Emersonians Answer: Who’s Your Favorite Emerson College Professor?

By David Ertischek ’01

Recently, we popped a simple question on Emerson College’s Facebook page: Who is, or was, your favorite professor and why?

Emersonians shared stories about teachers who inspired, challenged, encouraged, and introduced them to their career and passions. There were so many answers that we couldn’t include all of them, but here are answers that got lots of thumbs ups, responses, and led Lions to reminisce about their time in a professor’s class.

Journalism professor Mike Brown has been teaching at Emerson since 1970. Imagine how many students he’s influenced? Brown has always encouraged students to think about the world they live in, and the world around them.

Many students felt Tulasi Srinivas was the best teacher they had at Emerson — and the most powerful woman they had ever met.

The late, revered Rev. John Coffee was probably the most cited professor, and drew praise for educating students about history, teaching them new vocabulary and encouraging them to think outside of the box.

Others compared Coffee to a familiar beer spokesperson…

…and if you attended a Coffee class you know that he made history come alive, whether it was about England, the saeculum obscurum, or the truth of Patrick Henry’s “Give me liberty or give me death” speech.

Heck, Coffee inspired students to transfer from Emerson to major in history!

Great professors make learning magical…

…and sometimes it’s hard to explain what makes a teacher so amazing…

…but if a teacher can make 8:00 am classes fun…

…and if alumni are telling stories about a former professor to their own students…that definitely qualifies as a great educator!

Students who took Ken Cheeseman‘s acting classes recalled how he told them to break out from their regular selves, and don’t only act — produce, write, direct and get involved with any other aspect surrounding acting.

And professors were honored and thanked their students…


And current students also chimed in on their favorite modern day teachers.

So who was left out? Who was your favorite Emerson College professor and why? Check out the Emerson College Facebook page and share your stories.