Charfauros
Challenges Students
To
the Editors:
I
am writing this letter in support of retaining Antoinette Charfauros
McDaniel on the Oberlin College faculty. I think that Charfauros
is one of the best professors at Oberlin and I am so very grateful
to have met her.
I was introduced to Charfauros my sophomore year at Oberlin, after
hearing from a friend (who later went on to conduct a Watson fellowship)
that I could not possibly leave Oberlin without taking a class with
Charfauros McDaniel because she was the best sociology professor.
I enrolled in Contemporary Asian Pacific American Experience and
I soon found out why. Contemporary APA experience was one of the
best classes I have ever taken at Oberlin for three reasons. First
of all, it was in this class that I was first exposed to issues
surrounding ethnic studies, identity politics and comparative American
history. Second of all, it was one of the most diverse classes,
student body wise, that I have ever taken at Oberlin. And finally,
I received more personal attention and support from Charfauros then
I had from any professor, before or since, at Oberlin.
It is because of Charfauros that I chose to pursue a sociology major.
After taking her Contemporary Asian Pacific American Experience
class I also decided to take her seminar. In this class we addressed
issues surrounding race, class and gender, right off the bat. She
pushed and pulled us in all different directions directions
that I didnt even think sociology did. I was exposed to such
a rich reading list. No other sociology course has challenged me
the way that one did. No other class has felt as relevant to the
current issues of today.
Ms. Charfauros draws a diverse student population to her classes.
On account of my fellow student body in both Contemporary
APA experience, and in APA Women I have been exposed
to many different kinds of people. Unfortunately, there are not
many classes at Oberlin that directly appeal to people of color
or address issues of people of color. Because I was exposed to this
diverse body I have heard different perspectives on many different
issues.
Finally, I think that Charfauros is a wonderful teacher because
she really cares about her students and that they learn. I feel
as though I came to Oberlin unprepared in a lot of ways and Charfauros
was the first person to approach me in a way that actually helped
me develop as a writer and as a person. In retrospect, I think that
other faculty said things to me that were very detrimental in a
lot of ways. Charfauros really understands a lot about teaching.
I know that Oberlin is an academic institution and that things like
retention are based on publications and dissertations. However,
as a student I am not concerned with that. My concern is that I
have professors that challenge me and encourage me, that care about
me, and that teach me. Charfauros has done all that. I sincerely
hope that you will reconsider.
Joya
Colon-Berezin
College senior
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