Dr. Judd

For anyone who teaches ESL here or has some connection to UIC, it's hard not to know who Dr. Judd was. He was the director of and a professor in the MA TESOL program, but he was unforgettable for so many other reasons: his sense of humor, his empathy, his compassion, his concern for his students, and his passion for teaching. He was a teacher in the truest sense of the word. A true teacher is inspired simply by seeing someone learn, by helping them succeed. A devoted teacher will take an interest in each student and make that personal connection. Dr. Judd was all of those things. He left a mark on all of us and our teaching. And as the rabbi mentioned today at the service, life is brief and although Dr. Judd is no longer with us, he lives on in each of the lives he touched and in each of the teachers he help to create...and in each of our classrooms as we teach. Teaching can be that powerful. I can only hope to be that kind of teacher all of my days. I was honored to be his student. I will miss having coffee with him, his advice, his stories, and, of course, his jokes.