by James Sheppard, '84, associate professor of psychology at the University of Florida

I graduated from Southwestern in 1984, which has given me plenty of time to reflect on what I learned and how Southwestern influenced my development. Ten things stand out. In reverse order:

10. I learned the value of the liberal arts education.

Not all college educations are the same. The liberal arts education is unique, and I benefit from mine every day. The arts, humanities and science courses I took at Southwestern made me a broader thinker. When I read, watch films, visit museums or converse with others, I understand more because of my liberal arts training. Indeed, anyone who has read an article by the columnist George Wills knows that much of what he writes is indecipherable without a strong background in liberal arts.

9. I learned the value of the scientific method.

The science courses I took taught me the importance of the scientific method, which makes me a better consumer of research. When I read magazine and newspaper articles about scientific findings, I can better form an opinion and draw conclusions because of my methodological training. I've learned that not all research is equally valid. Of note, I did not appreciate how much I learned when I was at Southwestern. In graduate school, however, when I taught my own course in research methods, I quickly learned that my students knew very little about methods. Surprisingly, I found I knew quite a bit about topics such as random assignment, confounds and correlation. These topics seemed so intuitive that I couldn't imagine a time when I didn't know them. But there was a time-before I came to Southwestern.

8. I learned that much education occurs outside the classroom.

I heard this in college, but I never quite believed it. I'm not referring to learning how to play college drinking games. Nor am I referring to life experiences such as budgeting finances or juggling responsibilities. I'm referring to how students teach each other. I gained a lot from reading and from discussing lectures with fellow students.

7. I learned about the importance of good teaching.

In 19 years on college campuses, as a student and then as a professor, I have seen a lot of people teach, some good and others not. Good teaching means coming to class prepared, having thought about what you plan to say and how you will say it, and having worked out good examples to illustrate your point. It also means enthusiasm for your topic. I had many great teachers at Southwestern such as Drs. Dan Hillard, Jesse Purdy, Weldon Crowley, Jan Dawson, Jack Harris, Fred Hilgeman and Ellsworth Peterson. I didn't always recognize their teaching skills then, but I do now when I observe or hear students at my own institution complain about poor teachers.

6. I learned about the importance of small classes.

Small classes permit interaction with professors, as well as more opportunities to write, express opinions and get feedback. At large state universities, faculty are under intense pressure to teach large classes. Precious little attention is given to individual students. It saddens me that few of the students I see in my large classes are getting the kind of intellectual experience I received as an undergraduate.

5. I learned that faculty have a profound effect on students.

Faculty can shape thinking. Dr. Jesse Purdy convinced me of the importance of empiricism; that is, the importance of being able to observe, quantify and measure things before stating them as fact. I saw Dr. Norman Spellmann put many fervent students through crisis of belief in his dissection of the Bible. Faculty can also excite students about learning. One course opened my eyes to a new area of psychology. I found myself reading the text for fun and discussing the material with anyone who cared to listen. The course was social psychology, and I earned my Ph.D. in it five years after leaving Southwestern.

4. I learned not to obsess over grades.

As a first-semester student, I felt considerable pressure to get high grades. Some of the pressure came from my parents, but most was self-imposed. As is true of many students, my obsession with grades interfered with my learning. I studied more to achieve a high grade than to learn the material. Dr. Virginia Carwell broached me and suggested that grades were less important than attaining something meaningful and valuable from the course. My senior year, I realized she was right. I won't argue that grades are unimportant. High college grades are essential for getting into graduate and professional schools. However, I eventually learned that if I focus on learning, the grades follow.

3. I learned how to learn.

A few things about learning were obvious to me when I graduated but were unclear during my first year. First, attend class-particularly on exam days. Faculty have important things to say which I paid to hear. Second, read the text. Like most first-year students, a few of my textbooks were in pristine condition when I sold them back to the bookstore. When I did start reading the texts, I found that the assigned readings were not only interesting and informative, but made the class easier. Third, apply what you learn. Memorization is inadequate.

2. I learned that I'm not as smart as I thought I was.

I finished high school at the top of my class and was admitted to Southwestern with a valedictorian scholarship. I quickly learned, however, that the professors were much smarter. Mercifully, none flaunted this fact or intentionally made me feel ignorant. I learned that many of my fellow students were also smart, and many had academic scholarships too. These students seemed to know as much as I did; some clearly knew more. Being smart is not enough, though. The most successful people I've met were not necessarily the smartest of the lot, but rather were the most disciplined, driven and hard-working.

1. I learned that the Southwestern education is a rare, valuable gift.

At Southwestern, I was challenged to think, forced to write, and compelled by faculty to develop and express my own ideas. A good education was inescapable-I was going to get one whether I liked it or not. At large state universities, the huge emphasis on publishing and pursuing grant dollars means that few faculty can devote much time to undergraduate teaching. If you want a good liberal arts education with a lot of individual attention, the kind I re-ceived at SU, you have to work at it. You need to find the good professors who challenge you and care about teaching. You have to plead or cajole them to take you in their courses and take you on as a research assistant. You have to beg them to make time for you and not just pass you off to a graduate student. Students who are shy, intimidated or unassertive lose out. They never get the opportunities offered automatically to all students at Southwestern.