“Whether it is inside or outside of the classroom, Dr. Cusack is an amazing person to talk to. His passion far exceeds the classroom and that is what makes him so great,” KSC class of 2013 graduate Bryan Finocchiaro stated about this year’s 2015 Distinguished Teacher Award Recipient Dr. Chris Cusack.
The award is Presented by the Alumni Association to a KSC professor based on excellence in teaching, encouragement of independent thinking, rapport with students and effective student advising. According to Associate Professor of Geography Chris Brehme, Cusack meets all of these requirements and more.
“I think it’s an overdue recognition of his strengths. As an educator I think he embodies everything this college is and wants to be in terms of embracing the classroom experience and having relationships with students and nurturing them through classes but also in terms of preparing students for a professional life beyond the college,” Brehme said.
He continued, “In the classroom he’s very deliberate and conscious on his part that he’s prepared for
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class and that he’s giving lectures and guiding students through discussion and activities in very thoughtful ways. He puts an incredible amount of thought and time and care in the classroom , like all of us [professors] we have to focus on that. I think the other part is more natural in Chris’s ability to sort of nurture, motivate, and inspire his students. It comes much more naturally to him than other folks that he relates really well to students.”
Finnocchiaro was a student of Cusacks’s throughout all four years of his time at KSC and stated what really distinguishes Cusack from the rest is his passion and willingness to help everyone of his students succeed.
“He took the time to get to know his students in which he learned how teach us specifically and really took the time and you could see his passion for wanting everyone to succeed, “ Finnocchiaro stated.
Brehme agreed and said that his ability to connect with students is what makes him such a great professor.
“I think what makes him unique is his ability to really relate to and engage students while he’s also motivating them to go beyond their own expectations, motivating students beyond what they thought they could do , and so I’ve seen few other faculty who have that combination that can sort of balance that, he does in it in a way that’s sensitive to the fact that there’s other stuff going on in their lives so he’s a confidant kind of for me and I can imagine that for other students as well, “ Brehme said.
Cusack said when he got the news he had won the award it was something that caused him to physically sit down and take it in.
“I felt very surprised when I got it. The president called me herself and let me know the good news. I thought she was
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calling about another matter so when she called I actually physically had to sit down. I was taken aback so it was a great feeling I’m very appreciative of it,” Cusack said.
When asked about his relationships with students, Cusack said he that he’s maintained contact with students and alumni for years now.
“I love working with students, I love when you see them come in as freshmen not sure what geography is about. They take a class, decide they like it and take another class and then four years later they’re graduating.
You know you’ve gone on trips with them and taken to conferences and maybe you co-presented or co-authored a piece then you really know them as a student and not just like a student in the class you know them as a person and then you stay in touch with them. It’s magical. This place [KSC] can be magical,” Cusack said.
Finnocchiaro is one of those students.
“I would say we shoot emails back and forth every month or two. I also know that he keeps in contact with definitely a majority of my senior class as well as the class after me. I keep in touch because I grew a tremendous respect for him has a teacher, friend, and family man. I think it is important to keep in contact with someone who had a major impact on your academic life,” Finnocchiaro stated.
Kendall Pope can be contacted at kpope@kscequinox.com
