By Mike Abell
Every instructor creates a unique learning environment that correlates with their personality, with each instructor having taken a different road to get where they are today. It isn’t uncommon for students at the college to form friendships with their instructors by the end of the semester. Sheryl Hadley, William Stockton and Daniel Murtaugh are some of the instructors that are known to create an endearing experience in the classroom here at the college.
Sheryl Hadley, economics professor, has been a full time employee at the college for 10 years. As a child, Hadley grew up on military bases all around the country and attended nine different schools during her K-12 education. Hadley’s number one hobby is traveling; she will be traveling Europe in May.
Last semester, Hadley even took a five credit hour class herself. Hadley hopes that all of her students will succeed in her class with a new outlook on economics.
“There could be nothing going on and I still love coming in here everyday and I still love seeing student’s faces,” Hadley said. “I still try to understand the problems and issues that they have.”
William Stockton teaches history of Western Civilizations I and II, Ancient Greece, Ancient Rome, Middle Ages and religions of the East. Stockton loves to travel and said he continually returns to Turkey, living abroad at one point. He originally was majoring in philosophy but ended up becoming a historian. After working at the college, Stockton’s view on teaching has changed.
“I think my whole vision of teaching was sort of professor-centered when I started and then over the years it just kind of disappeared, or at least I hope,” Stockton said. “I really enjoy the students I have as people, as well as students. That has been a big change for me.”
Dan Murtaugh is an energetic instructor who loves to engage his students through a good lecture. He teaches Western Civilizations I and II. Murtaugh is someone who loves to read, adding that reading has helped him overcome many obstacles in his life. He ended up majoring in literature after studying law for a little over five years. Murtaugh said students enjoy having him because of how excitable he is.
“The full idea of lecturing has kind of been given a black eye because I think if you know how to do it well then you can really involve the students, and I tend to live what I teach in some ways because I love it so much and I can create images out my description of them,” Murtaugh said.
Contact Mike Abell, photo editor, at mabell@jccc.edu.