Who’s Your Favorite Professor?

Students let us in on BU faculty who have engaged and challenged them

Faculty

Who’s Your Favorite Professor?

Students let us in on BU faculty who have engaged and challenged them

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Who’s Your Favorite Professor?

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University News

Who’s Your Favorite Professor?

April 9, 2018
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Ask any student what makes BU special and chances are they’ll mention a teacher—someone who’s inspired or challenged them, maybe even changed the trajectory of their life. So with students registering this week for fall undergrad classes, we reached out to some on the Charles River Campus and asked them: what makes for a good teacher and who have they found most inspiring?

We got lots of responses: faculty who’ve encouraged them to think outside the box or to pursue a master’s degree, helped them develop a passion, or simply been a friend. From one: “We even helped him name his baby.”

Do you have a favorite? Tell us who it is and what makes that person special in the Comment section below.

Jason Kimball can be reached at jk16@bu.edu.

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Boston University moderates comments to facilitate an informed, substantive, civil conversation. Abusive, profane, self-promotional, misleading, incoherent or off-topic comments will be rejected. Moderators are staffed during regular business hours (EST) and can only accept comments written in English. Statistics or facts must include a citation or a link to the citation.

There are 25 comments on Who’s Your Favorite Professor?

  1. Ambassador Vesko Garčević is one who is beloved by all of his students. He serve as an Ambassador throughout the breakup of Yugoslavia and helped Montenegro transition into a democracy. Now, he teaches at the Pardee School on topics including Balkan Politics and Diplomatic Practices. He holds really generous office hours and enjoys talking to all of his student. I will often go visit him with one question and spend over an hour talking to him about various things.

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  2. I would consider Prof. Jeffrey Allen to be Boston University’s finest. I am a parent of a current student who has had the pleasure of taken Prof. Allen’s course at Questrom School of Business. My daughter has learned a great deal from taking Prof. Allen’s course but more so gained a mentor when she needed it the most. I have a tremendous amount of respect and admiration for Prof. Allen and the countless amount of time that he spends teaching and mentoring these young students. After speaking with Prof. Allen personally, I was also inspired to return to Boston University as a part time student in pursuit of my MSAS. In my opinion, an educator should mentor, inspire and encourage their students to pursue the impossible with little fear of failing. The framework that Prof. Allen has in place should be the guiding template for all Professors to follow.

    Josh Clachar

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  3. Prof. Kia Teymourian is the best professor during my computer science master program. He is not only smart but know how to teach students who do not have knowledge about it during whole 3 hours class. He also still working on his paper to publish relate to cloud computing. He does not mind talking to student with any question after class or during the office hours, also super fast response on emails. I’m talking about within an hour. I am very glad that I could met him at BU.

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    1. I second all of what you said! His 3 hour classes are structured, his lessons are very clear and he is organized. I have him for Data Analytics, which is new to me. I can keep up for these reasons. Much appreciated!

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  4. Professor Greiman is one of the greatest assets to Boston University. The depth and vastness of her knowledge in so many areas is truly something I am grateful to have experienced in my time as a student at BU. Not only is her resume impressive, but the genuine extent to which she cares for her students is what really sets her apart. Prof. Greiman simply wants to be a catalyst for your overall success, and however she can help you–she will, if you ask her. If I got nothing else out of my time here, my two classes with her made the entire experience of getting my Masters Degree worthwhile.

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  5. Two of the most memorable teachers I experienced as an undergrad are Dr. Doug Zook of SED and Dr. Guido Salvucci of CAS. Dr. Zook is incredibly enthusiastic about biology and a creative, integrative lecturer. Dr. Salvucci’s hydrology class was by far the hardest science course I took as a freshman, went into an incredible amount of depth, and was the first course where I feel like I actually earned my grade by learning the math rather than memorizing the book.

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  6. What a great video! Professor Giraldi was my favorite professor as well! His class was one of the only ones I’ve taken at BU where I felt truly comfortable speaking my mind. I definitely learned a lot from him!

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  7. Prof Daniela Caruso who is from Law School is the best one I have ever met. She is funny, kind and always patient to solve students’ questions. I like her.

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  8. Prof. Carney who is from COM is one of my favorite professors ever! He is very driven and passionate about teaching and especially about cinema. I learnt simply how to read into a film better from him and I’m so happy I took his class. If you’re a COM student, do not graduate without taking a class from him!

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  9. Professor Steve Quigley and Dr. Downes were my PR professors at COM. I am an alumnae. For about 17 years, they have influenced my career and life, always believing in me, being a countless resource of connections and internships, and now I have the pleasure of guest lecturing for their classes, PRSSA conferences and monthly chapter meetings, and PR Lab. If you want to succeed in the field of communications, it’s quite simple: establish relationships with those two professors. Not to mention, they are two of the nicest people you will ever meet.

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  10. Professor Yo-EL Cassell is hands down the most dynamic and enriching teacher I ever had. His passion for his craft translates magnificently through the actions of his students and there is not a day that goes by where joy is not invited–Joy in learning and joy in discovering. So thrilled that he is mentioned in this video!

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  11. I wholeheartedly agree that Professor Yo-EL Cassell is a treasure at BU. His movement practicums changes lives and he shatters the boundaries of what movement can be. On top of that, he is one of the most generous and caring human beings I ever met. He definitely has my vote for the best Professor at BU.

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  12. I definitely agree, Professor Hamill is a wonderful attribute to the Core Curriculum and makes every class an enjoyable experience. She is also a great lecturer, my favorite being her Hecuba lecture where she explained what it meant to be a grieving Trojan woman after losing the Trojan War. I also admire Professor Nelson, another member of the Core Curriculum. Her class on Religion and Community taught me a lot about the impact of philosophy and religion in the world and how they can help or hinder a society. She is one of the most kind-hearted and intelligent people I have ever met.

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  13. Eight years ago, I took a WR150 class with Professor Giraldi. Even following graduating with a Masters degree, I can say that it influenced my writing more than any class I’ve ever taken. I remember lessons from his class each time that I write. Also, I loved the memoirs that we read in his class and still recommend them to fellow readers!

    My other favorite professors were Professor Kevin Lang (Economics) & Professor Barbara Gottfried (Women, Gender, & Sexuality Studies). If you can take a class with either of them, do it. They both taught me information that’s integral to who I’ve become today.

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  14. Dr. David Green exists beyond words of adequate description; he is equal parts Samuel Beckett and Claude Debussy, he is not only a wonderful professor, but a marvelous writer and pristine individual. He, through mere expression of his own love, inspired my own fascination with Modernism, reinvigorated my commitment to the Avant-Garde, and catapulted my championing of Samuel Beckett. If ever a professor deserved some type of recognition, Dr. Green is the foremost candidate.

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  15. I have learned more from Professor Yo-EL Cassell this past year than any years I have been a student. Simply astounding how he magnificently progresses his syllabi that by the end of the process, one realizes just how much they have not only changed as a movement artist but most essentially, as a human being as well. I only hope he is at BU forever. He teaches more than movement–he teaches the movement of life.

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  17. Professor Christopher Ricks is an absolutely incredible professor. His sense of humor, his boundless and inspiring appreciation for literature (and Bob Dylan), his uncanny ability to quote a multitude of writers, and especially his ability to effortlessly come up with thoughtful and elegant quotes of his own make him by far the best professor I’ve ever had. The impression he has made on me will last for life.

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  18. Most thrilled to see Yo-EL Cassell mentioned here–He is not only one on the most inspiring teachers but one of the most inspiring humans as well. My son mentions how being in Professor Cassell’s class changes his outlook and embracement of life through the world of movement.

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  19. Yes, most definitely agree–Professor Yo-EL Cassell is a gift to the BU community and the world at large. He not only changes lives but enriches as well. Yes, he has a wonderful spirit but let us not let it overshadow his great gifts as a teacher, mentor and creator. Thank you for honoring him and his work!

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  20. I’m a junior in COM and I love taking Prof. Shanler, Prof. Sender, and Prof. Grasso’s class. Shanler and Sender are always so passionate about what they’re teaching, and it’s hard for students NOT to interested in their classes :) Prof. Grasso is incredibly humorous, and he also brings his valuable real-life experiences to class. (F.Y.I. He would be happy if you praise his tie!)

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  21. So thrilled to see that Professor Yo-EL Cassell is mentioned–He is a tremendous teacher in every way–thoughtful, passionate, caring, meticulous, demanding yet inviting, a leader and a partner. He is a true gem for not only the BU community but for the world in general.

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  23. Professor Scott Austin who taught philosophy in the 1980s. He was brilliant, insightful, and also thoughtful and considerate. He could break down the most complex philosophical concepts into pieces that I could understand, then pull it all together into a big picture. He also generously gave us his time during and even outside of his office hours–as a mentor and advisor.
    Also, he often wore a huge down coat that had a small hole in it so when he would walk down the long hallways, a tiny trail of feathers would float behind him.I often felt I was at the end of the parade in the animated series Fractured Fairy Tales. In writing this, I see he passed away in 2014 at a far too young age of 61.

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