Spring Break
Lessons For A Teacher
After Inspiring Thousands Of Students, Kochanek Takes A Few Classes Of His Own
Kyle Charette
Issue date: 3/21/07 Section: News
As the years went by, Kochanek meant to get back into art, but he was too busy with work and family. When he had a break from his busy life and tried to start again, he just couldn't do it.
"Nothing ever came," he said.
In 2003, Kochanek finally decided that it was time to go for it.
"I said 'Dick, you know you're 60 now, and if you don't start now, then you're never going to do it,'" Kochanek said.
However, the transition from the black and white rules of accounting to the open ended form of art was a tough one.
"I had no idea how challenging the life of the artist is," he said. "In art, you're an individual, you go in and there's nothing to begin with. You just have to sit down and be so creative, it's absolutely frightening. But then when you finish it, wow."
This creative ability also runs in Kochanek's family - his youngest daughter, Jennifer, is a poet. She is 32 and lives in California.
"I told her it would be hard for her," Kochanek said. "But she's having some success now and I really have an appreciation of how difficult her path in life is."
Kochanek and his wife Marge also have two other daughters, Kathie and Chris.
While Kochanek's award for his painting is a first, receiving scholarly awards is nothing new to the Professor.
"I've received a lot of rewards over my lifetime ... more than I've ever deserved," Kochanek said. "My greatest achievements are the last two awards I've received. They're both from student organizations."
This past February, Kochanek was given the first "Faculty of the Year Award" by Alpha Lambda Delta, an honor society for first year students.
Before that, Kochanek was named the 2004-2005 Outstanding Educator of the Year by the Academic Affairs Committee of USG.
"To be fortunate enough to receive awards from the student's themselves over the whole university ... Wow, that's just pretty special," Kochanek said.
"Nothing ever came," he said.
In 2003, Kochanek finally decided that it was time to go for it.
"I said 'Dick, you know you're 60 now, and if you don't start now, then you're never going to do it,'" Kochanek said.
However, the transition from the black and white rules of accounting to the open ended form of art was a tough one.
"I had no idea how challenging the life of the artist is," he said. "In art, you're an individual, you go in and there's nothing to begin with. You just have to sit down and be so creative, it's absolutely frightening. But then when you finish it, wow."
This creative ability also runs in Kochanek's family - his youngest daughter, Jennifer, is a poet. She is 32 and lives in California.
"I told her it would be hard for her," Kochanek said. "But she's having some success now and I really have an appreciation of how difficult her path in life is."
Kochanek and his wife Marge also have two other daughters, Kathie and Chris.
While Kochanek's award for his painting is a first, receiving scholarly awards is nothing new to the Professor.
"I've received a lot of rewards over my lifetime ... more than I've ever deserved," Kochanek said. "My greatest achievements are the last two awards I've received. They're both from student organizations."
This past February, Kochanek was given the first "Faculty of the Year Award" by Alpha Lambda Delta, an honor society for first year students.
Before that, Kochanek was named the 2004-2005 Outstanding Educator of the Year by the Academic Affairs Committee of USG.
"To be fortunate enough to receive awards from the student's themselves over the whole university ... Wow, that's just pretty special," Kochanek said.
Viewing Comments 1 - 3 of 3
Denise Duffee
posted 3/21/07 @ 8:23 AM EST
I met my husband Glenn in Mr. Kochanek's class back in 1976. He threw Glenn out on the first day because he thought Glenn knew more than he. The school had not let him skip accounting in the MBA program, despite his graduating from UMASS magna cum laude in Business but Mr. (Continued…)
tomfeinberg
Samples Of Papers
posted 4/01/09 @ 10:34 AM EST
"Although at the time I had been teaching for nearly 20 years, I learned so much from Dick about truly engaging students in such a large section," good words!
640-822
posted 4/10/09 @ 3:37 AM EST
Really astonishing further informative topic. Thank you juice that sharing this.
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