It’s been over a decade since I last attended class at Lakeland. I can’t believe how fast the time has gone by, but it really has been 11 years since our Lakeland Model UN team won the Second Place School Award at the Lake Erie International Model United Nations (LEIMUN), a distinction never before (and never since) awarded to a community college delegation. And, incredibly, it’s been over 13 years since Lakeland introduced me to Washington, D.C., the city that has come to define this third decade of my life.
But yet, even after all this time, after a B.A. from Baldwin Wallace University and a J.D. from The George Washington University Law School, after having spent summers and semesters studying European politics in Geneva and human rights law at the University of Oxford in the U.K., the educational experience I received at Lakeland Community College remains unparalleled.
Sure, Baldwin Wallace has some great professors and facilities, and I had the good fortune to study with renowned legal scholars at GW and in Oxford’s Tudor-era halls. But I have never again encountered the commitment and dedication that Lakeland’s faculty show to their students, despite those students coming from a much more challenging background than folks at my other alma maters.
I arrived at Lakeland in 2004, as a 15-year-old high school graduate. I’d been homeschooled my entire life—a wonderful experience—and Lakeland was my first encounter with institutionalized education. I remember my first ever college class vividly. British Literature I with Dr. Lawrence Needham, 9:30 am on Monday. I never had the good fortune of taking another course with Dr. Needham, but that one semester was unforgettable as he vividly recounted the epic battle between Beowulf and Grendel’s mother in our second class and recited the opening passages to The Canterbury Tales in Middle English during our third week. I was hooked.
But it was my second class that fateful Monday, and my first class Tuesday morning, that really marked my time at Lakeland. Straight from Dr. Needham’s classroom, I headed to Western Civilization II with Dr. Jennifer Nalmpantis (who was then Dr. Forster—please make sure to spell appropriately!), at 11:00 am. Again, the introductory class was captivating and because history was my passion at the time, I approached her after class to talk. She entertained my banter gracefully, and that conversation would become the first of many we would have over the next five semesters.
Tuesday morning was the course I’d really been looking forward to, however: International Relations with Dr. Christopher Skubby. I knew some folks who’d gone to Lakeland before me, and knew that Dr. Skubby was a challenging professor and that he ran the Model UN program. Within minutes I knew I liked the guy, and I knew that I’d have a blast in his clases. And when he offered students the chance to attend a Model UN conference in lieu of one of the required papers, I jumped at the opportunity.
As with Dr. Nalmpantis, I had many a long conversation with Dr. Skubby, often one-on-one. I’d barge into their offices with the latest piece of the day’s news or with some new historical tidbit I’d dredged up, and they indulged me. At the time, they both made me feel so welcome it seemed completely natural to take up their time like that. But today, as an adult who’s held down demanding jobs of my own, I marvel at the amount of time—often an hour or two a day, or more—they dedicated to me. I learned more with them outside of class than I ever have in any classroom.
I remember one instance where, as had become custom, I swung by Dr. Nalmpantis’s office in the afternoon. She immediately reached across her desk and pulled out a piece of paper and handed it to me. It took me a few moments to realize what it was—a recently declassified memo from the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City to the Secretary of State. It was dated just a few days before the Tlatelolco Massacre of 1968, a brutal government suppression of peaceful protesters in Mexico. It was incredibly thoughtful of Dr. Nalmpantis to give me that as I’m half Mexican and we had been discussing how I had family members who’d been persecuted by the Mexican government in the months following the massacre. Not all professors are so committed to their students that they’d go out of their way to find that.
As the Model UN/NATO program expanded during the 2005-2006 year, both Dr. Nalmpantis and Dr. Skubby put in increasing amounts of their own time, including weekends, to help us students develop our negotiations skills and substantive knowledge about international organizations and the countries we represented. They organized Lakeland’s own Model UN conference and coordinated with other universities to start the Mid-Atlantic Model UN Consortium, an organization that stages one day Model UN conferences in order to train students. All in all, I enjoyed Dr. Skubby and Dr. Nalmpantis so much I took four courses with each of them.
But my positive experience with Lakeland’s faculty didn’t end with professors I had courses with. Professor Mark Guizlo stands out amongst that group. Although I never stepped foot in his classroom, he was always able and willing to help with anything we needed. One time I was slated to represent the South Pacific island country of Vanuatu, and I was having a hard time researching it. Someone mentioned that Professor Guizlo had a book that might be helpful, and although I’d met him before, I didn’t know him well. But when I marched into his office he not only talked me through the perilous situation archipelago nations like Vanuatu face due to climate change, but went out of his way to bring the book from his house in order to lend it to me.
Another standout faculty member who taught me much despite not having me in class was Dr. Marcelino Marcos. During one of the first weeks I was at Lakeland I was walking down a hallway when I heard someone behind me speaking Spanish (my other first language). I hadn’t really encountered Spanish speakers at Lakeland, so I turned around and introduced myself in Castilian, to Dr. Marcos’s delight. We went on to have many lively chats in his office, and he was the first to introduce me to The Onion, a publication I follow even today. But I digress.
In the years since I left Lakeland, I’ve fallen out of touch with many of these wonderful educators, to my chagrin. But not Dr. Skubby. He has become a mentor and a friend, someone who I can call when I need a thoughtful, kind ear. During the six years I lived in Washington, D.C., he’d always invite me to dinner whenever he was in town leading the Model NATO students. And when I graduated from law school in 2013, he made the trip to Washington specifically to attend my graduation, on his own dime. I was honored.
In short, I can’t emphasize enough the positive impact that Lakeland’s faculty have on the institution. Without them, Lakeland would be just another nameless community college. Instead, it excels, providing experiences like Model UN and study abroad programs in Scotland. My academic career and my views on the world were shaped in those early years by Lakeland’s faculty, and as students, we couldn’t have asked for anything better even if we’d been at Harvard (and trust me, I’ve met my share of Harvard professors and graduates). Lake County and Northeast Ohio are incredibly lucky to have such distinguished academics in their midst, especially ones who have never forgotten where they came from or their dedication to teaching. I hope that folks at Lakeland and elsewhere remember and cherish that.
Samuel A. Stone, Esq.
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I wanted to thank you again, for everything. You were my very first professor and you really pushed me to move forward in my education and conquer my dreams. I remember when I first enrolled in Lakeland as a first ever college student at the age of 40 I was scared and uncertain if college was going to be for me. However I quickly fell in love with both learning and my profession. You really helped me create a foundation to build upon and you always believed in me even when I didn’t believe in myself. Please know that your guidance, support and encouragement will never be forgotten. Thank you.
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Thanks again for all your support and words that helped me grow to the person I am today!!
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Thank you! It was so awesome to chat with you and gain more wisdom and insight into what I do everyday. It’s awesome to have you as a mentor! Truly priceless!
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Thank you so much for you assistance to us in ALL matters. I respect your opinion and guidance and appreciate your time as I know it is valuable and you are busy. I miss having you as an instructor and am grateful for all that you have helped me with in the past. I think that you would be proud of how I have moved forward in a positive manner. Thank you for all of your guidance to us…all of my cohorts in classes hold you in the highest regard.
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Words can not express my gratitude for taking time out of your very busy schedule to write such a beautiful and emotionally moving reference letter. Thank you so much. It brought tears to my eyes! I’m a bit speechless.
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I am glad to have such a intelligent and wise mentor. Thank you for your input and concern as it is highly regarded!
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I will always let people know that you made an impact on my life and career. Your class has taught me not to half step but be prepared. People like you make people like me not want to disappoint people like you. I want to say thank you for who you are–firm, caring and professional first and foremost. I am big on leading by example and you are an example that I will follow.
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Thank you. The KNOWLEDGE you provided helped A LOT of students. You have touched a lot of lives and helped change a lot of lives … thanks again. YOU ARE THE BEST PROFESSOR EVER!!!!!”
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I had the pleasure of meeting one of our Business program students this morning at the Lake County Economic Development Forum. She has two grown daughters, one of whom had a great experience in your program. In addition to the quality learning and professional development her daughter experienced, the mom was especially grateful for your investment in getting her daughter a position at one of our local agencies. I frequently observe a myriad of visible and very positive outcomes from your dedication to your students. But it was nice to be reminded how dedication to the student impacts an entire family. And the impact to the agency where the student was placed. And the clients at the agency.
You gave the family a reason to celebrate and inspired the mom and your student’s sister to achieve, too.
Thanks so much- wish you could have heard for yourself what a hero you are to this mom. (from a Lakeland Staff Member)
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Because of you and many other professors at Lakeland, I have the ability to master whatever task I am given. I will never forget that you were the first person to see my potential; even when I was the last person in the classroom after every exam 🙂 Thank you. I am truly grateful to be a product of your hard work and great efforts.
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It was an honor to have you as my teacher this semester and I’m looking forward to learning even more from you next semester. Thank you!
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I can not thank you enough for everything you have taught me. Your class has been something that I looked forward to every week. I am more motivated now than ever to better my life and the lives of others. I hope that I can be as knowledgeable as you one day. 🙂
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Thanks for pushing me and believing I could do it. My supervisor constantly tells me how valuable and knowledgeable I am and that he believes I have a great future with the organization.
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Just wanted to share this super shining moment with you. Last week one of the staff members at my job was out sick so my supervisor asked me to step into her position for the day. She said she normally doesn’t have interns do this until about a month before they are done, but she feels that I’m very advanced and quite knowledgeable and capable for the stage of education I am in. It was a awesome experience! My supervisor told me they were very impressed on my skills and said, “it’s beyond belief what they are teaching students now a day!”
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I wanted to let you know how grateful I am that I had you as a professor. Although I am not going into your field, I still use many of the skills that I learned in your class in my current position.
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Thanks so much for being supportive to my education. You are great Professor and motivator. I just got a great job that I would have never applied for if you did not believe in me. I didn’t even realize my own ability until I met you and it is because of you that I started to believe in myself. I was accepted in a Holden University Center program for the fall so I am super excited and I received several scholarships as well! Thank you!
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Thanks for your insightful contributions to our civic reflection today. You inspire me.
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I want to thank you for the talk you gave us in class today. I don’t know if I am just really lucky to have the three amazing Professors I do for my first semester, but I feel how much you care and your personal investment in us. I was very touched and just wanted to thank you! I am so excited about getting the chance to be in college. Thank you also for the study guides; they have helped me immensely with understanding the chapters.
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“I really just wanted to let you know that I really appreciated your class more than you can imagine. I learned to be a real student, meaning I learned what hard work is and how to deal with it. I developed so many study habits and disciplines over the course of calculus I & II that I probably wouldn’t have now if I didn’t have you as a teacher. I would not be the person I am today without you and I just wanted to give you a really big thanks.”
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”Thank you so much!! I knew I would talk to you again at some point. If you were not my calculus teacher, I probably wouldn’t be a math major.”
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“I wanted to say thank you! This class had definitely made me more confident in my writing abilities. In honesty, this class was extremely hard for me, as I am a numbers kind of girl. With my recent promotion at work, I have to email regional managers and write emails to everyone in my district all the time. I have had some pretty spiffy emails, I must admit, and when I write them I think of this class and how I shouldn’t babble, but be descriptive! So not only have you helped me personally, but also professionally.”
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“While in your class you were very supportive of me during a very trying time in my life. I was in a violent relationship, and would often come to classes with evidence of this. You confronted me about my situation and even involved the campus police. You actually helped me to put in motion the changes I was hesitant to make on my own. At the same time all this confusion was going on in my life, your support enabled me to still earn and A in the class. I always wanted to let you know how much of an encouragement you were to me, and also an inspiration as you fought your own battle with cancer. I am pleased we both came out on top.”
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“Your class was one of my favorites. I still refer back to what I learned.”
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“Thank you for being such a great professor. I really enjoyed your class. You have really helped me out with my sentence structure when writing my 0papers. I really appreciate you for being you.”
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“I wanted to thank you for all of your patience this semester. As I strove to follow your course work, I found myself with more confidence to complete writing assignments, and I am grateful for that!. I appreciate all that you do for your students!
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“A short note of thanks to you for being an excellent instructor. Should another student inquire about your class, I will describe it as ‘most impressive.’ Your presentation and execution of work happened exactly as described. I enjoyed your class and when writing in the future, you will be in my subconscious mind.”
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“I just want to say thank you Dr. XXXXXXX for being a wonderful teacher.”
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“I have to thank you for your work with my son; he is so much better at the written word because of you.”
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“I want you to know that you have helped me beyond what is obvious; I am a little more confident. I am very grateful to have been your student. I hope that one day my daughters will be blessed from your great instruction. Thank you so much.”
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“Dr. XXXXXXX is one of the best professors I have ever had (including all 3 years of college). She picked our great books, was very communicative, gave specific feedback, and was genuinely concerned with my experience. She encouraged me, showed me how I could do better, and how I am already a great writer.”
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“The instructor was educated, passionate, and helpful. She sent out helpful tips and provided help in a way that made this class feel less like just an online course and more like a learning experience.”
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This was a great class and I just wanted to let you know how much I enjoyed it. EXCEL is incredible and I wish I had known long ago what it could do ! Thanks for teaching it.
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Thank you for being so patient with me these five weeks, I really appreciate you emailing back in such a quick manner.
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I just completed the final and submitted it to you. I just wanted to take a moment to thank you for working with me throughout this course. Although I really disliked those quizzes they have set up, I learned so much from the case examples and the reading that I feel much more confident using windows 7. I wasn’t sure how the course reviews go online, so I thought I could just send you some feedback here. Thank you for your instruction and more importantly putting up with my complaining, lol.
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Thank you very much for your willingness to help me take the classes I need to take during the Fall 2013 semester. I really appreciate your understanding of the difficulties I was facing and your readiness to help me achieve my goal. I could have never accomplished this without your help.
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You are the fastest teacher I have ever had to respond to their emails. (You are the BEST!) Have a good first week as well!
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We just wanted to thank you for helping us and we are hoping this is just the beginning! XXXXXXXX and XXXXXXXX had fun. We can help these ladies build valuable careers, create jobs and assist them in achieving their goals. The class was fun and I learned a lot.
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I would like to give you my special thanks for an educationally enlightening and mentally stimulating semester. Being a baby boomer, I was very apprehensive, nervous, and somewhat frightened at the thought of taking my first on-line course, this is why specials thanks to you, are in order. The Tutorials and Discussion Forums helped me tremendously and your immediate response to my e-mails made me feel as though I was in a classroom just raising my hand because I had a question. Everything went great in your class this semester, even though I got a little cocky when taking two of the quizzes, what happened is that I rushed through the quizzes without giving the proper thought, that is the only thing that I am regretful of. Again many, many, thanks and don’t think that you are getting rid of me this easily, I have enrolled in your class scheduled for the fall 2014 semester. Until then, may the wind always be at your back.
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Lakeland Hygiene Program is the highest quality program. The teachers go above and beyond to challenge students to be the best they can be, and learn the knowledge to make them excellent professionals in their career. I am a graduate of this program and feel my education was top-notch compared to hygienists from other schools. The waiting list for this program should speak volumes of how great this program is. I am proud to say I am a graduate of Lakeland and have decided to return to Lakeland to take classes to work on my bachelor’s degree. The staff is amazing. I attended the Bridge the Gap math class this summer and was blown away at how helpful the instructors were to help us achieve our individual goals. This is just a short example of the excellent staff that Lakeland has and it should appreciate all their hard work as much as the students do.