I recently said I’d be sharing reasons that I like going to a small school. The first installment: Relationships with faculty/staff.
Going to a small school means one big thing; I’m not a number. This give me an incredible opportunity to have personal relationships with many of my professors and other staff members. I love this about going to Howard Payne. Here’s a couple examples:
1) I took a second job this semester filming for the football team. This requires that I film practices, and one of my professors was kind enough to let me leave class early on Tuesday and Thursday as long as I come in for an hour another day of the week. More than being willing to do that, I look forward to it. It’s one of my favorite parts of the week. We spend part of the time discussing what I missed in class, but then we move on to whatever may be going on in the news, or in the book world, or one of our (mostly my) lives. It’s great.
2) I had a professor my first semester who I really connected with over our appreciation for technology. I haven’t had a class with her since, but anytime we happen to pass each other, we stop and spend at least ten minutes talking. She likes to keep up with what I do via Facebook and twitter, and is always asking for updates on things she may have seen weeks ago. She’s genuinely interested in what goes on in my life.
3) I’m fortunate enough to have my advisor as one of my professors. More than anywhere else, this is where not being a number is really nice. At least once a week I’ve got a question for him that keeps us talking for at least 20 minutes, and he’s more than happy to accommodate. As my advisor, he knows what classes I’m in, and asks how they’re going. He knows what I need to take next and what I need to plan on taking in the future. It’s an incredibly reassuring feeling.
4) The other day I was sitting outside Fambrough’s (“Sports Grill” on campus) with my fiancé and some friends, and the president of the university happened to walk by. It would have been incredibly easy for him to say hello and move on, but he sat down. He just sat down and talked with, and even joked around a bit, with us. It was tons of fun. Does he know who I (we) are? Maybe, maybe not. The fact is, he took 5 minutes out of his time to sit with us and just chat it up a bit. It was fun, and increased my respect for him.
5) My RD is the coolest. I mean that. He’s always got a minute to listen and give some advice. Plus he’s tons of fun to hang out with. One of my favorite things to do is just go sit in his office and hang out during some down time, because I know i’m going to have a few laughs while talking to him. I’ve met few people who genuinely care for college age folks as this guy, and that shows in all he does.
So. Those are just a few ways that the faculty/staff experience here is really neat. I know I don’t have the perspective of having experienced a big school, but people I know who have have said multiple times that sometimes at a bigger university you sacrifice those things, and get lost in a sea of people. I didn’t want that in my college experience, so I never even considered a big school. I’m thankful for my experience here with faculty and staff members. I’m glad about my decision.
Grace & Peace,
Stippick
