Your Kid has Graduated High School! Now What? Part VI: Five ways to Increase Your Campus Notoriety

As a college student, you are constantly surrounded by others who are academically inclined. Whether you share the same major is of little importance. The instructor or professor of many 1000 and 2000 level courses are inundated with students. They are a name and a grade on a sheet of paper. 

But is it important to the student to be known by the instructor? 

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Studies suggest that students feel it is important for the professor or instructor to know their name for a variety of reasons. In a 2017 study conducted by Cooper, Haney, Krieg, and Brownell, 85.4% of students surveyed said it was important for instructors to know their name. 

But why? What could an instructor knowing a name do for the student? How could the student benefit from this? In the aforementioned study, students were given the opportunity to answer open-ended questions that answer this very question. Students responded the following:

1. Affects student attitudes about the course

• Student feels more valued (30.6%)
• Student feels more invested in the course (19.4%)

2. Affects student self-reported behavior

• Student feels more comfortable getting help (19.4%)
• Student feels more comfortable talking to the instructor (11.9%)
  
• Student feels enhanced perforamnce in the the course or confidence in the material (11.9%)

3. Affects how the student perceives the course or the instructor

• Student feels an instructor cares (26.9%)
• Student feels it builds student-instructor relationships (23.1%)
• Student feels it builds classroom community (14.2%)
• Student feels that instructors are more likely to provide student with letter of recommendation or mentoring (6.7%)

So how does a student stand out from the masses and grab that instructors attention? What can your student do to increase their notoriety with an instructor or professor? 

1. Be genuine. Instructors and professors are still people, and as robotic as some may appear, they can still read people the same as you and I. The best foot forward is a solid, genuine self. 

2. Participate in class discussion. I can tell you that this not only helps the instructor know your name, but your classmates as well. Sitting in class and not speaking leads those in attendance to feel distanced from you. Don't be afraid to say what you are thinking about the topic being taught. Either you are thinking along the same lines as others, or you're not. Speak up, but be respectful. 

3. Ask questions. Chances are, others are wondering the same thing. If they aren't, then you are providing a fresh take on the topic that others may benefit from. 

4. Strive to do your absolute best.  Winging your way through might get you a pass once and a while, but truly learning the material puts you closer to the same level as your instructor or professor. Show them you are eager to excel.

5. Offer your knowledge to others. Experience is the best teacher. If you know something or have experienced something, share it (in moderation, know one likes a know-it-all). Others can learn from your experience or the experience may apply to a topic being discussed that could show another point of view. Don't put what you know in a box and store it away. 

Other ways you can achieve notoriety on campus: 

• volunteer as a tutor
• sign up for a TA or GA position
• ask the instructor for feedback... often
• bring something new to the discussion (a different point of view, information you've learned from another class or from life in general, etc.)
• participate in clubs or organizations that represent your major course of study
• attend campus rally's or other programs that allows you to speak your voice
• show a positive mindset 
• don't talk negatively about other instructors, professors, or students
• take an interest in your instructors publications and out-of-class discussions
• make your hobbies known - trust me, someone on campus likes the same thing!

As parent's, it is difficult to encourage our children to step out of their comfort zone. When they become college students, it is even more difficult, especially if they are shy or introverted. The best we can offer is the support they may need to find their inner drive in stepping out of it on their own. To not fear rejection, but to accept that their minds, thoughts, and beliefs are not always going to align with others. Rather than reverting back to their comfort zone, encourage them to broaden their horizons, beliefs, and thoughts with an open mind. Not only does this allow them to grow academically, but it also helps them become notorized by faculty for their academic opinions. 

Ciao! 
LaVonda