How much time do you get to spend with your professor? You attend lectures every week, scribble pages of notes, and hope to complete your assignments on time. You might ask a question in class, chat a bit after a lecture, or even go speak with them during office hours. However, if you consider the amount of actual, one-on-one interaction you have with your professor, it is likely very little — if not non-existent. You can easily spend your entire undergraduate career without ever getting to know the person behind the podium.
Given that separation, it is not often that you find yourself sharing stories with your professor over a pint of beer. However, on July 24, a group of students in a third-year international law class, myself included, set out after lecture with their professor, Dr. Ross Michael Pink, to spend some time getting to know one another. It was an informal gathering on a Wednesday evening, set up by one of the students, which provided an opportunity to break free from our normal roles as students and professor. As we entered the pub and sat down, everyone seemed a bit nervous. Could I really order an Amsterdam Blonde in front of the person who will be marking my treaty report?
Soon enough, formalities were dropped and everyone seemed at ease. Over the course of the night, small groups of students broke off on their own — while Pink made sure to spend some one-on-one time with everyone. “A lot of students had comments or questions about career direction which would not normally come up in a class situation,” said Pink, “so for me, it was rewarding to get to know the students better and learn about their future goals.” As a soon-to-be graduate, I had many questions about potential career paths and relished the opportunity to speak with somebody who had a lifetime of industry experience. Pink comes from a background in journalism, and shared stories of his field work in India. He told us about what it takes to make it as a journalist and encouraged those who were interested to try their hand at freelance writing. “Building a portfolio is as simple as writing about your everyday experiences,” he said.
Although we received some great career advice, one of the biggest benefits to come out of the evening was seen later, in class. Students who had formerly been tentative about participating in class were now eager to do so and engage with the material. Third-year student James Casaca said that: “the event broke down barriers that existed before, and I felt more comfortable asking a question about something I didn’t quite understand in class.” These sorts of benefits can only come from increased interaction between faculty and students.
We all know that U of T is a large university, and that it often has a large, institutional feel. Some 42,000 undergraduate students attend the St. George Campus every year. However, this does not mean that we cannot, on occasion, feel like a close community. One of the best ways this can happen is by simply getting to know the people we surround ourselves with on a daily basis. “I was impressed with the talent and diversity of our class,” said Pink, “people who do not express confidence in the young people of today only need to spend a little time with our class.”
Nicolas Esper is a fourth-year student majoring in philosophy and political science.
