Rick Lavalle

Professor

“The approval rating for SMC in the community is something like 92%. The reputation we’ve engendered over the years is incredibly positive.”

“I don’t think a lot of students realize how good they have it here,” says Rich Lavallee after his first lightning-fast two months at SMC. “That Science Complex is one incredible facility. And some of the equipment we have wouldn’t be available at even some of the CSUs. It’s amazing.” But Rich is quick to point out that all the ‘bells and whistles’ are for naught if that one crucial element is missing: teachers.

“What drew me to SMC is that I knew the faculty here was very talented and top-notch. That was attractive, and I just wanted to work in that kind of environment,” says Rich. “Right now I’m teaching Intro to Chemistry, and it’s absolutely one of my favorites to teach. Because of the variety of our students’ backgrounds, there are a lot of them who are less prepared—which I don’t mind if they’re trying. But if they’re really not trying, that’s a little harder for me to deal with,” adds Rich. “So the challenge for me is to reach out to those students who are not going to reach out to help themselves.”

“Chemistry is all fun, and I have just a blast teaching it,” says Rich, who is happily discovering some SoCal delights after “three frozen years teaching in Minnesota. I mean, I can’t be MTV in my classroom. But as I teach this class more, I’m learning to make it more enjoyable. I tell my students I’m not there to teach them: I’m there to help them learn. I strongly believe that learning is an extremely personal act, and that the student has to have an active role,” says Rich. “Learning is not at all passive. It requires that you really get involved.”

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