Elaine Lac

Staff Writer

Public education has been always been a part of my life. I’m all too familiar with overcrowded classrooms, awful teachers and unresponsive administration. When applying to colleges, I was determined to go to a liberal arts institution. I ignored those who bragged about applying to the Ivy Leagues, high pedigree universities and big state institutions. I was not interested. I desired professors who would care about my learning, and a university that paid attention to its students. This University cares about my education, and tries to improve its programs and increase opportunities for students.

Education is an investment, and after paying more than $50,000 a year, the University has to deliver. The minute I stepped into the classroom, I had professors who really knew their material. They would arrange the class into circles, ask us if we understood and compromised on assignment dates. The passion driving their teaching became apparent when they made sure they were always available. Some professors provided their personal phone numbers and others arranged extra study sessions. Not one professor has refused to help me. They’ve always tried to be helpful, and have accommodated my academic needs on days I was unavailable for normal office hours.

The University has found excellent, passionate teachers for classes. They engage with students and seek improvement in their teaching. Professors solicit our opinions and apply them to their future classes. It makes my learning meaningful. I cannot imagine going back to a public education setting. I have heard horror stories, and everyday I appreciate that I have professors who remember my name and don’t run their classes like competitions.

The only thing I wish to change is to have a more active campus. I have been in and witnessed numerous clubs and organizations that seem to do little. People are individualized. With a little galvanized student work, I believe the campus and Lewisburg can achieve even greater things. I am guilty of this as well, and only time will tell when a force strong enough will appear to unite the campus.

The University is where real learning happens. At its core, our University’s exceptional professors drive the school, and have outdone every other school I’ve seen.