With the warm spring weather Dr. Hopkins decided it was much too nice outside for us to continue to hold class inside. So, on a couple of occasions this month he led his class out to the campus duck pond. There he asked us to look around and asked us questions about the living organisms in and around the pond. This really helped me apply what I was learning in the classroom to life all around me. He also had us do a small soil experiment so we could see the importance of vegetation in avoiding erosion. It meant so much to me to be able to literally get my hands dirty and apply my knowledge to the real world--not just for a test.

Professor Hopkins also invites guest speakers to talk to his classes about what they do in their field of biology. The speakers come full of interesting stories that energize us students about getting involved. Like the trips to the duck pond, listening to the speakers allowed us to see directly how the information we are learning in class can be applied to real life.

Another big part of Dr. Hopkins’ class is his encouragement to look ahead to the future. He lets his students know that they can get involved in keeping the world clean and promoting a more sustainable future. He prompts us to open our eyes and try to think of solutions to current problems. Dr. Hopkins is very much in favor of students not being afraid to get involved and really seek out real world experiences.

Dr. Hopkins also helps his students by choosing active teacher’s assistance (TAs). The TAs have organized themselves so whenever a student is confused or needs some help there is almost always a TA available. They are willing to look over work before hand, email reminders, and hold test reviews. Professor Hopkins and his TAs keep the class schedule very organized so there are no surprises for the students. It is hard to get discouraged in a class where so much help is available. This was shown especially in the month of March as students started looking over their final grades and as main tests were approaching.

From his efforts it is obvious that Dr. Hopkins really cares about his students and their future. He promotes feeling of empowerment by encouraging self thought, he always has help available through his TAs, and he encourages students to get hands-on experience. There is no doubt that having a teacher like this is just as lucky as finding a four leaf clover or a pot of gold.

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