Students of Moraine Valley Community College voted Greek-American Nick Shizas as the recipient of the “professor of the year award.”
“It’s still hard to believe I won because I am just doing what I love.” These are the words of Moraine’s 2011 Professor of the Year, Nick Shizas, of the Psychology department.
A student nominated Shizas for the award and there’s no doubt his other students are in full agreement. Shizas stated he “felt very honored that a student thought so positively about her educational experience in my course” and he was thankful that she nominated him.
It’s no surprise. There’s a sense of realism and authenticity in his teaching that makes students want to listen. It’s most likely because of a relatable past.
A child of parents who emigrated from Greece in the 1970s, Shizas made the most of the opportunity his parents worked for. He graduated from Moraine with an associate’s degree in the early 90s and went on to get his undergraduate degree in Psychology from the University of Illinois-Chicago. After earning his graduate degree in Clinical Psychology from Roosevelt University, he began treating patients with severe mental disorders.
Winning the award doesn’t change much for Shizas. He intends to happily teach the rest of his career; winning Professor of the Year is just icing on the cake.
In the end, he still gives credit to his students. He happily explains: “I’ve been fortunate to have eager students who want to learn, I thank them for making my classes great to teach!”
(Source & full story: http://www.mvccglacier.com/2011/04/shizas-wins-professor-of-the-year-award/ )
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