for their “tremendous impact” on the lives of student-athletes.

Caption: Sophomore forward Mya Olivier

During the halftime in a contest with CSU Bakersfield, the court became a stage for welcoming the players’ classroom coaches. As the announcer spoke, each faculty member came to the court and was congratulated by Athletics Director Brian Quinn. Each also received a letter of appreciation from the basketball player who had nominated them for the public recognition.

Caption: Daniel Judelson, assistant professor of kinesiology

“The university places a high priority on the academic success of its student-athletes, and we felt it was important to honor the outstanding work that our faculty provides to them,” said Allyson Kelly, an athletics academic counselor who served as assistant coach to the women’s basketball team. “They make a tremendous impact on the lives of the student-athletes.”

Senior guard Lauren Chow nominated two faculty members, emphasizing their upbeat approach in the classroom and their success at making the material easy to remember. “I will probably owe him a lifetime of car washes by the time I finish the grad program. It’s a small price to pay!” she wrote about Lee E. Brown, professor of kinesiology. “Dr. (Daniel) Judelson makes class lively and easy to pay attention,” she commented about the assistant professor of kinesiology. “The energy he teaches with engages students to make an effort.”

Caption: Alex Thomas, sophomore guard

“As a health science major, the last class I was looking forward to taking was psychology. I had always thought it would be an overabundance of vocabulary and a plethora of unexciting information,” noted sophomore guard Alex Thomas about Craig Bowman, lecturer in psychology. “Dr. Bowman changed this perception for me. Each of his social psychology classes was engaging, entertaining, and surprisingly, humorous. I feel like I have gained a newfound knowledge that I will be able to apply in my everyday life.”

Chante Miles, a freshman guard, expressed reservations about writing papers, yet noted that the English course she took from lecturer Jai Hee Cho, “made me feel like I could write any paper, on any given topic. You gave me confidence to write. Now I feel extremely confident. Thank you and you are appreciated.”

Caption: Freshman guard/forward Kathleen Iwuoha

Fellow freshman Kathleen Iwuoha wrote in her letter to Courtney E. Cavanaugh, lecturer in human communication studies: “You have made an impact in my first year of college, with your positive attitude and the great amount of passion you have for teaching human communications. I wish I had the chance to say a proper 'thank you' in person for being such a fantastic professor. ”

“You opened my eyes to so many different ways of thinking and how I personally look on the world now,” wrote freshman forward/center Jessica Palmer of David Christian, a lecturer in women’s studies. “I will never forget what you told our class, ‘You should always love what you do; if you have to be woken up by your alarm clock, then you’re doing something wrong.’ It made me think hard about what I want to do with my life and how I love basketball. I just wanted to say ‘thank you’ for being an amazing teacher and an amazing person.”

Caption: Katrin Harich, professor of marketing

Katrin Harich, professor of marketing, was identified for how she connects marketing concepts to the real world. “I started recognizing marketing techniques at my basketball games and applying classroom concepts to the outside world I live in,” noted senior Megan Richardson, a guard on the Titan team. “Professor Harich really made her students feel like they were important, and she genuinely cared about how we did in her class.”

“I greatly enjoyed Dr. Dalley’s class, not necessarily for the material covered, but rather for her personality, her interest and investment in her students,” said junior forward/center Lauren Bushong of Lana Dalley, assistant professor of English, comparative literature and linguistics. “She did not see my being on the basketball team and missing an occasional class as a hindrance, but rather a cool part of me being a student at CSUF.”

Caption: Nicole Infante, assistant professor of mathematics

Freshman Chelsea Austin, who plays guard and forward positions, stressed the impact of history lecturer William Myer: “I have gone from not being aware of signs and clues of the impact of history to seeing how important history really is to the world, now and in the future. Thank you for this long-lasting life skill. You have helped build the foundation for improved academic achievement and success.”

Nicole Infante, assistant professor of mathematics, helped junior guard Alicya Crisp not only understand the subject matter but regain confidence in herself. “I was on the verge of hating math, until I was fortunate enough to get Professor Infante. Each day she would come to class excited to teach us. She made me feel comfortable to ask questions when I did not understand, and I never felt incompetent.”

Caption: Freshman forward/guard Natalie Williams

Freshman forward/guard Natalie Williams said the same thing about Huong Fletcher, lecturer in mathematics: “She helps students understand how the difficult subject of math works. If a person does not understand the formula in standard form, she takes the time out of the lesson to explain it by using examples from daily activities. She encourages every one of her students to come to her office if they have any problems with the lessons or if they have problems with their lives. If you are ever feeling down, she tries her best to put a smile on your face.”

Sophomore center Jasmine Grayson nominated art lecturer David Brokaw, noting that while his three-dimensional art class was challenging, “that’s what made it fun, as well. He was very mellow, always encouraging to all the students, easy to talk to and ask for help. I thank him for expanding my artistic eye and for being such a great teacher.”

Caption: Lenny D. Wiersma, professor of kinesiology

Virginia Mintzlaff, lecturer in psychology, inspired freshman guard Hailey King, who is considering a future in psychology. “I knew that if I ever had a question, a concern, or wanted to talk about her profession, I could always approach her. Her class was challenging; however, I learned a lot, and having to do research participation hours also helped to dabble in the field of psychology a little bit further.”

Mya Olivier, a sophomore who plays forward, also was inspired by her nominee: Lenny D. Wiersma, professor of kinesiology. “Your class helped me understand the basics of kinesiology and that made me realize that I was completely sure I wanted to do something in this area. Thank you for making this semester memorable.”

March 12, 2012