Ohio University, That’s the Kind of Family I Like: An interview with First-Year Professor Michael Morales

By Jacob Betzner

Standing in front of a room full of curious college students with an open math book and piece of chalk in hand, while writing down algebraic equations and mathematical formulas, soft-spoken Michael Morales, a first-year graduate student that teaches Mathematics at Ohio University, did not fit any of those stereotypes. He looked like any Average-Joe one may pass walking down the street, with his neatly ironed light blue button-down shirt, short dark hair, and modest oval glasses.

Morales spoke with a slight accent and revealed that he is originally from Guatemala, a country in Central America, sharing its northern border with Mexico’s southern border.  After completing his undergraduate degree in his home country, Morales chose Ohio University to earn his Master’s degree in Mathematics, and he traveled all the way from his native Guatemala to the heart of Appalachia to pursue it. This should not come as a surprise since Ohio University boasts over a thousand international students from more than 100 countries.

“I liked the Master’s program and had some friends recommend the school,” Morales explains.

Now imagine what a typical college professor does in his or her leisure time. Typically he or she moves from classroom to classroom lecturing countless groups of bored students. Or they lock themselves in their offices and plan out an exam nearly impossible to pass. Some will experiment with various unstable elements from the periodic table or even go on excavation expeditions to Egypt!

As a graduate student, Morales does a lot of the same things as most college students. He can often be found in Alden Library or one of the coffee shops uptown, lost in a world of numbers, equations, and formulas.

“Ohio University is quiet, relaxing, and a better place to study and think,” Morales notes.

He must not be referring to Court Street on a Friday night, but that’s a completely different story.

After getting through his daily lesson plan and a healthy dose of studying and research, Morales likes to walk around campus for some fresh air and take in the beauty of Ohio University’s campus while sampling what the local coffee shops have to offer.

“I like the long walks across the town and campus,” Morales says. “In my country, we drink a lot of coffee.”

He also noted that his favorite coffee place is Donkey Coffee on West Washington Street, which he feels is the best that he has found so far.

“Finding a system that students like and find interesting is difficult,” Morales explains. “Each day is different. I started with one system and depending on how (the students) responded to that, I adjusted. I’m still trying to improve it, but I like the excitement and challenge (of teaching).”

A tremendous help in Morales’ transition has been fellow faculty and staff making suggestions for his lesson plans. Morales explains that he has received help from his colleagues by asking fellow classmates what to do to make the systems more interactive.

From another point of view, Ivan Velez, a freshman student in his class, says he still has some things to learn.

“Quite frankly, he confuses himself. He’s a rookie professor, and his expertise doesn’t matter if he is not successfully teaching the class,” Velez says.

Although Velez feels Morales’ teaching style is inconsistent he adds that he tries really hard in class.

Clearly it is still a learning experience for Morales and with time his teaching styles will improve. There is no such thing as a perfect teaching style that will work for all students, even for the most experienced professors.

According to Morales he tries putting himself in the students’ seats when developing his teaching systems and daily class schedules.

Morales hopes to earn his Master’s degree in Mathematics here at OU, but he does not know exactly what he wants to do after completing his degree.

“I still have to think about a Ph. D., but I don’t dare make a full plan because life can change. I’m thinking about researching, but always want teaching to be a component,” Morales elaborates.

Only a few short weeks after his first taste of teaching, Morales sees it as a part of his life for the long run. Morales mentions he would like to return to the study of Physics in the future with his wider range of knowledge in Mathematics to aid him.

For Morales OU has been a supportive and encouraging environment made up of his family of faculty, staff, and students.

“People have been helpful, but they gave me space and time. That’s the kind of family I like,” Morales says.