My favorite teacher

I think everyone has had a favorite teacher. That one person who challenged you. Believed in you. Recognized your talents -- special abilities -- and maybe made you work just a little harder so that you would reach a little farther than you thought possible. Maybe it was a grade school teacher, or high school, or college. Maybe it was your mom or dad, or a neighbor. But there was someone who recognized your special qualities and wouldn't let you quit until you recognized them yourself.
I could probably name all of my grade school teachers and most of my high school teachers, and some of my college instructors. There were some special educators in that bunch, but no one stood out -- no one simply showed so much compassion or concern for her students or left such an indelible impression on my life -- as did D.J. Cline. She is revered at South Dakota State University, and I was privileged to have D.J. as my freshman journalism advisor. I don't think I realized at the time how blessed I was, because probably no one so ignited my interest in journalism as did D.J., and during the years that I most needed that little bit of an extra push.
D.J. had the disposition of a grandmother -- a very sweet, loveable lady with a soft voice, a great sense of humor, and an interest in and love for journalism that she passed along to every student she advised and taught. D.J. taught Introduction to Journalism, and brought the profession to life for us. But what I loved more than anything was her concern for her students' well-being. She cared about us as students, as journalists, as people. Every conversation with her was an important one. We never took a back seat to her other duties. Her door was always open to her students.
And when D.J. passed away several years ago, I felt sick inside. Because I knew how important she was to legions of SDSU students who had sat in front of her, listened to her lectures, and sat across from her in her office as she helped us sketch our class schedules and our futures. I don't think I ever told D.J. just how much her mentorship and guidance meant to me. But it's why I'm still writing today. It's why I defended my Master of Science journalism project just this past Tuesday at South Dakota State University, on the very floor and just a room away from where I took Intro to Journalism under D.J.'s watchful eye back in the fall of 1973. One of my committee members -- Dr. Richard Lee -- was head of the Journalism Department back when D.J. was on the faculty.
She would've been proud of me. I have her to thank for where I am today.