My Favorite Professors

BYU has great professors. I have been very impressed with about 98% of the teachers that I have had. If a person really wants to learn BYU is a great place to do this.

But there have been some teachers that I think are exceptional. I would like to give them a somewhat public thank you for what they have done for me and for what they have taught me.

Aaron Eastley
He was one of my favorites. Mostly, I just love his passion. I think some people teach because they don't know what else they want to do, but Prof Eastley seems like he sincerely loves teaching. Also, I like how you know exactly what he expects. There were never any surprises with him. I think he had some good perspectives on what makes good literature (I disagree with him on one point though, while Virginia Woolf was undoubtedly very influential and helped shaped much of what we read today, she is not enjoyable to read. He and I have very different feelings about Mrs. Woolf). Also, for the most part, I really liked the literature he chose for us to read. I had him twice and both reading selections were spot on for me. Also, I think he is exactly the kind of teacher that BYU would want to hire.

Daniel Muhlestein
In every way just exceptional. When I think about what kind of a professor I would want to be if I ever became one I think of Dan Muhlestein. I really liked how we dealt with the meat of issues in his class. Also, I think many of my teachers weren't that many steps above me in skill (that sounds cocky but it wasn't meant to). But Dan Muhlestein was heads and shoulders above me. I can't even hold a candle to how well he knows and can describe theory.

Gloria Cronin
She asks hard questions (Muhlestein does also). She is great at analyzing life too. I think I am better at pondering as a result of her. But probably her greatest contribution to me personally was that she made me write much better. Most teachers just grade your paper and then hand it back. It definitely takes less effort. But Dr. Cronin went the extra mile and almost demanded that we become better writers. She would hand back my paper and go over it with me until I got it. She really cared about what we were becoming, instead of just grading our papers to find out how skilled we were when we arrived at our class (which is most teachers approach). She is just incredibly invested in teaching.

Steven Walker
He is just amazing. I think one of the reasons that I like Steve Walker so much is because I think I think like he does, and we usually like people that are like us. He shared a scripture in class today, the one about the two people who approach the temple and one says how righteous he is and the other "wouldn't even so much as lift his head up, but smote his breast and cried, 'Oh God, forgive me a sinner." That is my favorite scripture, and judging by Professor Walker's comments on it he loves it too. I think we have similar views on things. That could be why I like him so much, he likes the things I like and he has the same feelings I do. But he also just loves his students and tries his best to help them.

Kent Brooks
I TA for Brother Brooks. He is just an incredible person. I think he is one of the most Christlike people I have met. He has been a great help for me. And overall I wasn't very impressed with the religion teachers at BYU, but I thought he was incredible. I had his class before I TAed for it. Mostly, in his class I felt the Spirit every day. He taught with the Spirit in a profound way that touched my heart. Also, I grade all the journals that students pass in. I always think of how much of an incredible asset Brother Brooks is when I grade them because I read how much he touches people's heart and helps them improve their lives and relationships with others. I value my association with him a great deal. Also, he is patient with me :)

And that isn't the end of the list of teachers I thought were good, but those were probably my favorites. I really liked Keith Johnson also but I want to go to bed. There are others too. My Spanish teacher now is pretty amazing. But I just wanted to give them a little recognition.

It is strange that I am graduating. It has gone by so quickly. I feel so blessed to have been able to go to a great school and learn so much. Education truly liberates people. I am going to miss taking classes at BYU and associating with great professors.