Student, Teacher, Parent: An Academic Role Model Outside the Classroom by Rebecca

Student, Teacher, Parent: An Academic Role Model Outside the Classroom by Rebecca - September 2013 Scholarship Essay

When thinking of an academic role model, the temptation may be to turn to an exceptional teacher or professor. For me, however, my role model was Michael Verderame, my father. He has strived throughout his life to learn more, whether he is in a school setting or at home, and to be a excellent student.
 
When I was in high school looking to go to college and despairing over my school workload, I began to notice that two specific stories were being repeated to me from several family members, both about my dad. The first was from my grandparents, who were trying to encourage me to be better about my schoolwork. As the story goes, my grandmother was attending a parent meeting for my dad’s class with some concern that her sons might not be doing well, as they frequently told her they did not need to do homework because they had finished it. Could they really be telling the truth? Were teachers simply not assigning them much homework? As she listened to other parents talk at the meeting, however, she was astonished to hear their complaints. They were all insistent that the teacher was being unfair to the students, having assigned far too much homework. Finally, the teacher, who was somewhat frustrated by this insistence according to my grandmother, turned to her and asked whether her son had any issues with homework. My grandmother sheepishly admitted that he did not. It turned out that he was diligent in completing most of his work during the free times he had in school.
 
This has always struck me as unsurprising whenever I hear the story. My father’s work ethic, both in general and as someone committed to helping other students, has been strong for as long as I have known him, and he has always encouraged me to do the same. While I can’t say I am as good at managing my time, I make it a point not to place false blame on those who are dedicated to helping others learn when I become frustrated with my workload.
 
Work ethic is not my father’s only strong point when it comes to academics, however. The second story that both my father and my grandparents have repeated to me concerns his desire to continue his education. Despite the fact that my father was a good student, his parent’s occupations did not give him much hope for being able, financially, to attend a prestigious college. One day, my grandfather happened to strike up a conversation with a researcher from Columbia University who put my father in touch with faculty at the school after hearing how excellent a student he was. Once the faculty member talked with my dad, they informed him of how the school would be able to help financially if he was accepted. He became the first person in his family to earn not only his Bachelor’s degree, but also a PhD.
 
This story, and my father’s motivation behind it, is one that has had influence on my current academic situation. I am enrolled in graduate school to earn a Master’s degree, but there were times throughout my education that I have been unsure about continuing. Despite my concerns, my dad has always encouraged me to achieve my best academically, frequently using this story as an example, a reminder that despite the fact there may be obstacles in my way or I may feel others have a better likelihood of being accepted doesn’t mean I shouldn’t try. There is always something interesting to learn and it is a wasted opportunity to give up on the chance.
 
My dad’s interest in learning did not stop when he graduated. Although he began in medical research, his career has taken him on a much more academic path. He gives lectures to medical students at the Penn State College of Medicine and has been nominated and awarded several honors by both the school and the students, such as the award for Best Lectures, Best CMBMP Lecturer, and Distinguished Educator of the College of Medicine. His current goal is to improve on the manner in which student’s are taught, using a new approach called Team Based Learning.
 
Even in our home my dad is an educator. He is always pushing me to learn more, not just about areas that I am interested in, but also about information outside my comfort zone. My dad’s portrayal of the importance of learning and education and his intelligence are all reasons why I have strived to be a dedicated student, and why I view him as a role model for academics. He has always been my most important teacher.