The Motivations of Boston University Professors: Why They Love to Teach

The Motivations of Boston University Professors: Why They Love to Teach

We asked your favorite professors what inspires them to teach. Here are their answers.

Greg Stroller

Questrom School of Business | Master Lecturer, Strategy and Innovation

"What inspires me to teach is being able to pay it forward to the next generation of students in any way that I can. This might include providing interactive and thought-provoking class discussions or helping students to get internships or full-time employment."

Michael Dodge

College of Communication | Lecturer, Department of Mass Communication, Advertising and Public Relations

"What inspires me most about teaching at Boston University is the opportunity to commit myself to meaningful work in service to the next generation of leaders. It's a privilege to teach, mentor, and learn from talented students from different states, countries, cultures, and life experiences. As an instructor, my sensibilities are often challenged in constructive ways, and my worldview is broadened, through the diverse perspectives shared by students during class discussions and in assignments."

Eleni Granas

School of Hospitality Administration | Clinical Assistant Professor of Hospitality and Events Management; Director of Event Curriculum & Planning

"What inspires me to teach is the opportunity to be in a position where I encourage others to dream more, do more, and become more. I invest in my students because I know what they are capable of, and it is limitless. In turn, something magical happens every time. My students flip the switch. They inspire me."

Francis Vanaria III

College of Arts and Sciences | Hollywood Cinema, Genre Cinema, Embodiment, Film Theory, Literary Theory, Postmodernism, Transnationalism

"The classroom is one of the few places we have where it's possible to slow down. We can work things through. We can debate ideas. We can experiment. Our lives are so characterized by speed and efficiency that there's rarely an opportunity to take a moment to think critically. I am inspired by the freedom we have when working at this slow pace, to process complicated or uncomfortable ideas and emotions. Outside of the classroom, we are constantly reacting to things. But in the classroom, we're better able to take ownership of how we think, feel, and act. I really enjoy bringing people into this mindset, and it's inspiring to see students grow more comfortable with slowness and the time it takes to be more engaged in what we do and more connected to those we do it with."

Joshua Kays

College of Engineering | Lecturer, Biomedical Engineering

"Getting students to see and feel the beauty of this created world is what inspires me. My goal in teaching is not just that my students know some equations, but that they feel the glory and explanatory power of the math behind everyday phenomena, be it how clouds are formed, how hurricanes are essentially thermodynamic heat engines, or why DNA mutations happen."

Amy Shanler

College of Communication | Professor of Practice, Public Relations; Associate Chair, Department of Mass Communication, Advertising, and Public Relations

"While I started out teaching because it was something I loved, what inspires me are my students. We learn so much from each other, and I am fulfilled seeing them gain confidence, grow their skills, and launch into their next chapters knowing I had some role to play in their journeys. I hope they can learn from my mistakes, gain knowledge from my wins, and pay it forward by mentoring future students and new professionals."

Nelia Newell

Questrom School of Business | Dean's Teaching Fellow, Master Lecturer, Finance

"I love getting to know students. I particularly enjoy the opportunity to teach students in several courses over their time here at BU and to continue to share their journey as they discover who they are and what they want to do."

Tatenda Pasipanodya

Questrom School of Business | Visiting Assistant Professor, Strategy and Innovation

"What inspires me to teach? Definitely the incredible potential within each of my students. Few other roles in the world give you so clear a view of potential being realized, and so important a part in coaxing it out. It's enormously rewarding to be a part of that journey. I like to imagine one of my students will be president one day, or a Fortune 500 CEO, and some sliver of my experiences with them will define how they'll conduct themselves and impact the world, even if only in a small way."

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The Motivations of Boston University Professors: Why They Love to Teach

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