TEACHING PHILOSOPHY
Mise en place (MEEZ ahn plahs) is a French term for having all your ingredients measured, cut, peeled, sliced, grated, etc. before you start cooking. Pans are prepared. Mixing bowls, tools and equipment set out.
Although originating from a culinary environment, mise en place is a very pragmatic approach for an educator looking to prep students for a demanding professional career that requires hard and soft technical skillsets. I’ve adopted the phrase as my own approach when it comes to teaching and pupil grooming.
PHOTOJOURNALISM SUMMER WORK STUDY
Engineering major, photography enthusiast Rangsiya “Rani” Faihin, took on the challenge of learning photojournalism during the summer of 2021. Working in Delta Digital News Service, an online student news outlet, Faihin images were shared and published daily in the city’s newspaper, the Jonesboro Sun. Today she stands as one of my biggest achievements as an educator. Faihin illustrated ‘mise en place’ proving it was never about the equipment but, after being supplied with the right instructions and daily coaching, absolutely about the drive and commitment!
EL DORADO ZENTSUJI CREATIVE MEDIA SUMMER INTERNSHIP
Creative media student Kagari Ito completes an internship in the city of El Dorado, Arkansas during the summer of 2021. Hosted by El Dorado Mayor Veronica Smith-Creer, Kagari met and was introduced to many people such as the Murphy USA CEO Andrew Clyde, El Dorado-Union County Chamber of Commerce President Bill Luther and many local and state legislators. Labled the Zentsuiji-El Dorado Multimedia Summer Internship because of the city’s Japanese sister-city, Kagari’s duties not only involved taking photos but creating a branding package for the program and acting as liaison by building stronger ties between the two municipalities. I created the program as a way Japanese students could utilize their skillsets off campus in a way which required them to share their language and culture.