Some students might have to choose between a teacher with years of experience or one with novel ways of thinking.
If accepted into the UNM Honors Program, students might be lucky to study under professor Diane Rawls, who is knowledgeable in both capacities.
Leslie A. Donovan, the Honors Program acting director, said Rawls is arguably one of the University’s greatest assets.
“She’s an amazing resource for students,” she said. “Diane’s also definitely the most knowledgeable and strongest faculty adviser in our department.”
Rawls has more than 17 years of UNM teaching experience and nearly 30 years working in public and higher education. Before coming to the Honors Program, she worked at Arts and Sciences as an academic adviser for five years.
She is a full-time lecturer, hosts the department’s New Student Orientation and works as the coordinator for the UNM Regents’ Scholars Program.
“She’s here all day, most every day and she talks to students a lot more often for scholarship applications, grad school applications, and more,” Donovan said.
Students seem to agree.
Mike Robinson, a regents’ scholar, said Rawls is knowledgeable and approachable.
“She makes me feel really comfortable and at home,” she said. “I think she works really hard, and out of all the people I’ve had to work with, she always gave me a good experience.”
One of Rawls’ former students, Megan Abramhamson, said she’s had nothing but positive interactions with Rawls.
“She’s very direct, which could sometimes be perceived as being short with students,” she said. “But I’ve personally never had a moment with her that I didn’t appreciate.”
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And so, Rawls continues to teach, and with retirement rolling around, she said she’s especially looking forward to future semesters.
“I’ll miss the students. I won’t miss grading papers,” she said. “But I will miss the intellectual challenge that students give to teachers. I’ll really miss learning as much from students as they learn from me.”
Department administrator Marcia Glenn said Rawls’ years of teaching experience distinguish her from other instructors.
“She has been a huge presence with the Honors Program and will be greatly missed when she retires,” she said.
