Graduation Governor M ike Huckabee addresses graduates during commencement ceremonies last May. Huckabee was a frequenrspeaker at Hardingevents dur ing the year and has close ties to the University. $rom note taking to notegiving: C{(ecentJIarding graduates take on teaching positions For many, graduation means leaving Harding and building a life elsewhe re. For o thers, it means remaining at H arding to become a professor. April Palmer came co Harding the first t ime for the Honors Symposium during her junior year in high school. Now, fi ve years and a college educati on later, she is beginning her first semester as an associate insuucro r of chem istry. Frank McCown , associate instructor of compurer sciences, has been on Hard ing's facul ryonlythreeyears, bur is now conside red by some to be one of the more seaso'ned, younger faculty members. Both of these inst ructo rs, along with several other new facul ty members, have a unique relationship with Harding as both recent graduates and now teachers. For the most pan, Harding students graduate and leave their school and fr iends behind. But for the few who choose to remain at H arding and become membe rs of the faculty, they find their lives as students and their roles as instructors blend , yet divide into different paths. For some, the transition from student to faculty member is a great challenge, and can be very intimidating. Some say their hea rts are still students, while it feels their responsibilities are equal to those of a [enured professor. "I have had to macure, become a surrogate fatherfigure , to be [he mentor," McCown said. "I have never had to play that ro le until I began teaching." McCown also spoke of smaller areas of concern , such as how hewas now to be addressed in cl ass and how he was to enforce d iscipline. All were things he had never though t of before. Yet he believes he can sti ll be "one of the guys" while holding the responsibilities given to him by the university. Being a student and being a professor both have thei r difficult sides. "A student is more interested in making the grade. Students think in academ ic steps," Palmer said . "As a faculty member, you are more d riven by getting everythi ng done - even the litde things - and by thinking ahead. " Classroom preparation takes on a whole new meaning once one has crossed over from being a student to an InStruCtor. "Preparing for a 50 minu te lecture takes so many hours outside the classroom," Palmer said. "At times it can be a li tde intimidating." However, Palmer said she has a positive att irude about the stresses of being an instructor. "No one is really ready for great change," Palmer said. "Change comes when God is ready for change, and can only be taken one step at a time." "You must love your students, love to teach and always be able to relate to your studems," McCown said. He also believes that by stayi ng "one of the guys" he will be able to relate to hi sstudems, and in turn they will respect him as an instructor. "By being young, respect has to be ea rned because the students don't know me from Adam," Palmer said. "I have to rise to the challenge. I have to meet the chall enge. This is the hardest thing I have ever had to do, yet it is a who le lot of fun. tOo." - David Hill, Shauna Lee Graduation 13
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