OBU BlogAbout: Favorite Professors

Asking me to name my favorite professor at OBU is like asking me to name my favorite dessert. Pretty much impossible because there are so many good ones. I had so many professors that were absolutely wonderful. As a teacher, I find that I emulate some of them in my teaching style. And I hope that I demonstrate a concern for my students like they did.

Dr. Reed: Who would have ever considered that someone would make American National Government enjoyable at 8 in the morning? Dr. Reed definitely did, though. His class was the first class I ever attended. He had his Coke can (often filled with water, by the way) - always. He told fun stories and made the political system in America real.

Dr. Auffenberg: Oh, my goodness! This is the man who taught my all-time favorite course, English history to 1603. I tell people all the time that I am half British. When they question that, I simply say, "I am in my heart." A huge reason for that is that Dr. Auffenberg was the best. He brought historical characters to life - everyday. And I still find myself saying, "poor, pitiful, pulvarized Poland," and "It is good to be king!"

Dr. Ellis (English prof): I took Literature in the Humanities my junior year. I loved this class so much that I (briefly) thought maybe I had picked the wrong major. Maybe I needed to be an English teacher. Then I remembered that I wouldn't be able to teach literature all the time.
In Dr. Ellis' class, I would find myself listening so intently to him talk about a piece of literature that I would forget to write things down. He was almost mesmerizing in the way he analyzed such amazing works from all over the world.

Dr. Caudle: I never really had Dr. Caudle for a traditional history class. I had him for my seminar classes. He was always so positive. And he was spastic like no other. He talked fast and moved fast. So when my students say I have that tendency, I can definitely relate.

Dr. Westmoreland: I only got to have Dr. Westmoreland for a couple of classes. She really taught mainly elementary ed classes, but I was blessed to get her for a couple. She was smart and she thought outside of the box. She wasn't that stereotypical education professor who had been out of the classroom for so long that she was decades behind the rest of the world. She cared about us. She cared about our future students.

I am certain I have missed someone. I went to Europe with Terry Carter and found him to hilarious and refreshing. I came to LOVE hearing Scott Duvall preach. But I never had either one of them in class. I only had Mr. Cole once and it was a geography class. He was great but I didn't get to see him in his true brilliance in an American history class. Dr. Philpot made economics more fun and understandable than I ever thought possible (please understand that I didn't love the class, he just made it better than I imagined).

I love reliving these amazing days with wonderful professors. One of my favorite memories of OBU (I suppose I should have included this last week) is walking through the line of professors during the processional at graduation. Hearing the men and women who had helped me so much along the way say things like, "Congratulations, Erin," "I am proud of you," and"Good job," meant so much to me. I will never forget that moment or these people