Classes and Professors
It’s always nice to be recognized. It’s even nicer to be recognized in a positive light. But to have that happen 3 times in the space of 4 days is just the perfect storm for the ultimate ego-boost. The number one reason I chose to come to Saint Leo, above the near-perfect year-round weather, and even above the awesome scholarships I was given was the feeling that Saint Leo offers personalized education. For me, when I feel like my professors are invested in my success, I take my course work more seriously and give it my all.
This week was the first week of classes for Fall semester, and on Tuesday I walked into my Calculus class room and took a seat. A few seconds later, my professor walked into the room and looked around until her eyes stopped on me. It took a split-second but suddenly her face lit up and she came over to where I was seated and said “Jonathan!! Oh my goodness you’re back!! We missed you!” We talked for a few minutes about my experience over the last 2 years and she wished me luck with the semester ahead.
If that wasn’t enough to make me feel fantastic and motivated to kick academic butt this semester, a few minutes later on my way down the stairs I ran into my old Chemistry professor who instantly recognized me and said “Mr. Warner! Welcome back!” I went home that day feeling like I had made one of the best decisions of my life to come back to Saint Leo. The feeling was cemented a few days later when my Mycology professor, who I had a few years earlier for Zoology and Botany labs, took me aside in class and said “Jonathan I got so excited when I saw your name on the class roster for Mycology this semester! I’m glad you’re back.”
This is without a doubt what I love the most about going to school here. My professors all absolutely love what they’re doing. They all love to teach, and will do whatever it takes to get us to understand course concepts. Especially when it comes to keeping us interested in the material, every single one of my professors has at one point shown me how what we’re learning relates to medicine and pharmacy. I love that they all take the time to learn about each of us, and tailor the course to grab our attention and foster a real interest in learning. I think that approach to teaching gets me to learn so much more than I would (or did) in classes at a school that takes a generic, cookie-cutter approach to teaching. I really wish I recognized how important this is 2 years ago, but what’s in the past is in the past, and I think that experiencing what I have has made me so more appreciative of the effort each of my professors puts into getting to know me and really personalizing my education. It’s so nice. Trust me.
