Tuesday, May 6, 2014

Teacher Appreciation

Photo: Our graduating brothers....going to miss you!
DSP Seniors with our Chapter Adviser, Turner White

Last week was our "very last" of several different events- Senate meeting, DSP meeting, and Senate Bingo (also Wednesday night class, but that's not as sad).  At our last DSP meeting, all of the seniors received graduation cords and roses.  At this time, the seniors always give a short speech to talk about their experience at DSP and pass on their "words of wisdom" to the younger students.  As I've spent three years watching the previous seniors give these talks, I was very excited to do the same as a senior myself.  However, as I began to talk about the professors and the opportunities that Rockhurst had provided me over the past several years, I got choked up.  Tears may not have fallen, but it was obvious that I was emotional!  It seems that every opportunity I have had in recent years been hugely impacted or made possible by professors being devoted to their students.  Having that kind of devotion has been so important to my positive college experience that its hard to believe that students even consider going to the larger schools that have a much larger student-to-faculty ratio. 

I recently learned that today is Teacher Appreciation Day (thank you Facebook).  So this blog post is a solid THANK YOU to all of the professors in college and the teachers and mentors throughout high school and younger.  Its unbelievable to think about how many students some of these teachers have influenced in their careers (many teaching for more than 40 years).  From the student aides, staff, and every person who influences students throughout the years, I know that every mentor wishes the best for students and has done so much to positively influence our futures.