A little girl sticking cotton balls to the ceiling to make snow or a boy watching his brother head off to war – every professor makes Baker special by bringing different quirks to the classroom.
Assistant Professor of History Leonard Ortiz is teaching America in the 1960s this semester, which pleases students, however he almost lost the chance.
After finding out the class was going to be cut due to low enrollment, Ortiz did not want to let his students down and offered to teach the class without pay.
“There are moments in history that change society and change the world,” Ortiz said. “In the 1960s, there was more of an outpour of helping minorities and students were speaking out about an unjust war. There is also an attachment to that time with my brother going to Vietnam, and how it was a time of coming of age for me.”
Senior Austin Inzer said he likes the class for its content as well as Ortiz’ teaching style.
“We listen to music and watch movie clips to get into the ’60s mood,” Inzer said. “What makes Ortiz different is he lets us decide where the discussion goes in class and helps us to really get to know what the culture was like.”
Whether it is teaching people about hippies or even an interterm class, freshman Danielle Garcia thinks the way the subject matter is delivered is what makes learning fun.
This is why she enjoys Assistant Professor of Psychology Sara Crump’s teaching style.
“I had Dr. Crump for Social Psychology and interterm this year,” Garcia said. “I enjoyed being in her classes because she has a laid back teaching style and can make even the most mundane subjects exciting.”
Something that may be exciting but difficult for some students is taking an art class. However, when Professor of Art Inge Balch teaches a class, she tries to ensure each student opens up and realizes how creative he or she is.
At the end of the day, this is enough of a reward for her.
“To me everyone is creative and it is my job to help open them up and realize how creative they really are,” Balch said. “The most rewarding part of teaching is when you see a student take risks and enjoying something they never thought they would.”
Enjoying classes taught by Assistant Professor of Sociology Jacob Bucher is not a problem for sophomore Iliana Krehbiel, because to her they are some of the best classes she has ever taken in her educational career.
“Dr. Bucher is one of my favorite professors because the best classes I have taken in my life were from him,” she said. “Sociology is about life and how what we do affects others. He makes it really interesting and makes you think.”
Teaching can be a time consuming job, especially for Adjunct Instructor of English Marti Mihalyi, who spent most of her life convinced she would never become a teacher.
Now she is balancing two jobs between Baker and the University of Kansas and teaching a night class. Mihalyi makes sure she is always there for her students and even offers to meet with them on Sundays to discuss their classes.
“Teaching at two universities is a juggling act, but when I took on a second job I wanted to make sure Baker students would still be my first priority,” Mihalyi said. “The hardest part is when I have four different class assignments going on and when the two universities are on different academic calendars. But it is the love of teaching that keeps me going.”
