Bob Irby is a Baker alumnus who graduated in 1964 and since then has been teaching mathematics in Minnesota. Irby has generously supported Baker University for many years and has been trying to find a way to ensure his contributions have a meaningful impact to the institution.

“The word ‘vibrant’ in this project is important, it means you’re striving. You’re not satisfied with where you are right now, so I see an attitude emerging that I would like to encourage on both sides of the coin, instructors and students striving to be involved in their classwork,” Irby said.

“Mr. Irby’s donation is a project and then there are awards that are given,” Dr. Tamara Slankard, who is an English professor and works in advancement, said. “He really wants to reward good teaching but also inspire good teachers to think more creatively about how it might impact students because he really likes to see that kind of student-teacher interaction, and see students invested.”

Dr. Slankard has had the opportunity to get to work with Mr. Irby and choose the recipients who receive Mr. Irby’s award. The recipients who were awarded this year are Professor Nwanakwere, Professor Behrendt, Professor Im-Iam, Professor Belt, and Dr. Watson. Most of them are young or new professors who all teach in different areas at Baker.

“I love that we have brand new faculty who are taking advantage of this opportunity, and that we are not only supporting the sciences, but humanities, and arts program as well,” Slankard said.

The recipients who won the award all plan to use it for ways to get students engaged.

“My Theater 145 class is the base level in teaching basic scenic construction and basic cost construction, but what I am doing this time around is a project called a sonography plus project,” said Theater Professor Trevor Belt. “It used to be designing sets for the theater, but we live in a world where you have to diversify and work in many mediums, which can now be theme parks, Kanye’s world tour, and more. I give my students a play to design in a traditional sense, but they have to take it a step further by doing a theme park.”

Thanks to Bob Irby’s generosity, he is leaving a long-lasting impact on Baker University through rewarding innovative teaching and significant student-teacher interactions and creating a more vibrant and engaged learning environment. Bob Irby giving back to Baker University was inspired by his own experience here at Baker as a student.

“I remember in math class our teacher said, ‘a million people may have done this problem before you, but when you’re in front of the class presenting, it’s your problem, meaning you have to be prepared to answer the questions of your students, and students have to be prepared to answer questions from the instructor,'” said Irby. “I look back at that professor that made me interact, that was what made a difference.”