As a teacher, my primary goals are to engage, challenge, and inspire my students. I want to instill in my students the same passion I have for learning. To engage my students, I introduce them to relevant, real-world situations, as it is important for them to keep up with the current market and to be able to apply what they learn to the world today. I enjoy sharing with them my personal experiences in industry and academia, and hope that this will give them a better understanding of what the field entails. It is important for them to know that what they are learning is relevant--to them, the field, and the world they live in. A great example of this is the Stock Market Project my FTM 220 students complete. Students are asked to select a single public retail company marketing textile/apparel or related products to consumers. They are asked to follow the company for a six-week period and record daily stock statistics (Open $, Close $, Net Change, % Change, and Total Volume). Each week, the students identify a current event believed to be influencing the market, as well as the source of influence and how it affects their chosen company's performance. The project is concluded with a recap of observations and management implications for their chosen companies.

I aim to challenge my students. I believe that my students each possess unique capabilities and insights that can be shared with others. I challenge my students to share opinions, ask questions, and to mentor one another by participating in group discussions, projects, and presentations. This is a great way for them to work on their interpersonal communication skills. I want my students to complete their courses knowing how to be collaborators, leaders, and communicators. The projects my students complete are designed to help them become better researchers, writers, and speakers—skills that I feel will prepare them as they enter the work force or pursue further education. I have found the Retail Brand Expansion Project to be a great way to challenge my FTM 482 students. They are required to produce a brand extension proposal. This project challenges students to research current, successful companies and find a justified market of expansion. While researching this new market, they are challenged to explore the current competitive environment from both supply and demand perspectives.

Finally, I want to inspire my students. I want to inspire them to learn, to grow, and to pursue their dreams. I aim to give them the tools they need as they enter new disciplines and domains in their lives. Among these tools, are a sense of curiosity, open-mindedness, a sense of purpose, and a thirst for knowledge. I want my students to know how to observe, how to ask questions, how to think, and how to solve problems. I want them to collaborate, to share their knowledge and skills, while maintaining the desires to listen and learn from others. I want my students to be motivated, to be passionate and enthusiastic about their futures. As the Graduate Research Assistant for the Textile Management Science Lab (TMSL) at North Carolina State University, I had the opportunity to organize and facilitate the first TMSL Showcase and Internship Showcase. I enjoyed working with undergraduate and graduate students on creating presentations to be presented to both industry and advisory board members. The Internship Showcase was an excellent opportunity for students to make industry and business connections. Working one-on-one with students like this gives me the opportunity to inspire, mentor, and encourage them in their endeavors.

I am a regimented teacher, as I feel that at the undergraduate level, students need some guidance. However, I also encourage my students to voice their thoughts and opinions, and encourage them to be creative in the topics they choose for their projects, papers, and presentations. My class projects are designed to give students research and writing experience. They learn to use credible references, as well as how to format their papers correctly with proper citations. In my experience, I see great improvement in the quality of research and writing as the students reach higher-level courses. The projects I assign are designed with a hands-on approach, while simultaneously curtailing research and writing techniques.

Ultimately, I feel that a good teacher must also be a good student. A teacher must be willing to learn, explore, and grow. I feel that there is always room to challenge myself, to research interdisciplinary areas, and to expand my knowledge. As a teacher, I must be constantly learning so that I can relate to my students and teach them as much as I possibly can. Teaching, to me, is as fulfilling and rewarding as learning. 

Email: DorothyWNelson@gmail.com