For three years now, the Northern Oklahoma College Office of Academic Affairs have asked students to complete a survey in early spring to identify the best NOC instructor they’ve had and why.
The top three voter getters are J. Marsh Howard, Cathy Ballard, and Scott Haywood.
Howard is from Stillwater, Ballard from Tonkawa, and Haywood from Ponca City.
According to Pam Stinson, Vice President for Academic Affairs, 221 students responded to the survey. Following are just a few of the comments that students shared for the top three:
J. Marsh Howard (Social Science Instructor)
“He made class interesting to come to everyday. He understood that not all students learn/ perform the same and that really made a difference to me. He was funny and all around a great professor.”
“Dr. Howard made learning fun with his experiential activities and assignments. I love his teaching style and how easy he is to talk to. I did not miss a day of his class! I would recommend any of my peers to take his classes! Dr. Howard genuinely cares about his student’s success. I am so glad to have had him as a professor because I have learned a lot from taking his General Psychology course.
He made it clear from the beginning of the semester that he wants us all to succeed. I took his general psychology class so we did a lot of discussion boards which helped me understand the material instead of just memorizing it and forgetting about it later.”
Cathy Ballard (Math Instructor)
“She went above and beyond to help me learn math and now I have a passion for it. She was amazing and took her time. I never really understood it, I always had a hard time and now I really excel at it. I wish she taught more math classes.”
“She makes herself approachable and is always willing to help with any questions that you may have without making you feel foolish for asking.”
“I have always struggled with math. She has a way of teaching to help it actually make sense. And she is extremely helpful if you have any questions. Best teacher, hands down!”
“Cathy Ballard has been a very impactful woman in my college career so far! She always believed in me when I felt like I could not do my homework!”
Scott Haywood (Language Arts Instructor)
“He is the best professor to communicate with. He is always there to answer any question school related or ...
