I’m sure there are a lot of people who have had the pleasure of being taught by Mike Roos, an English professor here at RWC. But there’s also a side of him that not too many have seen.Mr. Roos is the editor of the RWC Activist, and without him, there simply wouldn’t be one. Now, he had no idea I was writing this article, but seeing as this is my last quarter on the staff, I felt that I would use it to say goodbye. I’ve had Mike as a teacher for all three of his Literature classes and the three quarters on the Activist staff. He has been the most caring and helpful teacher I’ve had in my three years at UC, both on Main Campus and at RWC. He’s helped me become a better writer and has opened my eyes to so many things I’ve never seen before.
Mr. Roos is also a musician, much like myself, so maybe that’s why I trust him so much. I liked Bob Dylan before I took his course (I highly recommend taking this one), but after taking the class, I started to look at music differently. I was inspired to pick up my acoustic guitar again, and I’ve written a lot of really good songs since then. Mr. Roos is a very good folk singer/songwriter, and you should definitely check out his MySpace site www.myspace.com/mikeroosmusic. If you like Bob, you’ll love Mike.
Mr. Roos is also a published writer. He’s currently working on a book about Indiana basketball. Like myself, he’s from Indiana, and we were both raised believing that basketball, not baseball, is the national sport. We both discovered we were led astray when we went outside of the cornfields.
It’s not just the music and familiar background though. Mr. Roos has helped me when I needed it and is never afraid to answer a question. He’s always there when you need a hand, and he’ll call you on your B.S. too when you need it. He has a son that’s close to my age, so maybe that’s why he can deal with college students so well, apart from his years of experience of a teacher.
If it weren’t for Mr. Roos, we wouldn’t have the information about the campus that we’re used to. He’s a heck of a journalist and can somehow get information that others simply cannot. Getting in contact with teachers has been painfully hard for me, but he always can do it. I’m sure it’s because other teachers would rather talk to their coworkers instead of young adults, but someone has to do it, and he does. Without him, the RWC world of information would simply stop.
Mr. Roos also has his hands in studying abroad. He’s in charge of the RWC British Study Abroad Program and has to coordinate endless variables like places, teachers, and schedules, to make it all work. I don’t know how he does all these things, but he does.
I’ve had the pleasure of knowing Mike, and I’m sure I’ll still talk to him long after I leave RWC. I’ll miss my time on the Activist staff, and a big reason for that is Mike Roos. If you haven’t met him or taken one of his classes, you should, because he might open your eyes like he opened mine.