Most people think of lectures as dull snooze-fests characterized by droning professors and inane busy-work. Even the thought of one could create a sense of dread or frustration in some. But it doesn’t have to be that way. In fact, engaging lectures could be the first step in bridging high schools and higher education.
On April 11th, the BLACC, or BLA Classics Club, kicked off a long neglected school tradition by inviting Jackie Renolds to speak at “Tea with the Professor”. True to its name, the event centers around a lecture given by a professor or PhD student, but the food and beverages after are definitely a plus. This year’s rendition covered a niche Roman conflict. Over the years the topics have varied wildly including classics, physics, art, literature, and more. But as interesting as the content was, it’s what the event signifies that is so remarkable.
According to club vice president, Athena James,
“Having a higher education [professional] coming here, where kids don’t really know what they want to do in the future […], we can get a glimpse of what we could possibly do in the future. I know for me, it was interesting to see a PhD student in Classical Studies, how her work impacted her, and, in turn, how it is impacting us”.
This sentiment was echoed by Richard Freed, a Latin teacher at BLA, who stated,
“There’s a longstanding historical gap between K through 12 education and tertiary education, and I think it’s unfortunate. […] Every single person who goes to college was in highschool before. […] Wherever we have the chance we want to bridge the gap here, so that’s why we’re bringing professors here to BLA. […] There doesn’t need to be that much of a gap, particularly in the humanities, classics, and other fields that want to have a chance to recruit”.
Both of these points stand true for any school. Giving students a chance to understand what college will be like and what studies are available to them can make the transition between secondary and tertiary school much smoother. It can spark passions, change trajectories, and give students more confidence in how they want to move forward in life. But not all schools bring in these professionals. Freed spoke to this by advising secondary schools to make the first move. He said,
“[Brainstorm] about the kind of thing you might want and then reach out to other colleges and universities in your area. […] Most of the college and university programs around do want to reach out, but it’s also not considered something that is in their core. […] For better or for worse, it’s on us in highschools and middle schools to reach out to them and to invite them to come over to us”.
So, if you’re a teacher or student longing for your own “Tea with the Professor”, take that first step. Maybe you’ll help inspire the next great academic mind, or maybe you’ll just enjoy some cookies. Either way, it’s a win-win situation.
This article was updated 5/16/24.
