Doctorious! — Adventures in Education with Adjunct Professor Matthew Gilbert

Time flies: twelve years ago today — March 20, 1996 — I completed my final course at UC Santa Barbara (a quarter early — thanks in part to a handful of advanced placement courses in high school and some clever petitioning to have a few classes count for several requirements).

My very last class was English 40, English Literature 1800 to 1900, with Eloise Hay (who sadly passed away a few weeks later on April 30, 1996 of inoperable brain cancer — though we never knew she was sick). For the most part we studied the works of romantic poets such as William Wordsworth and William Blake — in whose honor I subsequently created “William Blake: Cybersongs of Innocence.”

By coincidence, this was also the last class for another student.  We happened to complete our exams at roughly the same time and wound up in the hallway together. We got to talking about our undergraduate experience and what our post-graduation plans were.

We soon discovered that I had a brownie from an on-campus vendor and my classmate — suspiciously — had a small bottle of champagne (I don’t know why and didn’t ask). So, to celebrate our common achievement, we sat in the hallway and shared the brownie and champagne while reminiscing and wondering about what the world had in store for us. It seemed an appropriately bohemian way to finish our class on romantic poets as well as our undergraduate college experience.

Looking back, this day is bittersweet because, while it marks a major positive milestone, it also signifies my first step onto a long pathway towards self discovery that was often wrought with self doubt and uncertainty. Although I credit my professional experience with helping to shape who I am now and for giving me a foundation of practical knowledge, the journey itself was personally challenging.

Ironically, it took me more than a decade to admit that what I always wanted to do with my life was to teach and surround myself in an academic environment. I have always enjoyed being a student and, thankfully, as a result of introspection and helpful guidance from friends and colleagues I realized that being a teacher was the best way to continue learning.

While on some levels I feel I am “catching up” to where I should have been from the beginning, I finally feel that I am aligned with my purpose in life. I am grateful for the opportunities presented to me by my experiences at DeVry University, UC Santa Barbara Extension, Axia College of University of Phoenix, International American University and the other insititutions at which I am currently teaching or have taught. Each one has provided me with a unique perspective on teaching and allowed me the privilege of working with some great students with bright futures.

And so, despite my mixed feelings about the past 12 years, I am looking forward to the coming years with hope and optimism. I’ve got a brownie — who has the champagne?