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Faculty Spotlight: Professor James Fryer
Here at the Center for Applied Learning (CAL), we strive to prepare students for life after their years here at SUNY Potsdam. That’s a main goal we share with our faculty on campus as well! Seeing how we’re working towards the same goal, the CAL has decided to showcase some professors and faculty here on campus that really go above and beyond for their students to get them ready for the next step. Check out the article below to read the first edition of our Faculty Outreach Initiative!
Professor James Fryer is a faculty member that is part of our Psychology department here at SUNY Potsdam. He teaches courses like Introduction to Psychology, Theories of Personality, Psychology of Adolescence, and Educational Psychology. While he uses broad teachings and lessons in his lesson plan, his main goal is to give students valuable knowledge and teachings that they can directly apply to their professions immediately after college. This is only the tip of the iceberg in terms of Professor Fryer’s effort to take the extra step in preparing his students for their future.
To understand Professor Fryer’s motives and drive to go above and beyond for his students, it’s important to take a look at his collegiate roots. While he teaches Psychology now, that actually wasn’t his main focus as an undergraduate student. When he wasn’t participating in his a cappella group at school, he actually was studying molecular genetics which was his major. At one point, he sought out assistance from a professor during their office hours. Professor Fryer was looking for assistance, but was met with a cold shoulder. The professor refused to help. This ended up being a pivotal moment that contributed to Professor Fryer’s decision to get into the education profession; he didn’t want to be a professor who neglected students in need.
To this day, Professor Fryer continues to try to ensure that his students receive help when they need it. He’s so invested in helping students that he is constantly advising students that aren’t even his advisees. Whether it be prepping students for graduate school, recommending internships to students, or even having staff from the Center for Applied Learning give presentations in his classes, Professor Fryer has shown a strong dedication to putting students in positions to be successful. When talking about helping students to this best of his ability, Professor Fryer says “It starts with advising.” This is a valuable statement, as advising supplies students with options and the tools to take the next step towards achieving success.
When asked to give one piece of advice to all students on campus one piece of advice, Professor Fryer gave the great response of “Be present.” He explained how important it is to really absorb everything around you and to live in the moment. In this day in age that is incredibly valuable, as a majority of people are so intensely glued to electronic devices that sometimes we catch ourselves missing things happening around us. After a half an hour of talking about all of the great and valuable things he’s been doing on campus, he asked at the end of this interview, “How can I do more?” Now that’s an indicator of a professor who is truly invested in his students.