Transitioning to a new school can be exciting and overwhelming for many students, but what about new professors? This past fall term was a fresh start for several professors here at North Central College. Now that they’ve had a term to get settled, it’s about time to check in and see how NCC is treating them.
The professors that contributed are Dr. Pablo Maurette, assistant professor of English; Dr. John Warrick, associate professor and chairperson of the department of theater; and Dr. Shelley Birdsong, assistant professor of religious studies.
How was your first term here at NCC?
Dr. Maurette: “It couldn’t have been better. I found engaged and enthusiastic students, colleagues that support and challenge me and an administration that is very easy to work with. It is also an exciting time to be here since we are reshaping the whole curriculum in preparation for the move to semesters, so it gives you a rare chance to be a part of the total design of what a liberal arts college is.”
Dr. Warrick: “My first term was wonderful! I especially enjoyed teaching an introduction to theatre course to general education students, who helped me adjust to the area with recommendations ranging from how to commute in Chicagoland to finding the best donut shops in the city!”
Dr. Birdsong: “Wonderful! I love the academic community here. I have great colleagues and students.”
Have you taught at any other colleges or universities and if so how has NCC compared to the other schools you have previously taught at?
Dr. Maurette: “I taught at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill for six years, and then, for four years, at the University of Chicago. North Central is a much smaller school, so that is the first major difference. One has the chance to work really closely with students and to know one’s colleagues a lot better. That is something that I appreciate very much.”
Dr. Warrick: “My previous schools were large state universities, with tens of thousands of undergraduate and graduate students! North Central College is very similar to the college where I first studied theatre, and I appreciate the liberal arts focus here. It’s exciting to teach theatre to theatre students with strong interests in how theatre relates to the world and even helps shape our world. The student-teacher ratios at North Central College also allows me to serve as more of a mentor to theatre students.”
Dr. Birdsong: “Before coming to North Central, I had a one-year contract at Azusa Pacific University’s High Sierra campus. Since I was a student there myself ten years ago, it was an incredibly meaningful experience. North Central has also been a great place to work since I resonate with the school’s commitment to sustainability, diversity, civic engagement and the liberal arts. The campus is full of world-changers, and that’s inspiring.”
What is your favorite thing about NCC that you have discovered so far?
Dr. Maurette: “Two favorite things about North Central: its combination of tradition (it is a very old school for Illinois, and even for American standards, founded in 1861) and innovation. I see from everyone a will and an eagerness to sail into the future ready for new challenges. And, of course, the students, who are smart, hard-working, polite and engaged.”
Dr. Warrick: “The community of faculty and students who are committed to a spirit of inquiry and shared endeavor!”
Dr. Birdsong: “I have always appreciated the sense of community here at North Central. I feel quite at home.”
