As a first generation college student from Albany, New York, I had a limited concept of what to expect from college beyond my visits. I had no idea of how my world was about to open up in unexpected ways. During my freshman year, I met Dr. Sayce, a professor who challenged me to see the world from a broader perspective.
His instruction was based on an analytical approach to information which made us think, rather than consume without questioning. He was provocative and occasionally entertaining.
He taught us to embrace the unexpected. If we kept our minds open, we could understand other perspectives, cultures and beliefs. By the end of the second semester, I was thinking, and seeing, with new energy. College became an empowering place. Eventually, I began to view the world as a canvas for exploration. Dr. Sayce inherited a student and planted the seed for a global thinker.
Today, in recognition of Teacher Appreciation Week, I’d like to thank my teacher, Dr. Sayce.
– Harriet Sanford, President & CEO, The NEA Foundation
What teacher do you appreciate most?
