Carole McKinney, Associate Professor of Education

My own experiences as a student in a small liberal arts college changed my life and lead me to seek an opportunity to give back to others what had been made available to me. As a teacher I have the opportunity to see the student as an individual. Day to day contact with students allows me to become aware of  learning styles, talents, challenges and all the other elements that make each one unique. Both inside and outside of the classroom faculty at Franklin are a part of the “growing” process. It is a privilege to watch a young person develop and hopefully to become the very best he or she can be.

Kristin Flora, Assistant Professor of Psychology

One reason that I chose to teach at Franklin College is because of the low student-teacher ratios. What does that mean? It means that Franklin College students come here knowing that they cannot hide in the back of the classroom; in fact, most students are eager to connect with their professors, and not just in the classroom. My students allow me to get to know them on a personal level – the athletes invite me to their games, the musicians invite me to their concerts, the Greek community invites me to their philanthropy days. Having this positive connection with faculty and campus-wide support helps our students grow academically, spiritually, professionally, and socially through their time at Franklin College.

Richard Erable, Associate Professor of English

Why do I love teaching at Franklin College? I love it because everything I do at this liberal arts college involves my helping students understand two basic but important life lessons. First, you’ve got to learn to live if you want to earn a living (certainly one that satisfies you); then, once you’re earning your living, you’ve got to live to learn. So go to college because you want to set yourself on the path to knowing yourself better and becoming the best person you can be, in other words, because you want to learn to live better. Once you’re on that path, you’ll land your job—probably one that suits you and that you really enjoy. Then, when you are working, keep learning. Lifelong learning (one of Franklin’s core values) means keeping your life fresh and moving forward. To quote an old Chinese proverb, “Learning is like rowing upstream; not to advance is to drop back,” to which I would add, "a post-college life without learning is like a stagnant pool; it generally stinks." Franklin College is all about helping students understand the connection between the life of the mind and what some call “life in the real world,” and I get to play a small part in making that happen. It’s pretty cool.

Gordon R. Strain, Assistant Professor of Fine Arts

I never planned to be a teacher. After college I took a risk and accepted a job teaching middle school and high school. Eventually I realized that there were a lot of aspects of teaching that I enjoyed. I went on to pursue my graduate degree and found my way to Franklin College. I immediately felt right at home. I attended a liberal arts college for my undergraduate degree and I really appreciated the intimate setting and the close relationships I developed with my professors. I have found that Franklin College supports an exciting kind of learning and teaching environment. I also enjoy being able to walk from one side of the campus to the other greeting students, staff and faculty along the way, attending football games on the weekends and participating in Grizzly Grand Prix each year. For me it's more than just teaching at a college, it's being part of a community.