Several times over the past few months, I have had the wonderful opportunity to reconnect with some of my former students.  In addition to these times, I try to keep up with others through Facebook, Twitter, or email.  I highly value these connections and gain as much or more than my students from them.

I didn’t originally intend to get my doctorate to become a professor.  I wanted to get into higher education administration.  Ultimately, I decided to pursue a faculty route but thought it would only be for a few years.  One of the biggest reasons I am still a faculty member today is how much I value my connection with students—current and former.

Many of us get into higher education because of the desire to educate and improve the lives of our students.  The depth and connection I have with my students keeps me energized and challenges me on almost a daily basis.

My relationship with former students provides me with three benefits I cherish.

Affirm my teaching approach.  Some of my proudest moments as a faculty member are when a student writes a note and shares the impact of something from one of my classes.  A recent example was particularly memorable for me.  I’ve spent a lot of class time over the past few years working on writing.  I believe this is an area where my students benefit from detailed and hands on instruction.  In my classes, I’ve tried to provide this opportunity.  Not everyone is a fan of this (no surprise) and it is time intensive (as any composition instructor will tell you).  I received an email from a former student thanking me for the writing help I gave her and what difference it had made.  Needless to say, I was thrilled.  In recent semesters, doubt had begun to creep in about whether this approach was worth the time and effort.  This email affirmed that my approach was right and I should continue it.

Create Valued Colleagues and Friends.  Some of my best colleagues and friends are former students of mine.  I probably have an advantage over some in that most of my students throughout the course of my career have been graduate students.  This fact makes becoming colleagues and friends a little easier.  Yet, I value the time, support, and friendships with my former students.  When we’ve had the opportunity to collaborate, we’ve benefited from having a great rapport.  A rapport built through long nights of classes, trips abroad, or advising sessions.  I enjoy hearing about their spouses and children.  I celebrate their successes and hurt with them in their losses.  If career satisfaction is tied to developing great colleagues and friends, I’ve been lucky.

Learn new ideas and question existing assumptions.  As perhaps is the case with many of us in higher education, I enjoy learning.  I love the challenge of a new idea or way of doing something.  My students often teach me something about higher education.  I appreciate hearing from former students that can relate their current experience to those in the program.  Frequently, I’ve made changes to my courses based on these conversations.  As a faculty member, I don’t always get to engage with administrative work.  Connections with former students provides me with these insights.  These discussions have me question my assumptions about higher education.  I’ve had the fortune to work with students that have wonderful experiences and perspectives.  I hope I’ve been able to incorporate some of these ideas into my own thinking and pass along this knowledge to future students.

I value my time spent with students.  I particularly value reconnecting with former students to hear what they are up to and how they are doing.

I encourage every faculty member to take a few minutes to reach out to some of your former students.  You will benefit so much and it will be well worth your time.

Take some time today to reach out to a former professor.  Tell them how much you enjoyed your time in their class or what you are up to professionally.  They’ll appreciate hearing from you and you will both benefit from the connection.  And if you’re one of my former students, this is a mandatory assignment!