To my favorite professor,

Every now and again we come across an instructor, teacher, or professor who can change the way we think. When I think of that person who made me look forward to going to class every day or a person who changed the way I felt about school, I think of you.

Whether it's helping us learn more about the subject or to look at learning overall differently, it's rare to find someone who can make a difference in a student's education. Not only do you make class enjoyable, you have made my college experience more enjoyable. And as my senior year is rolling by, I wanted to say "thank you."

Thank you for not making me feel like an idiot. I have learned to come to terms with the things I don't understand and because of you, I am not afraid to raise my hand in front of the entire class and say, "I don't really get this." You make me feel smart for being honest about not understanding something. Thank you for not rolling your eyes and briefly explaining it the same way. Thank you for changing the way you explained it in simpler terms. And thank you for offering up an hour of your day to help me master it.

Thank you for being patient with me. I am a bit of a procrastinator but I always try to get my work done on time. Thank you for giving me the extensions when I didn't quite feel like my work was perfect enough. And thank you for letting me turn in 18 drafts of my paper before submitting the final. Thank you for actually reading every draft and giving me feedback, which is above and beyond your duties.

Notifying me about a scholarship opportunity or a cool career option is something not every professor is required to do. It's something you do because you know me well enough to care about my interests, my goals, and my dreams. I appreciate that you remember those little things I tell you and bring them up months later. Sometimes, I won't remember I told you things, and you remind me several weeks later with a, "I remember you told me you were interested in..."

Thank you for going above and beyond your duties by talking about life with me and not just what we learned in chapter three and I can apply what I have learned to my life. I appreciate taking a break from all the stress to laugh about you and talk about what else is going on in our lives.

I wish that everyone could have a professor like you. I wish that everyone had a professor that actually cares about their future and cares about their success. My GPA has gotten better because you make me want to show up to class prepared, with the readings done and the homework done with effort. You make me remember to put my future first, and not my friend's wild Wednesday night birthday party.

You remind me that even when I feel like I am a failure and that everything is going wrong, that I am a smart, young woman and that the world is mine. You remind me that I have done great things here and I will continue to do great things in the future. And for that, I am eternally grateful.