Building the tool is only part of the work

The Oracle · Local

Teaching is only part of the job for USF educators

Doctoral student Noah Volz and psychology professor Ruthann Atchley took different routes to teaching at USF. Their experiences show how much of the job happens outside the classroom. ORACLE PHOTO/AUDREY KOCZANSKI For students, an instructor’s job may seem straightforward: prepare a lecture, stand in front of a classroom and teach. However, behind each lecture are years of education, work, research, professional experience and responsibility that extend far beyond the classroom. At USF, each path can look different depending on an instructor’s position and academic field. For example, doctoral student Noah Volz and professor Ruthann Atchley have each taken different routes to higher education. Volz’s path to teaching has included pursuing a doctorate in American literature and religion. Now a fourth-year doctoral student, he teaches English composition and literature. Atchley has built her career in psychology and is a professor in USF’s psychology department.