Celebrating the retirement of Pat Visser after 20 years
Pat Visser, a long-time professor at 杰克逊的大学, is retiring after more than 20 years. 原产于密歇根州西部, Pat completed her undergraduate degree at Hope College and earned her graduate degree from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas.
She began her teaching career with an 11-year tenure at Albion College before moving to 杰克逊的大学.
帕特对科学的迷恋开始得很早, 她对身体的好奇激发了她, 植物和动物工作. She read the entire Childcraft encyclopedia set, Red Cross first aid manuals and nursing manuals.
“当我上四年级的时候, I became a teacher assistant for the special education teacher at my elementary school because she had more students than she could deal with,”她说。. “她需要帮助，这很有趣.”
She initially resisted the idea of becoming a teacher despite her early interest.
“People always asked if I would be a teacher because my mom’s whole side of the family were teachers,”她说。. 我会说, “没有办法, I am not going to be a teacher’ because to me teaching meant elementary, 初中, 高中. 那不是我的性格.”
Her perspective changed during college while tutoring.
“One of my tutoring students looked at me one day and said, ‘why aren’t you planning to become a college professor? Students need people who can explain things like you do,’” she recalled.
This conversation shifted her career path, and she began preparing to become a college professor.
For 21 years at 杰克逊的大学 Pat primarily taught anatomy and physiology. She has had a soft spot for community colleges stemming from her father’s work with the State of Michigan Education Department.
“I loved the idea of being able to teach a broad range of students,”她说。. “学生的范围是如此不同. It makes each semester a completely new experience. 有些人曾在军队服役, 有些人是护理人员, some have been homemakers for 20 years like ‘I haven’t even cracked a book since I was 16 and I have no idea what I’m doing’ and they’re petrified. Helping them realize they can learn it’s just a love of variety and it’s been a lot of fun that way.”
Pat has taught many students throughout her decades of teaching. She recalled one person from years ago that has stuck out to her to this day that struggled initially.
“这根本说不通，”她说. “I can still vividly picture in my mind as I was explaining a concept, 我看到他脸上的光芒消失了. 所有的小事都顺理成章. The student was suddenly an A-minus student and just needed that one little push.”
Pat stayed at 杰克逊的大学 because she enjoyed the community and relationships built with her students.
“When you get to know the students and their lives you sympathize with them. You give them a shoulder to cry on when they’re having a really bad day,”她说。. “You can boost them up and I can be here to be that help for students. I had great fun with the people that I work with. 这栋楼里是一个有趣的社区. 我们有一个很好的时间，我们互相帮助. 这是一个非常好的工作环境.”
While she will miss the students and the camaraderie, Pat is looking forward to retirement.
“失踪的会议? No. 缺少批改文件? No. 但是人们? 是的，当然，”她说.
Her future includes more gardening, reading, music and travel. She plans to write a science applications workbook merging chemistry with health science.
“I’ll keep the academic side of my mind still working, but I’m going to give myself time to do a whole bunch of other things that I have not had as much time to do as I wanted,”她说。.