HoC: Laurie Pratt
Humans of Chaffey
Laurie Pratt, Photo by Austin Smedley
Public speaking is among the most feared activities people have to take part in, and for good reason. The thought of speaking in front of others can make one’s stomach twist and turn with anxiety. For the students of Chaffey College, there are professors like Laurie Pratt there to teach students the ropes of the stage.
As someone who bears the responsibility of teaching others, there are goals that each professor sets for themselves. When asked what professor Pratt felt her role was at Chaffey College:
“My role here at the Chino Campus is to provide a swath of educational opportunities to my students through the seven communication studies courses I teach.”
By being involved in the learning process and guiding her students through the difficulties of building strong communication skills, Pratt hopes to provide her students with unique opportunities only available to them through the communications program.
According to Pratt, the hiring process for becoming a professor can be quite strenuous and can result in quite the commute, depending on where you get hired. In response to why Pratt chose Chaffey College:
“I actually knew no one here, so I was really walking in blind in that regard. But I found right at the very beginning the people I did meet during the interviewing process and the way they did it were very warm and welcoming, so I appreciated that.”
In addition to her admiration for the environment at Chaffey, Pratt lives in Orange County. Location was important to her as well, so as to not be too far from her kids at home.
Being a career woman, wife and mother comes with its fair share of stresses, but also plenty of rewards. Pratt characterizes the most fulfilling aspect of her career at Chaffey College:
“It’s always the students, the ones that really want to learn. I love students who are just about the thinking and the learning component because that’s what I like.”
Professor Pratt’s mission to inform students and help them realize their potential has its struggles, but the involvement of her students and the drive they possess to keep pushing forward is what makes her do the same.
Pratt regards her students as being the driving force behind her choosing to become a professor. For people like professor Laurie Pratt, the role they play in the lives of others is undeniably worth the personal price they pay. An institution like Chaffey College is built upon the foundation of learning, and of growth. In the words of professor Pratt:
“I love the intellectual stimulation that the students provide, and I, in turn, give that back.”