Favorite Parts of Working in the Higher Education Industry as a Professor
Herman, a Professor at CSU Long Beach, most enjoys the constant "turnover of students" because each class presents a unique challenge and opportunity to work with diverse learners. The industry also fosters connections with passionate individuals, leading to engaging conversations and real-world applications like consulting, stemming from the "connections made through the industry."
Higher Education, Student Interaction, Passion, Consulting, Networking
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Herman Singh
Professor
CSU Long Beach
CSU Long Beach
Economics
Education, Nonprofit, Foundations & Grantmaking
Education
Scholarship Recipient, Pell Grant Recipient, Worked 20+ Hours in School, First Generation College Student
Video Highlights
1. The turnover of students provides a unique challenge and opportunity to work with diverse learners at different stages of their lives.
2. The industry is filled with passionate individuals who are excited to share their expertise and experiences.
3. Higher education provides opportunities for consulting and real-world application of knowledge through industry connections.
Transcript
What do you enjoy most about being in your industry?
My favorite thing about being in this industry is the turnover of students. I get to see different students at different points in their life.
I have transfer students and first-time college students, all from different walks of life. Not all jobs offer that kind of experience, so the quick turnaround is really nice.
I see it as a challenge. Every class is different; every group of students you get operates and learns differently. Some will be better performing, and some will be underperforming. It's just trying to work with what you have, and I really like that.
Another thing I really like about the industry is that people are extremely passionate about what they teach. It's really cool when you get to talk to somebody about their passions because you'll see the life and excitement in them.
I like having conversations like, "Why did you get your master's in history?" or "Why did you get your PhD in this?" They'll go down the rabbit hole, and you have great conversations.
A lot of faculty members are really great people. The people I work with are amazing, so I think the connections you get to make are amazing.
Higher education provides a lot of value outside of just teaching. Through my teaching experience, I was able to do consulting, which is a real-life application of what I do. That was because of the connections I made through the university. That's one of the really nice things about it.