Gail McGuire refuses to give up on anyone.  A sociology professor at the University I attend, she is the reason I decided to major in Sociology.  After taking her 400 level class dealing with gender inequality which ended with a final consisting of a twenty minute presentation in front of the class, I learned just what I was made of and felt very confident about my work.  I had to overcome my public speaking fear and was amazed at how calm I was when presenting my topic.  After taking her class I felt as though I had accomplished something and had gained skills that would help me in my future endeavors.  It wasn’t like other classes where you learn the material, take a test, and the forget it.  I learned a lot in her class and took a lot away from it.  Her class was unlike any I had ever taken and it truly made me think that I was an intelligent and knowledgeable person who could change the world.

She constantly informs me about opportunities that will allow me to bulk up my resume and prepare me for the real world and even though I haven’t taken advantage of any of those opportunities yet, she still informs me.  Most recently she has interested me in doing an internship program that involves volunteer work at a local nonprofit business.  Along with this I have set a goal to get an article published in our schools undergraduate research journal with her help before I graduate in a year.

 “I believe that good teacher’s help students develop the skills, confidence, and experiences they need so that they can inform, create, and inspire.”  This is part of Gail’s teaching philosophy and explains exactly the kind of professor she is.  She has truly taken this statement to heart and is great at challenging her students to the point where their potential can be discovered.

I am so glad that she has encouraged me to get involved because sometimes we all need a little nudge to start out on our path and to produce our greatest work.  I am looking forward to hearing all of her advice in future classes and hope that she teaches for many more years so that she can have the same positive impact on other students as she had on me.