Student and Faculty Testimonials

"It is a marvelous privilege to teach and learn at a place like the University of Chicago. I have been teaching Core courses in the College for the past 21 years, and though many of the things I teach remain the same, the experience itself is always new.

Each year, my students are different. Their backgrounds, the difficulties they encounter, and the things they pick up from what they read are new in every year or even every quarter. There are few things I enjoy more than sharing in the eye-opening experience students have in their Core courses, as they learn new ways of thinking about the world and acquire the tools to do what they have never done before. Their desire to be challenged keeps me on my toes as an undergraduate teacher. It is part of what I appreciate most about teaching at the University. Teaching such students, and teaching them in the Core, keeps me young; it never gets stale.

As the students challenge me, so I challenge them. The University of Chicago demands a certain kind of student—the type of student who wants to be intellectually engaged. Our style of teaching addresses students directly. It does not allow them to be quiet and unchallenged. We are fortunate to attract the students who thrive on that challenge.

It is its intensity that sets Chicago apart and makes it the extraordinary University that it is. As far as I am concerned, there is no other place like it."

"Like many alumni, I chose to attend the University of Chicago because of its excellent academic reputation, its commitment to rigorous coursework, and its exceptional faculty. As I look forward to my final year at Chicago, I think about how important my education here has been and how appreciative I am of the alumni support that has enriched my education.

One course, in particular, has been exceptionally formative. Last winter, as a third year in the College, I faced my most challenging course to date: Race and Politics, taught by Professor Cathy Cohen. The course explored a variety of issues related to the white/black dichotomy in 20th and 21st century American politics. Professor Cohen had not anticipated such a large undergraduate response—she had designed a graduate-level course—and expected all of the College students to participate on the same level as the grad students. The workload was intense and I appreciated it in a way that only a Chicago student can. Professor Cohen's classroom presence was kind, but demanding. She facilitated great discussion and was not afraid to question students. Her course made me think about issues in an entirely different way.

That is, ultimately, what a Chicago education does—it challenges your view of the world and gives you the tools to think critically and independently in any situation. While I'm still deciding if law school or a Ph.D. program is in my future, I know that I will be well-prepared to face m y future with a Chicago diploma in hand."