Many people in our lives have influence on us, whether it is through authority or our own admiration. When we were young, our parents influenced us and as we got older, our friends held a stronger influence in our lives. As we continue to grow and learn, the people in our lives that enlighten us become most influential. Lucky for UW-La Crosse students, inspiring professors are all around, teaching various courses.
A junior psychology student described her most influential professor as having a good balance between pushing and supporting her students. “Dr. Cary gives the students an opportunity to study what interests them, while also giving them help along the way.” Dr. Cary is a member of the Psychology Department at UW-L. She specializes in cognitive psychology with emphases in strategy selection, problem solving and memory aids. She currently teaches a variety of psych courses: General Psychology, Experimental Psychology, Cognitive Processes and Psychology of Language.
Dr. Jennifer Mohlenhoff-Bagget, an English professor, was influential to UW-L sophomore, Andrew Vanden-Boogaard. He says, “She challenged me to look at creative writing in a different light and truly believe that writing is worthwhile!” Dr. Mohlenhoff-Bagget currently teaches College Writing and Modern Languages. Her research specialties include pedagogy of teaching composition and integrating creative writing into traditional composition courses.
Macy Paul, a UW-L sophomore says she’s been lucky enough to have both Dr. Jo Arney and Dr. Jeremy Arney. They are husband and wife who both teach Political Science and Public Administration courses. Paul says, “They teach you real life skills that you can take away and offer great advice on everything.” Dr. Jo Arney specializes in environmental policy and scholarship of teaching and learning, while her husband, Dr. Jeremy Arney has emphases in collective action and social justice. Although they teach different types of courses, Paul agrees that both professors “Really want to see kids succeed.”
A professor who goes out of their way for their students is one worth mentioning. This is what senior Sarah Zahirudin found in her Organic Chemistry professor, Dr. Schenck. We all know that O-Chem is not a favorite of most, but Zahirudin said, “She is accepting of students’ backgrounds and really goes out of her way to help her students with the material.” Zahirudin also mentioned that Dr. Schenck is receptive and embraces diversity, especially for those students with learning disabilities. Along with Organic Chemistry, Dr. Schenck teaches Spectroscopy and researches in anti-tumor drugs, NMR spectroscopy and synthetic siderophores.
Many students have had similar experiences with inspiring professors across campus. It is important to take a moment to reflect on and thank these people in our lives for shedding light on new ways of thinking. If you haven’t found your “most influential UW-L professor” yet, don’t worry, they are out there!