You might know Brian C. Smith, the 2008 Excellence in Teaching Award recipient, as a gentle intellectual, a compassionate teacher and colleague. You probably don't know him as Brian C. Smith, high-performance, road course driver and instructor! He zips around curves in his special BMW at 120 mph. "I get a kick out of both," says soft-spoken Brian. "But, when I'm doing in-car instruction, as opposed to teaching in my GU classroom, it's much more worrisome when my students don't listen." Did we mention his keen sense of humor? Alumni Association President Michael Lewis presented Brian with the annual award at Commencement and noted that students "enjoy his thoughtful guidance and stimulating discussions." And Brian enjoys the same thing about his students. "They are just great to talk to. I love it when you see that they really get it!" Brian has taught the gamut of psychology courses at Graceland for nine years. He holds a Ph.D. in Social Psychology, University of Minnesota, and a law degree, University of Texas. He proffers a unique blend of skills, talents and interests, regularly publishes scholarly articles and makes presentations at professional meetings nationally.
Brian's wife, Sal Meyers, teaches psychology courses at Simpson College in Indianola. They must have a lot to talk about when they get home to Osceola, equidistant to the two campuses. Brian's thrill from teaching is simple. "I help my students learn how to learn," he said. "I give them the tools to do that." It may not be at 120 mph, but you can tell it's a big thrill for Brian.
