Are you interested in getting to know your professors better outside of class? The perks of being at a small liberal arts college are that professors will really get to know you as an individual, especially with the small class sizes. Amherst College also offers a program called TYPO (take your professor out) that helps students form stronger connections with faculty. TYPO allows up to six students in a group to invite a professor or staff member to dinner each semester. The program will give each group $25/person to pay for food and money for tips. Who would pass up an opportunity for free food? Students can pick any restaurant in downtown Amherst to take their professor out! Specific details of the program are offered here: https://www.amherst.edu/offices/student-affairs/typo.
My friends and I took our chemistry professor, Professor Cartier, out to dinner this month. We went to Formosa, a Chinese restaurant in downtown Amherst. During this dinner, we got to share our life stories and learn more about our professor outside of class. We learned that Professor Cartier worked for the Peace Corps before teaching at Amherst and loves spicy food; he learned how my friends and I like to spend our weekends and what drew us to Amherst. The dinner was an amazing experience. I am so grateful that Amherst College funded the outing and actively encourages connections between students and faculty.
While the motivation for some students in connecting with professors is simply for research and personalized recommendation letters, faculty connections are so much more. Having the support of a professor feels reassuring and can make a huge difference in your college experience. Knowing your professors personally not only motivates you to perform better in class but also makes it easier to ask them for help. It can also provide you with role models throughout your college career. Professor Cartier has definitely become a role model to my friends and me after sharing that dinner and learning his motivations behind teaching.
I encourage you all (when you are official college students) to take your professor out to dinner!! It will create fond memories and uplift your college experience. If you have any questions about TYPO, or professors, or anything at all about Amherst College, please reach out to me at ipatel28@amherst.edu. Thank you for reading 🙂