COMMUNITY, LEGACY, AND CAMARADERIE IN THE CLASSROOM OF REINHARD “BUD” WOBUS: THREE FORMER STUDENTS REFLECT ON THEIR EXPERIENCE

Cultivating a supportive, encouraging, and challenging learning environment is essential for the delivery of an effective undergraduate geoscience education. Throughout his 55-year career teaching mineralogy, petrology, and introductory geology at Williams College, Professor Reinhard “Bud” Wobus demonstrated a remarkable aptitude for building rapport with students and creating a classroom experience characterized by a strong sense of camaraderie. The authors reflect on their time as students of Professor Wobus and identify three effective teaching practices to serve as lessons learned for other geoscience educators. Namely: (1) Introductory courses provide an opportune setting to identify, approach, and recognize first- and second-year undergraduates who demonstrate a natural affinity for the coursework, and doing so may build confidence and promote further engagement with the subject matter; (2) Memorializing the work and accomplishments of former students advances a legacy for current and future students to reinforce and propagate; and (3) Classroom traditions, a centralized learning space, and opportunities for social engagement both in and out of the classroom are important tools for enhancing the sense of community within a student cohort.