Everybody has that one faculty member, professor and/or person who inspired him or her in college. There are always role models throughout your life, but how often do you come across someone who truly inspires you? It’s not every day you have your own personal cheerleader rooting for you the same way Cleveland rooted for Lebron after he left Miami to go back to play for the Cavs.
You remember in high school, that one teacher who just understood everyone. The teacher who most likely received “Everybody’s friend” back when they were in high school. In college you may be lucky enough to establish a connection with a professor the first year you’re at school. I met my faculty member my senior year.
She’s not a professor, but she cares more then anyone I’ve ever seen. She gets it. She understands that as a student you’re balancing a million things at once and sometimes you fail.
Students balance so much more then just their schoolwork, there are other organizations students get involved in, part time jobs and home life too. There’s so much to maintain and sometimes the stress gets to us. We get too wrapped up in trying to have it all under control.
Think about it, your best friend always listens to you complain. Your significant other gets annoyed by all the whining and sometimes you need to unload all of your struggles on someone, but don’t know who. That one professor; They get it.
That one professor, that one faculty member who genuinely asked me, “How are you really doing?”. Thank you for taking the time to listen to my struggles, sympathize with me for a second and then be my cheerleader. Academically, you’ve always inspired me to want to do all of the things you’ve done. You think that I can take on the world, but most days I do not agree.
Graduation is right around the corner and the thought of taking on this world as an alumni makes my stomach a little less queasy knowing you have so much confidence in me.
Thank you for your pep talks, resources, knowledge and Kent State pride. You truly made my four years something so incredibly special. I’ll do my best to make you proud and hopefully turn into a faculty member like you one day. You’ve inspired me to want more and you’ve convinced me I deserve more. For that I thank you so incredibly much for believing in me.