Faculty Profile: Anne Eckhardt
By Neresa Joseph
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| Prof. Anne Eckhardt |
Teachers come into our lives to create a sense of purpose and meaning and to educate us on the things we thought impossible. The dictionary gives the definition of a professor as “A person who affirms a faith in or allegiance to something.” The definition given may be well-proven but by far does not fully describe the true nature of Professor Anne Eckhardt. She is a compassionate and committed educator and innovator. She plays a vital role in the lives of ALL business students at Plaza College as she readily prepares them to attain the skills they need to work in the business field.
SEASONS: What position do you hold at Plaza College and which courses do you teach?
ECKHARDT: I am a full-time faculty member at Plaza. For the most part, I teach at the bachelor level in the Business Program. My favorite courses to teach are Statistics, Marketing, Business Organization, and Business Planning.
SEASONS: How long have you been a professor?
ECKHARDT: I started my teaching career at Plaza in April 2005.
SEASONS: Did you always know that you wanted to become a business professor?
ECKHARDT: Not at all!!! I was always business-oriented when I was young and was more interested in learning everything about business. It wasn’t until I turned 50 and decided it might be nice to slow things down a bit. I thought teaching might be the perfect way to slow down until I retired. Teaching is a perfect fit for me at this stage in my life. I have a lot of experience I can pass on to students to help them be prepared for the real world. However, the slowdown never happened, and that is okay. I figure all the activity will help me stay young at heart.
SEASONS: Why and how did you decide to become a part of Plaza College?
ECKHARDT: I was looking to change careers and teaching at the college level was something I thought would be interesting, challenging and fun. I chose Plaza College because I’m a resident of Jackson Heights and wanted to work close to home. It turned out to be a great decision.
SEASONS: What are the two most common reasons students come to see you during office hours?
ECKHARDT: The two most popular reasons from students to come and see me during office hours are Statistics homework and the Statistics project!!!
SEASONS: What are the public service opportunities you would like to see some of your students pursue using their major?
ECKHARDT: I believe that everyone should be socially responsible and give back to society. There are many volunteer organizations that students can join in order to accomplish this. Many companies have volunteer activities that their employees can take part in. Over the years, Plaza has had many, many fundraisers for great causes. I have found the Plaza students to be very involved and very generous in supporting these causes. I hope that they will continue to be involved with causes they support after they leave Plaza.
SEASONS: What is the most fun thing and the most difficult thing about majoring in the business field?
ECKHARDT: I think the most difficult aspect of majoring in business is learning the Microsoft Office Suite and continually using/practicing with the different software so that you don’t lose your skills. The most fun thing is working in teams to create something original and presenting it to the class.
SEASONS: When preparing course materials, what are some factors do you consider?
ECKHARDT: I try and create things that will grab the students’ attention. I also like to make a list of personal experiences I have had about the subject matter to share with the students.
SEASONS: How do you handle students who are discouraged and feel like quitting?
ECKHARDT: I tell them that quitting is not an option. I then try and figure out what the issues are and try to help the student come up with solutions to keep them on track to get their degree. Many of my students work and have families to take care of in addition to going to school. It’s really hard for some of them to juggle everything. Students need to focus on the long term gain of getting an education, not the short term struggle to complete the degree process.
SEASONS: Can you provide an effective method you have used to engage students in the classroom?
ECKHARDT: I like using PowerPoint for lecture and videos for group work. I also like to ask students about their personal experiences with the topic we are discussing.
SEASONS: It is said that a teacher’s job is never done. Can you please elaborate?
ECKHARDT: There is always something or someone that needs attention such as preparing for class, grading progress exams or project drafts, tracking down students who have gone MIA, helping students who have had to miss class for personal reasons to catch up, updating course syllabi, advising students, etc.
SEASONS: Of all the courses that you teach, which one do you enjoy the most? Why?
ECKHARDT: Business Organization is my favorite course. I love this course because the students get to analyze a company and learn about the different strategies companies use to become successful and how companies bounce back from tough times. All of the strategies companies use to be successful, students can use in their personal lives to be successful. For example: Keeping track of their finances and credit score; setting goals and objectives; organizing their daily activities; and planning for the future. One of my favorite quotes is from Winston Churchill: “He who fails to plan is planning to fail.”
SEASONS: What is the most rewarding aspect of being a professor?
ECKHARDT: Seeing students succeed and get excited about a subject. I also enjoy hearing from graduates about how they are using all that they’ve learned at Plaza in their careers.
SEASONS: After your many years and experience as a professor, given the opportunity to go back and start fresh, would you choose the same profession?
ECKHARDT: I started my career in business as a secretary and worked my way up to vice president in 18 years. I loved my business career. I loved learning new things and taking on more responsibility. Right now, I love teaching. Looking back, I wouldn’t change the path of my work life because my business career experiences make me a good business teacher.
SEASONS: What advice would you give to students who are considering a career in the business field?
ECKHARDT: Students entering the business world need to have top-notch computer skills, especially in Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. Computer skills are easy to lose if you don’t use them. Students need to continually practice/use their computer skills so they don’t get rusty. Excellent communication and organization skills are also a must. The Plaza business curriculum is designed to give the student these essential skills; but the student needs to put a lot of time and effort into their studies to acquire them.
SEASONS: How should students better prepare themselves for class work and during finals?
ECKHARDT: Students need to make a commitment to themselves that they will show up for class, do the required work, and get help from their professors or the LRC before they become overwhelmed and discouraged. Finals should not be a cram session. If a student has put in the effort during the semester and completed all of the required assignments, they should be prepared for the final exam. Study groups are also helpful. If a student is having trouble grasping a concept, a classmate may be able to explain it in a way the student can understand it.