Someone You Should Know — Richard Neely

Church: First Baptist Church, Scottsboro

Favorite Bible verse: The book of Proverbs

Favorite hymn: “At the Cross”

Hobbies: Playing the guitar and trombone, singing, collecting military antiques, teaching world cultures, speaking on the Civil War

Family status: Married to Christie for four years

Richard Neely is someone you should know because he has won numerous top awards for excellence in teaching, including the Samford University John H. Buchanan Award for Excellence in Classroom Training and the Lula and Alton Holley Award for Excellence in Classroom Tea ch­ing at Judson College. He has also won awards for teaching in Mexico. He currently teaches at Judson.

Q: Why did you start teaching?

A: I have never thought about being anything else. My mother was an elementary schoolteacher for 34 years. The history department and faculty members at Samford had a tremendous effect on me. Reaching out to young people and teaching young people is the most important thing. Watching them grow and develop and go on to do great things is the most important thing about it.

Q: What does it demand?

A: A lot of time. It demands that you do a lot of reading and that you are constantly improving your knowledge in a subject. I am a firm believer of lifelong learning. You always have to keep adding new information, updating your point of view.

Q: What do you get from it?

A: I get a tremendous amount of satisfaction. Knowing that I’m making an impact on students and helping them develop their careers. They know that my door is always open and I will give them the best advice that I can give to help them attain the goals that they have in mind for their own lives.

Q: What difference will teaching make in your life?

A: I think that the career of teaching is one of the most important in our society and the most rewarding. Students keep me learning. The great philosopher Socrates said that the greatest teacher is a student of his pupils. They keep me on my toes. I don’t think that life will ever get stale as long as I have a classroom.