Rate your professors: Yay, nay, oi vey!
By: Akbar Reid
Staff Writer
Over 500 courses are offered at Hudson Valley Community College, but which classes are most enjoyable, helpful and which professors changed students’ perspective?
“I’ll never forget professor William J. Wohlleber until I die,” Travis Edwards, computer science student, said about his Programming and Logic course instructor.
“To be introduced to the world of programing, it is getting into a whole new world,” Edwards stated. “The teachers were really good at explaining it all [and] it made it that much easier to realize ‘[I] can do this.’”
In terms of class enrollment, Dennis Kennedy, Executive Director of Marketing and Communications, reported that English Composition ranks as the class with the highest enrollment at Hudson Valley Community College. Psychology was another high-enrollment class at the school.
English Composition being a required credit may have an impact on that statistic. But what classes do students find themselves growing in the most?
Haley Cody, a human services major, explained why she loved her Human Sexuality course with professor Ann Ruecker. “[Our professor] challenged the way we thought about the topic, and to think about where our views were before [her class] and after [the course],” Cody said.
Cody found that her professor was very engaged. “[We learned] about social and cultural views in sexuality and how they differ, and it was very interesting,” Cody continued.
What makes a course good?
To computer science student, Kunyuan Liu, Creative Writing with professor Julie Hecht was not only a required credit, but also her favorite course. “I like writing [my own poems and] I [enjoy] poetry and literature,” Liu explained. “[My] professor’s really nice.”
Karen Broderick, digital media, loved Two-Dimensional Design. Broderick reasoned, “[Two-Dimensional Design allowed me to] learn more about my degree – and be able to [piece] the finer details,” she said.
Engineering science student, Stacey Vanier, argued that for similar reasons Organic Chemistry is her top pick. “[Organic] helps [me with] all my other courses. [The course] covers the fundamentals,” Vanier explained.
In contrast, biological sciences student, Zahed Barak, claimed that Organic Chemistry and Physics fell flat whereas Biology was more dynamic.
“With biology you get [to argue and elaborate], you get to say ‘Well hey what about the liver, or ‘Oh wow what else could it do?’ [You] give your own input as opposed to Organic Chemistry [and] physics where it is like ‘this is the answer,’” Barak stated.
Autumn Reichett, a physical education major, favored Elementary and Secondary Games.
“I’m a phys ed major, and [this class] gets us actually ready for the work world, and coach Wimmer is the best teacher for that,” Reichett said. “Once you leave her class, you actually have a portfolio of phys ed lessons to go out with.”
PrincessSameerah Shabazz, a biology major, loved calculus with Professor Walton Yoder.
“It’s more hands on since it’s a hybrid class,” Shabazz said. “Lectures are online and then we get to work in class. We all work together to solve problems. It’s just easier.”
“It’s more flexible with your personal schedule, and it also gives you the opportunity to go back and rewatch lessons,” Shabazz said. “If you don’t get something you can just go back a look at it,” she said. ‘“It gives you that nice flexibility.”
Digital arts student, Eric Gonzalez, enjoyed his photography class the most.
“I take pictures, and I took pictures before, but I was never really good at editing,” Gonzalez stated. “[Professor Ryan Clow] allows you to kind of build on your creativity with the skill that he’s teaching. I also think he’s just like really cool,” he continued. “He acts more like part of the class, he talks to you like a person and not like ‘he’s the teacher, you’re the student, listen to what I’m saying,’ so I think it’s just more enjoyable that way.”