The Positive Impact of a Professor

Today is May 10, 2022. As of Sunday, May 9, I am an official alumna of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Wow, does that feel good to write; I have to admit I am glad to have 17 years of school behind me. For those that know me, this is most certainly not the end of learning for me. As Henry Ford put it, “anyone who stops learning is old, whether at twenty or eighty. Anyone who keeps learning stays young”. Before you say anything, yes, I purposefully included that quote because I do feel slightly old.

When I think about my time at Carolina, it is the people that surrounded me who made this place so special. In this edition of Streaming Consciousness, I want to write a letter to the professors that made this journey all the better, who made me who I am and gave me the skills to succeed. I do not think we give professors enough credit, especially the good ones. 

I want to start where it all began: Professor Charles Szypszak. Picture first year Lia, eager to learn and a bit naive going to her 8 am on her first day of college. She did not know it, but Professor Szypszak was going to change the course of her entire college career. Professor Szypszak was tough and expected a lot from us. The class was Poli 75, a first-year seminar titled “Thinking about law”. We were challenged by reading and discussing elaborate cases and learning legal writing. Our first assignment was a legal citation activity. As he explained what we needed to do, he also told us that he gave his graduate students the same task. Of all the college assignments, it stood out to me more than others. I learned an extremely valuable lesson within this: do not be held down by expectations. Yes, graduate students should have more knowledge and experience to complete the assignment, but why couldn’t we do it? My classmates and I worked incredibly hard on the assignment because we had something to prove. After grading the assignment, he reported back to our class about how we performed against the grad students: we did better. It was our drive and maybe even lack of confidence that helped us in the end. First-year seminars are meant to be easy classes that help ease your workload while adjusting to college. Even though I signed up for the class to take what I thought would be an easy class I was interested in, I got something far more significant. I learned the tough lessons of showing up over-prepared for class, how to read in college, how to write in-depth and adequately cited papers, and not to be defined by the parameters others set you in. He helped us build the foundations we needed to succeed during our college careers and beyond. When I approach a task I feel I am underqualified for, I think back to his confidence in us and how hard he pushed us. He taught us we had to level the playing field and keep learning.

In the fall of 2020, I took a class called “Intro to Digital Storytelling” with Professor Nazanin B. Knudsen. It was a required course for my major, and I was excited to learn more about video editing. I did not realize how much this class would impact me, especially since I use things we learned in that class daily for my current job. It is remarkable to think about all the skills we were exposed to in just a semester. We learned about the basic principles of video, sound and editing. I had not used Adobe Premiere before the class, and it was intimidating at first glance. I had dabbled in iMovie just for fun, but nothing to the caliber that we were expected to do. I can remember many Zoom classes where Professor Knudsen showed us how to use tools or answer specific questions we had as we were editing something. We analyzed color and sound to understand how they impact a story. I still think about how we approached things in class when I am editing today. I am tasked with creating short stories that capture and bring our brand to life in my current role. Funny enough, I still even use the microphone and tripod that we got for class because they work so well. As if everything we learned about film and storytelling wasn’t enough, we also built portfolio sites to house all of the work we did and learned simple HTML coding to do so. Truthfully, I don’t know if I would have spent so much time and effort learning HTML and WordPress if it had not been for this class. I am so thankful that I did, though. Since then, I have expanded my site and continued to update it with new features to reflect my current endeavors. Professor Knudsen was incredible because she made all of these skills so much more approachable, encouraged us to keep learning and she herself was an accomplished filmmaker. 

That same semester, I also took “Advertising/Public Relations Research” with Professor Jaz Gray. It was in this class that I found my love of data and analytics. Over the course of the semester, we were tasked with researching a single company and social issue. I was lucky enough that I had a fantastic group, and we decided to examine how Patagonia could use environmentalism in marketing efforts to increase sales and justify pricing. I myself am a Patagonia consumer and admire the brand, so it was exciting to explore something I am passionate about. Plus, it allowed me to experience having to remove my own biases about the brand and its audience since I was included in this pool. The class structure was so engaging because we would learn about a research method and then conduct it for our project. The research findings were fascinating because they showed that as much as people want to care about the environment, it cannot be the sole selling point. I love to bring it up in conversations about consumer behavior and attitudes. I would be remiss if I didn’t discuss another reason why Professor Gray was so extraordinary; she taught me way more than just major-related content; she taught me about compassion. Professor Gray knew that everyone was struggling during the pandemic, ourselves included. She created a space where I felt comfortable being myself and showing up as I was that day. It was not easy to create that kind of environment via Zoom, but she was candid with us, and it made all the difference. We had deadlines and challenging projects, but she recognized that we are not just students; we are people. If something was going on, we could tell her. Kindness goes a long way. So, thank you for cultivating my love of data and for your compassion.

There are some professors that are simply captivating; Dr. Barbara Friedman is one of them. I had the pleasure of taking two classes with Dr. Friedman: “Media Literacy” and “Gender, Class, Race and Mass Media”. These two classes completely changed how I consume and analyze media. From our readings and assignments to thought-provoking discussions, I think Dr. Friedman changed my perspective on the media completely. As someone who works in a field where I create content that people consume, and I am a consumer myself, the concepts we learned in class shape how I approach such a saturated marketplace of ideas. I was so glad that I took a second class with her because we had enlightening conversations about feminism and how the media portrays women’s anger. She had such a fun way of lecturing because she would incorporate current, everyday topics into class like television shows or movies, even Taylor Swift. I have to admit I was not the best at going to office hours throughout my college career, but I went to Dr. Friedman’s as much as I could. When we had upcoming papers or assignments, I loved talking through my ideas with her and getting her thoughts. I really admire Dr. Friedman for all of her professional accomplishments and the work she is currently doing. She is so passionate about the subject matter, and it is evident that she loves teaching because she is incredibly warm. Dr. Friedman was a rare example of someone you can learn from and really connect with on a more personal level.

My next thank you is to Dr. Soren Palmer. English 129, “Literature and Cultural Diversity”, was a life-changing class. Throughout the semester, we read a variety of literature – short stories, essays, novels – that examined cultural diversity in America. I have to applaud Dr. Palmer for choosing a variety of perspectives and cultures to represent in this class. Maxine Hong Kingston’s “Woman Warrior” and Ta-Nehisi Coates’ “Between the World and Me” are two novels that will stick with me forever. My favorite thing about Dr. Palmer’s class was Dr. Palmer’s sincerity. Our class was based on class discussions, and he made everyone participate. His class easily was the best class I have taken via Zoom and one that I genuinely looked forward to. With such a sensitive subject matter and the state of the world, Dr. Palmer was able to facilitate meaningful and thought-provoking discussions. It takes a special person to be able to amplify the voices of others and create a space for people to share and feel heard. Dr. Palmer had a candidness about him that made the things he said more powerful because you knew it was what he meant. This trait was less endearing when he graded my papers, but my writing grew tremendously over the semester. As much as Dr. Palmer challenged us academically, he saw us as people with lived experiences that contributed to how we view the world and each other. He often said that he learned as much from us as we did from him. I am not sure how meaningful the things he learned from us always were since one of my vivid memories was us telling him about Megan Thee Stallion after her SNL performance. I cannot thank you enough for how much you taught me about the world, my writing and myself. 

My next thank you goes to Professor Livis Freeman; he is the true embodiment of a Tar Heel, and that is why he is a fantastic professor. If you ask anyone in the media and journalism school who they would recommend taking a class with, Professor Freeman’s name is always on the list. I had the pleasure of taking Public Relations Campaigns with Professor Freeman, and it was one of the most enjoyable experiences. We were tasked to work with an external client, the Adams School of Dentistry, to devise a custom marketing and public relations campaign for its unique needs. Along with a multitude of lessons I learned about managing a client and working as a team, I also learned a lot about dentistry. In all seriousness, though, I understand entirely why Livis Freeman is so highly regarded. Graduating from UNC in 1999, Professor Freeman was a self-proclaimed poor student. He was being humble since he was able to get in and finish, but I think he was making a more significant point not to be confined by your past. His experiences as a student at Carolina have molded him into the person and professor he is today. He is incredibly thoughtful about his students as individuals and as people. I learned everything I needed to know about Professor Freeman from what he told us the first few days of class. His mom was a teacher, and you could tell by the way he talks about her that she is his hero. I genuinely believe that he teaches the way he does to make her proud. He also showed another side to himself when he spoke about his community and public relations company. Founded in 2001, 4ourFans, Inc. helps professional athletes create their charitable identities to give back to their communities. Of course, with this kind of work, Professor Freeman has so many cool stories about working with some serious legends, but when he talks about them, it is always about how they found their passion or what they did to give back. As accomplished as Professor Freeman is, he never takes himself too seriously. I will never forget when he walked into class with an elaborate lightsaber and proceeded to let all of us hold it and wave it around to hear the built-in sound effects. We did better work because we were in an environment where we could be ourselves. The people in that class wanted to be there because of him. So, thank you, Professor Freeman, for teaching me to be myself, for the incredible experiences, the great advice and the confidence you instilled in us.

My next thank you goes to Professor Livis Freeman; he is the true embodiment of a Tar Heel, and that is why he is a fantastic professor. If you ask anyone in the media and journalism school who they would recommend taking a class with, Professor Freeman’s name is always on the list. I had the pleasure of taking Public Relations Campaigns with Professor Freeman, and it was one of the most enjoyable experiences. We were tasked to work with an external client, the Adams School of Dentistry, to devise a custom marketing and public relations campaign for its unique needs. Along with a multitude of lessons I learned about managing a client and working as a team, I also learned a lot about dentistry. In all seriousness, though, I understand entirely why Livis Freeman is so highly regarded. Graduating from UNC in 1999, Professor Freeman was a self-proclaimed poor student. He was being humble since he was able to get in and finish, but I think he was making a more significant point not to be confined by your past. His experiences as a student at Carolina have molded him into the person and professor he is today. He is incredibly thoughtful about his students as individuals and as people. I learned everything I needed to know about Professor Freeman from what he told us the first few days of class. His mom was a teacher, and you could tell by the way he talks about her that she is his hero. I genuinely believe that he teaches the way he does to make her proud. He also showed another side to himself when he spoke about his community and public relations company. Founded in 2001, 4ourFans, Inc. helps professional athletes create their charitable identities to give back to their communities. Of course, with this kind of work, Professor Freeman has so many cool stories about working with some serious legends, but when he talks about them, it is always about how they found their passion or what they did to give back. As accomplished as Professor Freeman is, he never takes himself too seriously. I will never forget when he walked into class with an elaborate lightsaber and proceeded to let all of us hold it and wave it around to hear the built-in sound effects. We did better work because we were in an environment where we could be ourselves. The people in that class wanted to be there because of him. So, thank you, Professor Freeman, for teaching me to be myself, for the incredible experiences, the great advice and the confidence you instilled in us.

In my final year of college, I wanted to challenge myself and take courses that were relevant to my field of study but were areas I wanted to grow in. I decided to take “Presentation Design” with Lisa Villami because I wanted to get a formal foundation in graphic design. I love the quote by Eleanor Roosevelt: “Do one thing every day that scares you. Those small things that make us uncomfortable help us build courage to do the work we do”. Presentation design was the one thing I was doing every day that scared me, but Professor Villami created a place where I could find comfort in the uncomfortable. She wanted us to take risks and try new things; for our second project, we had to have a monochrome color scheme and create an infographic. I chose to use red and do mine on Covid vaccinations in North Carolina. In the first draft, she told me it was a considerable risk choosing red since it was often associated with fear and hard to work with. When I presented the final draft, she told the class she had warned me about the red, but she was glad I stuck with my original vision because it worked for the ultimate goal. That moment stuck with me because very few professors would publicly say that so comfortably, and she praised me for the risk. It meant so much more because of how much time and effort I put into the design for myself and to impress her. I wanted to grow and knew that practice was the only way to do that. I also did one of my favorite projects during my time in college in her class. Our assignment was to create a 30-second long commercial for a brand of our choice. I decided to challenge myself and create an ad for Mercedes-Benz. I would never have had the confidence to try something like this without her support, and I am incredibly proud of the work I produced for her class. In combination with how inspiring the work was, Lisa Villami herself is someone special. For our final, we went to a local coffee shop and shared our work. There was a table of us there, and we talked about our aspirations for the future. She painted us a more detailed picture of how she navigated her career and what she learned from the journey along the way. There was a look in her eyes that just told me that she was excited to watch us grow into our professional careers. Thank you for believing in me and challenging me.

I purposefully saved this thank you for last. While debating going into law, I took an English class entitled “Literature and Law”. In this class, we read a court case and a play that corresponded with the issue in the case. I absolutely loved the content of the course, but I think a huge part of why this was one of my favorite classes was because of Dr. Jennifer Larson. One of the reasons Dr. Larson’s classes were so notable was because she has a unique way of teaching; rather than lecture, Dr. Larson created groups that we worked in all semester. As a cohort, we became proficient in one niche topic that was a part of the course; we then created a lesson plan and taught that concept to the class. She was the only professor with such a collaborative and peer-focused classroom style. It was a great way to teach public speaking and presenting, increase participation and get diverse viewpoints. Looking back on this, I think it created a dynamic where I felt like my classmates, and I could leverage each other’s experiences the most and had something to contribute to the conversation. But, it was more than just what she taught or how she taught. I cannot put into words what Dr. Larson has done for me and how much she shaped my college experience. Once I had gotten more settled after coming to college and had to think about what I wanted to major in, I knew I wanted to stay far away from English, feeling like I had written enough for one lifetime after taking AP literature and AP language. Stubbornly, I just wanted to get through the core requirement of English 105 and use the Literature and Law course to count for various general education requirements since it intrigued me. I was wrong, thinking that would be the last of my English classes. Dr. Larson kept mentioning at least trying the English minor since it was only five classes. Since I enjoyed her as a professor so much, I told her I would think about it. The following semester, she helped me get into another course she taught, “Film and Culture”. It was equally as enjoyable for me, and I always looked forward to her classes. She ultimately convinced me to be an English minor and gave me immense confidence in my writing abilities. She reminded me of my love of reading and writing, which I had lost over the years of trying to meet a deadline or fulfill a page requirement. All it took was her having a vested interest in my success, and it changed my path. I really don’t think I would have started writing a blog without her because I would have never felt like my writing was sufficient enough to withstand the public scrutiny of my peers. I also would not have minored in English and taken so many classes that I look back on fondly now, so thank you, Dr. Larson. My hope is that every student gets the opportunity at some point in their academic career to have a Dr. Larson.