When one of Rose McKinney’s professional colleagues had to give up her teaching gig at Metropolitan State University in St. Paul three years ago, McKinney applied and was chosen for it. Teaching, she says, is energizing and addicting—and it helps her reconnect with the principles she practices in her day job.
“I started teaching at Metropolitan State in the spring of 2005. I had never taught formally at a university, but always thought it would be nice to give back, to play a little role in helping people . . . reach their goals.
“I started teaching principles of public relations and now also teach advanced public relations. My first thought when getting ready for that first class was, ‘I have 200 minutes to fill in each class for 18 weeks; how am I going to do that?’ It’s an interactive class, so there’s a lot of sharing, and we have a guest speaker every week. I wanted to bring the text to life, to look at real-life examples.
“I’ve learned that I really do have a passion for helping people meet their goals and see the possibilities. I want to share what I’ve experienced. When you really believe in something, you not only find the time but you become energized by the commitment.
“I have 20 to 25 students in each of my classes. Almost all of them are working full time in addition to going to school, and they’re all commuter students. These students come from diverse backgrounds and really value classroom opportunities. They’re sponges. They inspire me.
“I’ve learned that teaching is addictive. I can’t read anything, go anywhere, or see anything without thinking, ‘How can I use this in the classroom?’ I’ve also learned that we have to take time to reconnect with the principles of what we do for a living. Teaching is one way to do that.”
