Anne E. Ulshafer

Dear Screening Committee Members,

Professor Kelly Kim is the best choice for Teacher of the Year.

Professor Kim has had a lasting impact on my life.  Not only have I learned much from her organization and dedication, but also from the skills she taught me that still I use since my first class with her over two years ago.

Having never previously studied a foreign language, I quickly became overwhelmed by the class material when I began Spanish 101.  Early in the semester, I went to Professor Kim nearly in tears over my impossible battle to understand the lectures and complete the required course work.  Without hesitation, she sat down with me and took her time to help me figure out the best way for me to study and take notes in her class.  It was through her that I learned the power of color coding my notes, and I soon amassed a collection of multi-colored pens—one of my most potent tools, and one I cannot now function without.  She even offered to study with me on her own time—on weekends if necessary—if I continued to struggle.  Professor Kim bent over backwards to equip me with the tools to succeed, and help me develop the study and note-taking skills I find essential today.  However, Professor Kim’s support did not stop with her study guidance.  Throughout the semester, she would make extra handouts for me—so I could practice the lecture material again later—and regularly check back with me to make sure I understood the material.    Her passion for my success—beyond the classroom—and her genuine interest in my welfare, led me to take her again for Spanish 102.

I have such great respect for Professor Kim; she is an extremely rare instructor who is not merely a “teacher of knowledge,” but a “facilitator of learning.”  I am forever grateful to her for the untiring time and energy she poured into me, and the indelible mark she has left on my life.

Without a doubt, Professor Kelly Kim deserves to be Teacher of the Year.

Sincerely,

Anne E. Ulshafer