Texas Tech University - La Ventana Yearbook (Lubbock, TX)

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Outstanding Professors Spark Classroom Interest What we learn with pleasure, we never forget. — Anonymous. It takes more than a high GPA for a student to enjoy a successful college career; in fact, much of a student ' s suc- cess is dependent upon the amount of caring exhibited by teachers. During Faculty Recogni- tion Week, Nov. 14-18, Mor- tar Board and Omicron Delta Kappa national honor societies honored five Texas Tech instructors for their ef- forts and teaching skills. Those honored were Carl M. Andersen, associate pro- fessor of home and family life and human development; Norman Hopper, associate professor of plant and soil science; Louise Luchsinger, undergraduate dean of the College of Business Ad- ministration; Jacquelin Col- lins, associate professor of history; and Tom B. Stenis, associate professor of elec- trical engineering. According to these pro- fessors, teaching to interested students, communicating ideas, teacher appreciation Louise Luchsinger, associate dean of undergraduate programs in the Col- lege of Business Administration, gets a point across in one of her classes. Norman Hopper, associate professor of plant and soil science, believes col- lege students are the best to work with. and student feedback are the key ingredients in making their profession an enjoyable one. Each of the instructors had his or her own reasons for selecting college teaching for a career. For most, though, the choice to teach at a higher education level over that of, say, a secondary level, was made because of the students. At the college level, they ' re more interested. They ' re here mainly because they want to be here, said Hopper. I think it ' s the best age group to work with. In motivating students, sparking an interest in the classroom is an important factor. Encouraging class discussion and questions and emphasizing office hours and availability for extra help are just as important to an in- structor as is personal classroom acknowledgement. Stenis said he believes each person is bestowed a God- given talent and that he believes his is teaching. The main purpose of this is for us to serve others, he said. — Stephanie Kahn Outstanding Professors — i O

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Jacquelin Collins, associate professor of history, was chosen as an outstan- ding lecturer. Louise Luchsinger displays the skills that gave her the honor of outstan- ding lecturer. Outstanding professor Carl M. Andersen was honored by Mortar Board and Omicron Delta Kappa during Faculty Recognition Week. He is an associate professor of human development and family studies. Mike Katsaras, a student from Greece, and Mark Lehr, a teacher ' s assistant, work in the lab with outstanding professor Tom B. Stenis, an associate professor of elec- trical engineering. James Rabb 24 — Outstanding Professors

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College serves as matchmaker for A great deal of talent and creativity has emerged from the halls of Texas Tech in its first 60 years. Students pur- suing their passion for music have found Tech to be a useful matchmaker, either through the skills taught in the music department or through the enthusiastic sup- port of fellow students. Students such as Don Allison of the Nelsons, Shan- non Hookes, Peter Coates of the Virgils and Robert Carillo of Johnny and the Blades, have benefited from this sup- port. But whatever the benefits received, all seem to share a certain devotion to their talent that transforms them from musicians into developing artists. Enjoying national fame, Allison still feels ties to Texas We have quit being musicians and have become artists. It ' s not a par- ty; it ' s a job, and we have to take it seriously. — Don Allison, lead singer for the Nelsons Tech and Texas as well as a firm dedication to his art form. Allison has been play- ing professionally for eight years with various bands. He now enjoys considerable suc- cess as lead singer and guitarist with the Nelsons. The members of the band met at Tech and have been playing together for more than a year. Allison and John Sprott, the lead guitarist, write songs for the band. Allison said he enjoys being able to express his feelings and said it makes the songs more convincing when they are what he feels. Our music started out be- ing for fun; making fun of everything, he said. We also were more concerned with making money. But our songs are becoming more social; about the little, every- day crimes of society nobody talks about. We have quit being musi- cians and have become art- ists. It ' s not a party; it ' s a job, and we have to take it seriously. The Nelsons have been successful since their start. The other members of the band are Dennis Deej Jones on bass guitar and Kevin Bongo Kev Mackie on drums. The band members said Doug Nelson has been a great help as their publicist. They admit that Lubbock influenced their ear- ly beginnings because it is so isolated, it is free of influence, and beginning bands can develop their own new and different sounds. Fraternity parties were the Nelsons ' audiences until Bruce Jaggers gave them a chance at Fat Dawg ' s nightclub. After that, they began traveling to gigs in Dallas, Austin and Houston. They now have offers to per- form in the Midwest and the West Coast. The Nelsons have one album out and have been on MTV with their hit, I Don ' t Mind. A new album is in the making, produced by Richard Mullen, winner of two Grammy ' s. Among their other accomplishments, they have toured with Billy Idol and Culture Club and opened for such greats as Joe Ely and Stevie Ray Vaughn. A different sort of per- former, but with the same af- fection and dedication to his art, is found in Shannon Hookes. A graduate of Tech with a degree in music, Hookes is an exceptionally talented guitarist, singer and inspirational writer. He was accepted into the highly prestigious Guitar Institute of California and wrote a book on guitar theory while he was there. Hookes is teaching guitar in Lubbock after having taught a course at Midland College. He also is working independently on an album of original songs which he sees as a portfolio of his talent that possibly could spark a career in performing. But money is not the primary goal in Hookes ' life, although he has been sue cessful as a well-respectei teacher. He said an artis loses his integrity while pur suing fame and fortune, so h is trying to stay true to hi passion. His sound is rock ' r roll with country and blue undertones, but he is ver satile, breaking out inti anything from pop t( classical music, he said. Texas, with its widely vary ing music scene, has been i big influence on Hookes development. He said tha especially in Lubbock, tb home of Buddy Holly, om IPN ' YWV v Darrei Thomas 2 x) — Student Performers