Think about the first person in a learning environment that really inspired you. There are a ton of professors at the University of Georgia that challenge and inspire students, and these are just a few. All of these professors care about their students' education and want them to succeed, but there is something about them that has made them stand out in a unique way. Registration is starting soon. These are the professors you should aim for.
1. Carolina Acosta-Alzuru – If you need proof that Dr. A is an expert in her trade, just look up her books. Plural. She teaches PR strategies, but I had her for her special telenovelas class and you wouldn’t believe me if I told you how much there is to know about Spanish melodramatic television. All I can say is Dr. A’s passion for what she does ignites something within you and emboldens you to become an expert for yourself. Not to mention she has all of her classes over to her house for pizza at the end of the semester.
2. Vicki Michaelis – Whether you can analyze game stats like a pro, or just want to learn a little about how sports have affected culture, you have to check out Michaelis’ sports, media, and society class. Michaelis is incredibly engaging, despite the fact that the 150-person lecture is always full. She makes sports relevant to everyday life and she tells great stories about covering the Olympics for USA Today. I’m telling you, she knows her stuff.
3. David Berle – Raise your hand if you know anything about horticulture. Yeah, me either, until I took Berle’s class. I’d be lying if I said every lecture was riveting, but believe me, Berle’s corn puns are worth it all. And as a bonus, the last day of class is a pot luck. With real food.
4. Melissa Kozak – Human sexuality may not be on everyone’s class wish-list, but if you do decide to venture into that realm, take Kozak. She’s quirky and funny and rides her bike to school like the legit hipster that she is. She’s relatable and makes the material feel relevant.
5. Jim Stringham – Stringham teaches psychology in a way that will make you laugh, but you'll also probably get an A. As in, you learn a lot because you’re having fun. He may bring a guitar to class and serenade you, which is only made better by the fact that his chili pepper on Rate My Professor is literally on fire. Go see for yourself.
6. Robert Foster – Dr. Foster teaches religion. Before you roll your eyes, he’s not going to slap you in the face with his beliefs every day. Quite the contrary. He’s incredibly respectful of his students. He asks students to step out of their comfort zones and strengthen their own faith through learning about others.
7. Yan Jin – Most of the time the phrase “quality over quantity” doesn’t apply to college classes. However, Professor Jin for PR research is known for valuing the process and understanding that truly grasping the subject matter is sometimes better than getting through the whole textbook. She takes the time to really dive into the material and make sure it’s sinking in before she moves on. You know, so you actually learn instead of just memorizing.
8. Ben Whipple – Dr. Whipple teaches in Terry and I know what you’re thinking, “I am never going to have intermediate accounting.” That may be true for some of you, but for those who have embraced the accountant’s fate, Whipple is the man. He starts each day with a pep talk (which we all know you accountants need) and walks around the room greeting students. If you go to his office, he may spend three hours talking about great camping spots out west. He did his undergrad in Utah and has an affinity for hiking. You’re welcome for the talking points.
9. Nathan Jenkins – For the more exercise science-minded people, we have Jenkins. Every part of his class is an interactive experiment, how fun does that sound? If you’ve seen the kids on the UGA Snapchat story doing push-ups in class, that’s him. He calls every quiz a game day, preparing you for your national championship, the final. Go Dawgs, amiright?
10. John Ross – We have another Spanish-speaker in the mix. Although missing a homework assignment “es fatal,” Dr. Ross is incredibly laid back. He reminds the students constantly throughout the semester how important their success is to him and the man’s political ideas are almost as impressive as the amount of facts he can spew about Latin American countries. John Ross for President 2016.
