By Keandre Williams-Chambers

Staff Writer

In recent months, CSUSM professor Linda Hickman was honored with one of the highest ratings in the nation on the RateMyProfessors website, ranking 20th on their Top Professors for 2011-2012 list.

The website is dedicated to the student evaluation of professors they have had and has served as a way to determine the best and worst professors nationwide. The website also uses student evaluations to rate schools.

Professor Hickman, a business writing professor here at CSUSM, has been teaching for over 10 years. She called the rating “fantastic,” thanking her students for the ratings she has received.

“I take what I teach very seriously and I do try to provide a learning environment. I am always interested in learning taking place,” Professor Hickman said. “But there’s no reason that learning can’t take place under a happy, positive, fun environment. Nobody would go to school if it was all drudgery. Life is hard, and I want everyone to succeed.”

Professor Hickman describes her class as one that is interactive, which gives all her students a chance to participate and provide input to help students see other perspectives. She notes that the college experience is important for the student and that it is her duty to keep her students “safe and interested in learning,” because each individual’s future is important. When sitting in her business writing class, it is easy to become enthusiastic about what is being learned.

Professor Hickman’s voice, both confident and caring, carries well across the classroom. She teaches in a style that allows for entertaining and informative anecdotes, adding a delightful splash of humor to the classroom. She makes use of real-world examples that catch the students’ attention and hold it, but she does not ramble. Professor Hickman presents the class-pertinent information in a clear and concise format that makes the information look simple to understand, especially while teaching complicated formats for memos and business letters. Perhaps one of the best aspects of the course is professor-class interaction.

Professor Hickman is able to keep the class’s attention without even having to command it, resulting in high participation and involvement in even the low-energy informative moments. Students are not afraid to provide answers unprovoked and with a clear understanding or desire to further understand concepts brought up. The students remain awake and attentive throughout the entire lecture.

Congratulations is in order for professor Linda Hickman on a job well done. This class is recommended for freshmen and sophomores interested in learning about how to write in a professional manner in a fun and informative environment with interesting assignments that will make the homework much more enjoyable to complete. A complete list of the top rated professors and schools can be seen at www.ratemyprofessors.com/.