Celebrating Beautiful Teaching

"I would like to recognize his ability to make a prerecorded lecture engaging and informative, as well as thoroughly preparing me for my exams and labs with the provided notes and easy to understand lectures. Personally, I enjoyed his style of presentation and connection with me as a student." -Cameron S.

"Though the course subject has been difficult at times, Dr. McShane is always there to help her students in any way possible. She is incredibly kind and understanding of what her students may be going through, and helps us whenever we need it. Her support has been incredibly comforting, and I feel confident that whenever I have a question or a concern, she will listen wholeheartedly." -Olivia O.

"Hello Professor Voytek! I would like to say thank you for helping me open up my passion for sculpture. I am forever grateful for having you as my professor for the past semesters and am grateful for having started my foundations as a sculptor with you." -Julio G.

"Dr. Cimarusti has truly been a wonderful professor, and has indelibly impacted my first year at FGCU. I am grateful for his efforts to make class material interesting and turning the classroom into an open place for discussion. In both of his classes, Music Appreciation and World Music, it is obvious that he enjoys teaching us and is very interested in the material. He lightens the mood of the classroom, is always ready to help us with assignments, and answers all of my questions. He encourages us to explore class content further, and even let me borrow one of his instruments for the semester to learn and perform with in class. In class, he always treated us not just as students but as scholarly peers and friends. As one of my first in-person professors at FGCU, Dr. Cimarusti has certainly made a positive impact on my FGCU experience, my dedication to research, and my continued study of music!" -Amaya S.

"Professor Cimarusti's class would make me smile and laugh on days where all I wanted to do was go home and sleep for hours. Professor Cimarusti not only made class super interesting, but funny and interactive as well. His passion and big heart gives you hope and motivation each time you walk into his door. I have never had another professor at this school that was as helpful and amazing as Professor Cimarusti." -Alex N.

"Glenn always goes out of his way to make students know that they are valuable and are capable of accomplishing terrific things during their time both in and out of academia. As a journalism major, I've been daunted by the work of legendary journalists ahead of their time: Nellie Bly, Martha Gelhorn, Roger Casement... Glenn has helped me realize that by hard work and diligence I might also do significant work as a journalist.

Glenn is generous with his time and expertise in the journalism field, as he's kind enough to help students with any questions. He's inspired me as a journalist, and from the stories he has told me about his experience in the field, I'm more motivated than ever to become a reporter." -Katie F.

"I would like to recognize Amanda Parke for doing an excellent job teaching her speech 1017 class this semester. Although our class was completely virtual and online her live lectures were excellent and it made me feel like I actually was going to class. Professor Parke did a great job regarding giving feedback and grading in a timely manner. Although we were not in person she definitely taught communication, leader ship, teamwork, and interpersonal skills." -Bailey K.

"Dr. Abadal was an engaging instructor. Her course lectures and assignments were thought-provoking. She was flexible and understanding with issues that impacted me as a student during this unprecedented time of the pandemic. Dr. Abadal was always available to speak by phone and during this time was patient, kind, and gave me in-depth explanations of the course material. Her positive attitude and guidance made a huge impact on my learning." -Cameron S.

"This was a particularly difficult semester for all of us. Thank you for taking the time to support your students and make sure that we all understood the material. I am not sure that I would have been able to continue unless you continued to provide your confidence in us, and I am sure I am not the only one that felt this way. You have a passion for this profession, and advocacy and it shines through in your teaching." -Jessica E.

"Professor Evers is one of the coolest and chillest you will find on campus. Every week he posts videos that clearly explain the week's assignment and topic. The assignments are very engaging and interesting, his weekly stories are the best." -Andrew

"This teacher went out of his way to help me stay on track during a hard time with the pandemic and an extremely busy schedule. He always made sure everyone understood what was going on and if there were any questions he would spend more time talking about what was happening. He made learning fun and easy for everyone." -Mason M.

"As a first time in college student, and first-generation student it was incredibly difficult to stay motivated. Ms. Christina Kreiger, gave students such as myself a platform to express ourselves, to learn more about ourselves and showed true passion for teaching. More importantly, she became a role model and mentor for many, she inspired me to continue to follow my career path. She recognized my true potential and ensured to reassure me when I felt down. She is a true inspiration to students and reinforced the powerful message that our career path is not one singular direct path but rather a journey that consists more about finding ourselves. She encouraged me to become a mentor and role model myself. Ms. Christina Kreiger is what this University needs, and is a wonderful representation of what a educator should be.

Thank you for your advice, Thank you for your patience." -Jasmine D.

"Professor Cassidy has shown nothing but kindness and understand to every single student in her comp class. She is the person we need in schools, encouraging and rooting for kids who could be struggling at home. If I had professor Cassidy as a teacher in middle or high school, I know that her class would have made the day okay for a little while. I’m so glad she loves what she does - you can tell. Professor, never stop being you! Your kindness goes so much further than you may realize. The world needs you, and you inspire me to go through life lightly, with a smile on my face just because. And your teaching is beautiful! Everything has been so organized since day one, which I really appreciate and need to learn. You are so generous to give us time in class to work on our assignments and very respectful of everyone’s time. I’ve appreciated your feedback, as I can tell you work to provide the best advice you can. Thank you for being great. :)" -Brianna S.

"Professor Taylor is always happy and excited every class. She is very passion about her work and students." -Andrew R.

"Dr. Laci has been a huge help in this class, and is always willing to support us and give us advice. She is very positive and passionate about what she teaches, and whenever we have questions, she is always quick to answer and have a discussion with us. She greatly encourages us to improve our reading and writing skills, and she is just an incredible help to have." -Olivia O.

"Professor Tullo is extremely caring and shows her passion in her teaching. She tries her best to make sure every student is on track, understands the learning material, and keeps her instructions along with assignments clear. Loved having her as a professor!" -Jessica K.

"Professor Rivera is an absolutely excellent instructor. Throughout the semester, she not only provided our class with detailed information about the Spanish language but also the Spanish culture. Additionally, Professor Rivera encouraged us to attend many events across campus and provided us with details for each. I always enjoyed our class and looked forward to it every week as it was such a fun and learning-focused environment. I have always had excellent Spanish professors, but Professor Rivera has been the best by far. She truly shows how much she cares about her students and teaching and I am very grateful to have her as an instructor." -Gracie D.

"I have chosen to recognize Dr. Gras for teaching beautifully because she has committed herself to embracing diversity, educating students in a gentle way, and teaching African Literature at FGCU; FGCU is located in Southwest Florida and teaching African Literature in this community is a brave choice. I appreciate Dr. Gras for breathing life into her curriculum and ensuring that valuable stories by writers of the African diaspora are not forgotten." -Steven R.

"Dr. Sugimori combines lectures, discussions, and activities in every class session to ensure that all students, no matter their learning style, can learn and understand the information. College always stresses critical thinking; Dr. Sugimori helps his students critically think in a way that I haven’t experienced in any other class. I feel like I truly learned the information because I put everything we learned into practice. He makes difficult topics enjoyable, doing little things like drawing a picture of a dog to break down difficult literary theory and promising not to spoil books for us. He was also very understanding of the fact that we were in a pandemic, and I always felt valued as not just a student but also a person." -Lexi V.

"Stephen Cavitt is an excellent professor that deserves recognition four treating his students with respect and kindness. He gives ample time to complete assignments and made his composition 2 class actually enjoyable. He is a fair grader and gave extra credit for attending storytelling events. The assignments he gave were interesting and relevant to the world around us now. He made us think outside the box in order to complete some of them which made me a better writer. Throughout the semester and through his assignments I have also discovered a lot about myself. Therefore I think it is important to recognize Professor Cavitt for teaching beautifully." -Bailey K.

"Dr. Felix does a great job engaging students and explaining things well. I feel like I have learned a lot from this class and I have genuinely enjoyed taking it." -Louis W.

"Dr. Baker’s impact on my life has been so profound, I simply do not even know where to begin. Prior to meeting Dr. Baker, I didn’t know a teacher could be so influential on a student’s life. Having met him and taken 4 classes with him, I know that now. His approach to teaching is both engaging and beneficial. He doesn’t teach us for the sake of giving us grades. He teaches us because he wants us to learn.

Because of Dr. Baker, I have accomplished feats I never could have dreamed of coming to FGCU. I am a better person for having known Dr. B. I’m looking forward to a lifetime of continued friendship with him. The school is very lucky to have him. I leave FGCU knowing it’s in great hands with him!" -Peter M.

"Professor Everham has been one of the best professors I have met at FGCU so far. I had him Fall 2020 and Spring 2021 semesters. He is a super helpful Professor and continues to strive to see his students perform well. I took his Finite Mathematics course and I am currently in his Statistical Methods class and I feel I am learning way more than I did in high school. The way Professor Everham breaks down the material is one of a deeper understanding and he makes sure that the students fully understand everything. I am just so thankful for Professor Everham and I wish him the best of luck with everything else." -Jakira B.

"I would like to recognize Nicole Legge for doing a fantastic job teaching elementary calculus this spring semester. Math has got to be the most difficult subject to teach virtually however through her helpful websites and constant contact with her students throughout the semester she made it easy to succeed. She was always available even if it was last minute through email. She always made time to answer And make sure you understood the lessons. Even though we did not be live or in person for this course I always felt that she was available." -Bailey K.

"Leigh Ann is one of the most influential professors at FGCU. She is passionate about teaching and it shows in her classes. Leigh Ann has helped me discover my passion for working with children and adolescents. She truly is a wonderful professor and this university is lucky to have her!!" -Jamie S.

"I’d like to thank Professor Gelman for being one of my most positive professors I’ve had as a first year college student. Learning virtually during a pandemic is not easy for most professors and students but I admire how she was very engaged with her students as she was teaching about the development of individuals from child to birth. She teaches the material in a way that makes us want to learn it and has students talking (or typing should I say) back to her when she asks us questions or when she lectures. Never a day went by where I felt sad to attend her class. Thank you Professor Gelman for making Principles of Development enjoyable. You are very appreciated." -Evan C

"You are one of best teachers I have ever had! You helped me though so many hard spots in anatomy and are preparing me for my future education! Thank you so much Professor Weiss!" Ashley K.

"He has been an amazing professor while teaching online. He truly  cares about the students success rate and what they do after the course. He gives great options for studying and his lectures are very thorough. He’s helped me more than I have ever imagined." Samantha S.