‘My favorite teachers,’ by UND leaders

UND Today asked UND leaders about the teachers who shaped their lives

In celebration of Teacher Appreciation Week, UND leaders were asked to reflect on the educators who shaped their lives — those who offered guidance, inspired their growth and instilled in them a lifelong love of learning. In high school classrooms, Ph.D. seminars and the workplace, teachers have an impact that lasts a lifetime.

Below, read what some of the University’s leaders had to say about their favorite teachers.

Andrew Armacost, UND President

“In recognition of Teacher Appreciation Week, let me take this chance to thank all my college professors, from my bachelor’s degree through my Ph.D., and all with whom I’ve worked at the Air Force Academy and the University of North Dakota. Each has impacted my learning and who I became as an educator, leader, and human being.

“Let me quickly highlight four. Sanjay Mehrotra at Northwestern served as my undergraduate thesis advisor and set me on a path to pursue life as an educator. The respect he offered me showed how great professors show true faith in their students and create opportunities for their learning. Cindy Barnhart at MIT advised both my master’s and Ph.D. theses. Cindy demonstrated an unparalleled commitment to students and their well-being, as well as an unmatched optimism that prompted each of her students to believe we could literally solve any problem.

“My colleague and friend Jim Lowe at the Air Force Academy taught me what it meant to be a great educator and academic leader. And of course, the biggest influence on my learning and teaching was my father, Bob Armacost, whose student-first approach and never-ending curiosity molded his son for life.”

Eric Link, UND Provost

“I’m grateful for all of the teachers who took the time to try to educate me over the course of my life — from kindergarten through graduate school.

“Our negotiations were simple: I would try to be a good student if they would try to teach me something. Generally, the transaction was as simple as that, and at the end of a school year or a semester, we would all part company with a metaphoric handshake and move on to the next great thing.

“Occasionally, however, a teacher gave more than I asked for or deserved, and my debt to those teachers is one I can never repay except by trying to extend the same amount of grace, care, support, encouragement and humor to my own students. I’m thinking of my 8th grade social studies teacher, Mr. Provenzano, of my 12th grade calculus teacher Mr. Waka, of my 7th grade algebra teacher Ms. Shannon, of my 12th grade English teacher Ms. Gaffney, and more.

“They were great teachers, great role models, and they all had just enough patience and humor to make learning a challenge worth taking, rather than a burden one must carry.

“Among this list of important teachers in my life, I’ll never forget, nor can I ever repay, the debt I owe to Dr. Michael Palmer, from whom I took for several classes as an undergraduate student. I took his ‘Introduction to Philosophy’ class, his ‘Logic’ class, his class on ‘Plato and Aristotle,’ and his seminar on ‘Existentialism.’

“Yes, I learned a great deal in those classes, but what made Dr. Palmer such an incredible teacher was the grace he extended toward me. What I showed to him was a relentless drive to understand, to ‘get it.’ He rewarded that drive with patience and a willingness to allow me to try again and again to get it right when I didn’t get it right the first time. He would not allow me to exhibit weak thinking. He would accept no bad work. He never compromised. But, in return, he allowed me (especially in that paper on Jean-Paul Sartre!) to try again and again until I finally climbed over the hill.

“He was an amazing teacher and a great role model. He passed away in 2022, and the world lost a great teacher at that time. I’ll forever be grateful for the education, mentoring, and opportunity he gave me.”

Art Malloy, vice president for Student Affairs

“I have been fortunate to learn from outstanding teachers and educators in high school and college. Brenda Hester, my high school French teacher, was kind, effective and deeply influential. She did not allow English to be spoken in her class. She inspired me to minor in French when I went to college.

At Shaw University, Dr. Grady Demus Davis taught World Civilization. I looked forward to his class, which met three times a week, because he ensured every student participated. He began each session by saying, ‘Wake up and write it down,’ a reminder to pay attention to historical events we would revisit and reflect on. Through his class, I learned the names and philosophies of global leaders and developed a lifelong habit of analyzing the present through the lens of the past.

“Dr. Davis excelled at engaging students, often asking if anyone saw things differently from him, encouraging critical thinking and open dialogue. He was an amazing professor.

“Dr. Philip T.K. Daniel, who taught Higher Education Law during my Ph.D. studies at The Ohio State University, also had a profound impact on my life. As a first-generation college student, I faced many challenges, but Dr. Daniel consistently challenged me to grow while expressing confidence in my potential. He taught me not only the foundations of higher education law, but also how to carry myself as a professional.

“From his sharp appearance to his thoughtful mentorship, he modeled the qualities I have strived to emulate in my own career. I still think about him regularly and am so thankful for the role he played in my life.”

Cassie Gerhardt, senior associate vice president for Student Affairs

“Aside from my parents, I owe much of who I am today to the teachers — both in classrooms and in workplaces — who instilled in me a passion for learning, challenged me to do my best and helped me see where I could grow. These teachers inspired me to stretch beyond what I thought were my limits.

“One such educator is Cathy Buyarski. Cathy was my supervisor when I was a student employee in UND’s Office of Orientation & Retention. She introduced me to higher education not just as a setting, but as a discipline — and, ultimately, helped me realize that it was my purpose as well as my passion.

“On a spring day in 1994, Cathy showed me a path toward a career working with college students, and since then I’ve never considered another profession. Cathy transformed the office into a learning environment. She didn’t assign grades, but her support, feedback and guidance made invaluable contributions to my personal and professional growth.

Though it’s been more than 30 years since I worked for Cathy, her lessons continue to shape how I approach student development, professionalism, ethical leadership and hard work. If not for Cathy’s teachings, I may never have found my way to a career in higher education.

“Now, as an educator myself, I work every day to make a positive, lasting impact on students — just as Cathy did for me.”

Shelbie Witte, dean of the College of Education & Human Development

“Choosing a single favorite teacher feels a bit like trying to name the best book you’ve ever read — while standing in a library, surrounded by authors you know personally.

“As a teacher and teacher educator, I’ve had the privilege (and delightful dilemma) of working with and preparing hundreds of truly exceptional educators. Each one has left a mark on my life and in my heart — whether it was through a brilliantly orchestrated lesson, an uncanny ability to reach the ‘unreachable’ student, or simply the kind of classroom presence that makes you think, ‘Well, I should probably step up my game.’

“Narrowing that down to just one? Let’s just say it would require more rubric rows than even I’m willing to draft. The truth is, I’ve been endlessly inspired, often humbled, and occasionally out-taught — and that’s exactly how it should be.”