In memory of an influential professor

By: Cheryl Cabrera

Published: Friday, September 28, 2007
http://www.thecampuschronicle.com/features/articles/070928f.cfm


I have always wanted to teach, and have been doing so now for 12 years at levels starting with kindergarten students and ranging all the way to graduate students working on their Master of Fine Arts degrees. I have been inspired by both good and bad teachers who have shown me what not to do as an educator — and, more importantly, what to do.

I am a professor, and at the end of every quarter, I share some of my thoughts and beliefs with my students. I do this because one of my most influential professors from my academic career did the same, and it meant very much to me. His name was David Thibodaux. He was my freshman Honors English professor 20 years ago at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette (back then, in 1987, it was called the University of Southwestern Louisiana). Dr. Thibodaux did something completely remarkable for me. His passion for his subject inspired me to learn. He also made me want to teach English, because I wanted to share his passion with others (a crazy concept to me at the time, especially as I wanted to be an artist and teach art).

This was no small feat. After a series of terribly boring and incompetent instructors that I encountered during my high school years, I was completely turned off from learning English and studying literature. I absolutely hated to read. This hatred was quite shocking to me, because prior to high school, I read all of the time. In grade school, I begged my mother for money so that I could buy books from the Scholastic book catalogs that came home every month. Reading was my escape. During high school, however, no one was going to make me read. Maybe it was simply teenage rebellion.

So, to my surprise, as I entered college I tested out of regular English classes and was placed in an honors course. Monday at 8 a.m. The first class of the semester. The first class of my collegiate career. It was here that I met Dr. Thibodaux, and it was here that I learned to love a subject that I use every day of my life.

I went on to get my degree in art education, with a minor in English. My first teaching position was at a high school, where I taught both art and English. From there, I received my M.F.A. and I now teach animation. But I act as chair and editor on countless thesis committees, and let me tell you, this is where my true love for the language has paid off. My current academic pursuit is obtaining a doctorate in education, and I write daily in my coursework. I am also writing my first book, a textbook of more than 416 pages. All of this I owe to a man who shared his passion with me.

With the availability of libraries and the Internet, reading is something that everyone can do, no matter what their economic status. The more you read, the better you can be at writing. The more you write, the better you can be at communicating. Of all of the things I have learned in my academic career, my understanding and abilities of reading and writing have been something I use daily (well, also typing, or keyboarding, as it is referred to today).

No matter how much you know about everything else, your ability to sound intelligent will only come from your mastery of communication. If you do not have a handle on your grammar skills, you will sound ignorant. This is part of the message I give to my students at the end of every quarter.

My biggest message to them, however, is to live life without regrets. I encourage them to take time and reflect on what they have learned, what path they are following, and make changes if they deem necessary. At the end of our summer term this year, my students asked me if I had ever told Dr. Thibodaux how much he had influenced my life. It made me pause, because I had not. While I have kept in contact with my art professors and have told them about their influences, I had never thought to contact him.

So, I sat down this weekend and Googled his name to find his mailing address, wanting to sit down and tell him all of what I have shared with you. My biggest regret is that I never will.


In memory of David Thibodaux, Ph.D., of Lafayette, La., who died in March after sustaining injuries in a motorcycle accident. My sincere condolences go out to his family and friends, and to all of those he touched in his short life.


Cabrera is a professor of 3-D character animation.

Our Trip to New Orleans

SO...it's great to see that there is some progress being made in my home town of New Orleans. We took the kids to visit family and friends during the Christmas break. Here are a few images that we took while on the trip!