Select teaching evaluation student comments

Select teaching evaluation student comments

As a professor at Nicholls State University

• "Being that you do your own research to help with the effectiveness of your teaching and are open to becoming a better teacher, proves to me that there isn't much of any negative feedback I could give. We're given ample time to finish assignments and study for exams. The way that you teach is in-depth and helps me really understand chemistry at a particulate level. Thank you for caring for the students." (CHEM 106: Chemistry II: Science Majors, Lecture, Spring 2022, Nicholls State University)

• "Despite the difficulty of the course material, I don't think I would have done so well in CHEM 106 and 105 if it were instructed by anyone other than Dr. Alivio. Class is very fast-paced and it requires you to put time and effort in learned out of class too. I was always appreciative of Dr. Alivio's willingness to answer questions and meet with students during his office hours. Although I never took advantage of "ungrading tests" with him, I am all for it. I think more teachers should consider offering it to their students. It allows us to get another shot at a good grade, but also requires us to evaluate our mistakes and actually learn the course material. Dr. Alivio wants his students to succeed and learn and I wish more professors were like him. I like the way the class is organized ("pseudo-flipped"). Although class time was meant for doing the homework, I was able to figure out methods of learning that worked for me. In class, I would take notes on the problems he worked on the screen and use those notes later when I worked on my homework problems. I do wish that the lectures weren't so fast-paced, but there is only so much time and lots of material to cover. I appreciate that Dr. Alivio records class. That way, if I miss class or need to refer back to a lesson when I'm struggling, I can take advantage of that. I've been taking chemistry for 8 months straight now I am very glad it is over with, but I cannot think of any ways this class can improve. Dr. Alivio has designed this course with great intentions and I have benefitted from it. He wants us to succeed and I can proudly say that I can [do] just that." (CHEM 106: Chemistry II: Science Majors, Lecture, Spring 2022, Nicholls State University)

• "Dr. Alivio is very understanding and takes [into] consideration what students are going through to work well with them." (CHEM 106: Chemistry II: Science Majors, Lecture, Spring 2022, Nicholls State University)

• "I love Dr. Alivio as a professor. He is extremely good at explaining all of the material, and even covering different instances of problems we cover. He is super understanding and wishes for his students to improve. Very good professor." (CHEM 106: Chemistry II: Science Majors, Lecture, Spring 2022, Nicholls State University)

• "Really great with student communication. Uses a variety of methods for teaching which helps because each student learns differently." (CHEM 106: Chemistry II: Science Majors, Lecture, Spring 2022, Nicholls State University)

• "I like that the professor goes over homework problems in class to help you better understand how they are done, along with the ungrading sessions and 13-point grading scale. Wonderful professor! Would take him again!" (CHEM 106: Chemistry II: Science Majors, Lecture, Spring 2022, Nicholls State University)

• "Dr. Alivio is a great teacher. He respects his role as an educator and his students for where they are and their ability to learn. He cares deeply about his students. He slows down and repeats as necessary. He understands that students learn at different paces and through different ways and respects those differences." (CHEM 105: Chemistry I: Science Majors, Lecture, Spring 2022, Nicholls State University)

• "Going into this course, I thought I would struggle. It has been 10 years since I graduated high school and luckily for me, my best friend is a nuclear chemist, so I told her to be on standby to tutor me. In the very beginning, Dr. Alivio could not stress enough how important it is to watch the lectures and read the material before class to be fully prepared for his flipped classroom setting, so I listened and did just that. This course was challenging, but because of the way Dr. Alivio teaches, I never had to ask my friend for help. Hands down the best professor I have had yet. I wish all professors would teach this way. I love that the homework was done in class because it is easier to ask questions in person as you are working on a problem rather than at home and have to email for guidance. Nothing negative at all to say about this course/professor, looking forward to CHEM 106 in the summer!" (CHEM 105: Chemistry I: Science Majors, Lecture, Spring 2022, Nicholls State University)

• "Dr. Alivio is awesome he is very understanding and will work with you. One of the best professors I’ve had so far!" (CHEM 105: Chemistry I: Science Majors, Lecture, Spring 2022, Nicholls State University)

• "At the beginning I thought I wasn't going to enjoy this class, but Dr. Alivio made the class interesting. This course challenged me in a whole new way which increased my interest in chemistry, influencing me to change my major to chemistry." (CHEM 105: Chemistry I: Science Majors, Lecture, Spring 2022, Nicholls State University)

• "I came into the class thinking that I would completely bomb the course, but to my surprise I'm passing with a B. Surprisingly it made me love chemistry more now than before. At one point I was considering a Biomedical chem route in school and I think I just might, depending on how my next chem course will go. Although there were times, I couldn't meet for un-grading due to time conflicts it was nice to know that option was available not many professors take pride in helping their students, but I greatly appreciate the thought because there will be times that I won't get a professor with such love for helping their students succeed." (CHEM 105: Chemistry I: Science Majors, Lecture, Spring 2022, Nicholls State University)

• "Dr. Alivio made me like chemistry even though I struggled with the subject in high school. His concern with wanting to see every student succeed is what made him one of the best professors I have had." (CHEM 105: Chemistry I: Science Majors, Lecture, Spring 2022, Nicholls State University)

• "He genuinely cares about us as students and takes our future paths into consideration and I think that is very important." (CHEM 105: Chemistry I: Science Majors, Lecture, Spring 2022, Nicholls State University)

• "Dr. Alivio was a great person to speak with and was very respectful when I discussed some personal issues I was dealing with and offered resources to me. I appreciate his helpfulness and willingness to help me achieve the grade I needed for the course." (CHEM 105: Chemistry I: Science Majors, Lecture, Spring 2022, Nicholls State University)

• "Overall, Dr. Alivio is an amazing teacher. I am grateful to have had him for my CHEM 105/106 class, and I could not have asked for a better teacher. [...] I am very glad that I have experienced Dr. Alivio's teachings in my life, before I move on to different types of courses in a different subject area. Thank you, Dr. Alivio :)" (CHEM 106: Chemistry II: Science Majors, Lecture, Fall 2021, Nicholls State University)

• "The way he truly cares about his students does not go unnoticed or unappreciated!" (CHEM 105: Chemistry I: Science Majors, Lecture, Fall 2021, Nicholls State University)

• "Absolutely love Dr. Alivio's teaching, learned more from this class than any other class in my life. Wonderful professor." (CHEM 105: Chemistry I: Science Majors, Lecture, Fall 2021, Nicholls State University)

• "Dr. Alivio is very knowledgeable on the subject matter and clearly conveys it to us in every lecture. Although the course went at a pace way faster than I was used to in high school, it was expected, and he was always willing to help. He truly cares about his students and their academic success and makes it clear from the beginning. All in all, he was my favorite professor this semester and truly made the transition into my first semester at here at Nicholls a lot easier." (CHEM 105: Chemistry I: Science Majors, Lecture, Fall 2021, Nicholls State University)

• "Professor Alivio is an excellent professor. He always starts class on time and is thorough in teaching the lesson. He gives many examples and real life situations that positively impact learning in his class. [...]" (CHEM 105: Chemistry I: Science Majors, Lecture, Fall 2021, Nicholls State University)

• "I absolutely loved Dr. Alivio. His desire to help his students achieve success in his course was above and beyond what most professors would do. Looking forward to taking him again next semester." (CHEM 105: Chemistry I: Science Majors, Lecture, Fall 2021, Nicholls State University)

• "Dr. Alivio is a great teacher for the matter. He knows what he is talking about, cares a lot about the students and their grades, and makes the course material not too hard. I enjoyed him [and] his course. But it is a lot of information all at once, and you need to be involved. Luckily, he doesn't believe in harsh grading. But overall, I would say try to ask more questions to get students thinking. I believe that would be good." (CHEM 105: Chemistry I: Science Majors, Lecture, Fall 2021, Nicholls State University)

• • Overall amazing class. Took chemistry and AP chemistry in high school (never took the AP test [because] of [COVID]) So all of the content was rather simple for me. [...] Nonetheless, amazing professor and the iclickers were a great way to get student involvement during class. I really enjoyed the class and the topic. Also really good with student communication and help with exams/questions." (CHEM 105: Chemistry I: Science Majors, Lecture, Fall 2021, Nicholls State University)

• "Professor Alivio could be better at explaining the math elements in the chemistry problems, other than that he is a great teacher." (CHEM 105: Chemistry I: Science Majors, Lecture, Fall 2021, Nicholls State University)

• "He is the best professor I have had so far, he understands us students and actually cares for us, he understands that we have mental health issues and other issues in our lives. He knows that our lives do not revolve around school, he knows we have social lives and he is so amazing with anything even if you just want to talk to him! He is so chill and so relaxed but when it comes to work he works. I will definitely recommend him to other students!" (CHEM 105: Chemistry I: Science Majors, Lecture, Fall 2021, Nicholls State University)

• "Dr. Alivio conducts his classroom extremely well and I always knew what to expect when it came to assignments and exams." (CHEM 106: Introductory Chemistry II, Lecture, Spring 2021, Nicholls State University)

• "I enjoyed the recorded presentations on your website. I found them very helpful when I found a topic confusing in class. However I do miss the videos going over the mock tests. I found these especially helpful in CHEM 105. These videos made preparing for tests much easier and guided my studying on a much narrower path. Overall, I found all of your website's information very helpful." (CHEM 106: Introductory Chemistry II, Lecture, Spring 2021, Nicholls State University)

• "Dr. Alivio really does care about his students even though he does come across as a very polarizing figure. He gives plenty of extra credit opportunities and understands what it is like to be a college student, unlike most professors." (CHEM 106: Introductory Chemistry II, Lecture, Spring 2021, Nicholls State University)

• "I have had Dr. Alivio for two semesters now for CHEM 105 and 106. I am highly impressed by his teaching methods and will continue to take him for any course available. He is extremely helpful with material that is hard to understand. He is very effective at communicating over emails and is quick to respond. He is very organized during class and makes class time as effective as possible. One of the best professors at the university in my opinion. It is not an easy class but he makes me confident in the material I am learning by the way he teaches and presents the material. Great professor!!" (CHEM 106: Introductory Chemistry II, Lecture, Spring 2021, Nicholls State University)

• "This class is very VERY difficult but [Dr.] Alivio knows what he's doing and what he's teaching. He is also very passionate about science and chemistry and it makes the class more enjoyable. He also cares about his students a lot and is very blunt." (CHEM 105: Introductory Chemistry I, Lecture, Spring 2021, Nicholls State University)

• "Professor Alivio is a great teacher! Although this class has an insanely heavy workload, if you are committed to the class, you'll do fine. You definitely have to take a lot of time out of your day to do the homework and prep work for the course, but overall it isn't terrible. He also gives plenty of extra credit opportunities and allows you to do great in the course." (CHEM 105: Introductory Chemistry I, Lecture, Spring 2021, Nicholls State University)

• I enjoyed Dr. Alivio's CHEM 105 course. I do feel like it was a bit fast, but it is college chemistry so I was expecting the course to move fast. He gave many opportunities to bring your grades up if you were struggling. I also liked how he released his past exams to help students study. They were very helpful and I felt like I went into every exam feeling prepared. The homework was a bit hard but doing the harder questions made the exam questions 10x easier. He was also very personable to students. He knew everyone's names, replied back to emails quickly, and was always available for extra help. He cares very much about seeing his students succeed. I liked the flipped classroom approach. It gives students an opportunity to hear the lecture as many times as needed and then being able to apply it in the classroom. Chemistry is my least favorite subject and I would take Dr. Alivio's class again in the future." (CHEM 105: Introductory Chemistry I, Lecture, Spring 2021, Nicholls State University)

• "Dr. Alivio's teaching was really fast paced but he always stayed as late as he had to in order to help me understand the material for the test. He provided plenty of bonus point opportunities which helped me with my grades." (CHEM 105: Introductory Chemistry I, Lecture, Spring 2021, Nicholls State University)

• "My strong suit was never chemistry, which is why I was skeptical about this course (but now I’m understanding the subject very well). Dr. Alivio explained the concepts in his lecture videos with many examples and problems thoroughly and did the same in class. The flipped classes also help because he walks us through the homework." (CHEM 105: Introductory Chemistry I, Lecture, Spring 2021, Nicholls State University)

• "Anytime I had a question about anything, I could rely on Dr. Alivio to help me after class as well as in class." (CHEM 105: Introductory Chemistry I, Lecture, Spring 2021, Nicholls State University)

• "Absolutely loved Dr. Alivio's class. He made it clear to us on day one that he would have our backs and help us in any way in order for us to be successful. Chemistry is a rough subject for me but with his help I feel more confident in the class than I ever have in any other chemistry course." (CHEM 105: Introductory Chemistry I, Lecture, Spring 2021, Nicholls State University)

• "Chemistry is not my favorite subject because my teacher in high school was not the best. Dr. Alivio helped me understand topics that confused me before. Chemistry is more simple than I thought it was. I was scared starting this course but as it went on I began to understand chemistry more. Overall, this is a great course and I really liked the flipped classroom approach." (CHEM 105: Introductory Chemistry I, Lecture, Spring 2021, Nicholls State University)

• "I had this instructor last semester (Spring 2020) for a different class and it was very difficult when we made the transition to online only. This semester, however, I feel as though Dr. Alivio was more prepared and more understanding. The pace of the class was very fast, but I understand why with the COVID-19 pandemic still on the rise and the multiple hurricane scares, I feel like he did what he had to do the make sure we covered the material that would be on each test. He is also very understanding of the pressure we student are under. He provided links to Suicide Prevention hotlines and Domestic Abuse hotlines and was always available for anyone who needed to talk. He often reminded us that he was once a college student too and that he understood the problems we were all going through. I think having his as an instructor last semester and this semester allowed me to see his growth and it was amazing. 12 out of 10 would recommend." (CHEM 106: Introductory Chemistry II, Lecture, Fall 2020, Nicholls State University)

• "Best professor I have ever had, cares about the well-being of his students and how they learn in his class. Very patient and understanding. If I could have this professor again I would, I would just prefer an easier class than chemistry because it is a lot of work to learn chemistry. And it is a lot of work to teach it so the students understand it as well, but he did a great job." (CHEM 106: Introductory Chemistry II, Lecture, Fall 2020, Nicholls State University)

• "After taking this course for the second time, I feel that there has been an immense change in Dr. Alivio's teaching style in the most positive way possible. He noted the challenges students faced in previous semesters while taking his class, and promptly made changes to better student outcomes for the course. He really cares about the well-being and progress of his students and has a desire to be a good professor, and I can see that. Even though at times the course would be difficult, he would alter his teaching methods in order to have a more understandable lecture and have students comprehend the course material better. He would also account for unexpected events, like the hurricanes we experienced, and would actively try to help students achieve the best grade possible to be successful in the course following a stressful situation." (CHEM 105: Introductory Chemistry I, Lecture, Fall 2020, Nicholls State University)

• "I like the flipped classroom teaching style. It shows both the material and the examples with proper explanation, instead of rushing to try to squeeze in both during class. I like that you drop our lowest test grade. Everyone makes mistakes, and we have to rehash everything on the final anyway. The homework is relevant and prepares us for tests." (CHEM 105: Introductory Chemistry I, Lecture, Fall 2020, Nicholls State University)

• "Great man and even better teacher. He actually cares about us more than any teacher I have ever had. I learned more in this class than any class I've ever taken." (CHEM 105: Introductory Chemistry I, Lecture, Fall 2020, Nicholls State University)

• "Dr. Alivio is an amazing professor, he cares about his students, he tries his best ot help us when needed, he will do anything for his students. He has had a rough reputation because his class was hard last year but he is a new teacher, give him time. Very few professors care as much as he does. So you should definitely keep him on staff he is a major asset." (CHEM 105: Introductory Chemistry I, Lecture, Fall 2020, Nicholls State University)

• "Dr. Alivio is a funny and very approachable person. I felt that he moved through the course material relatively quickly, but it wasn't his fault that we had multiple hurricanes and that I had a horrible high school chemistry teacher. His flipped classroom approach worked remarkably great I found, as I could watch the lecture videos at my convenience, and I found that it was better to go over homework in class instead of at home, as if that were not the case, the homework would have been extremely difficult. I never used the book, but it was necessary to buy in order to have access to the homework system on Cengage. His slides were great helps, and he would always provide funny yet effective illustrations in them. While the difficulty and workload for this course was much more than other classes, he understood this and provided us numerous bonus point opportunities in the form of pre-chapter quizzes (up to 3 bonus points per chapter), mind-ticklers (challenge problems worth 5 points each), as well as by the recruiting of us to the Chem Club (2 bonus points to our final grade). I thought that I would do much worse than I am in his class (I have an overall grade of 100+ before final), and I find that this in because of having him as my teacher, having a flipped classroom approach, and by having the numerous bonus point opportunities. I also appreciated that he gives grades at the beginning of the semester based on completion to ease you into the class and give you an early buffer, not to mention he allows you to drop your lowest test grade." (CHEM 105: Introductory Chemistry I, Lecture, Fall 2020, Nicholls State University)

• "I thought Dr. Alivio had a very effective teaching method and I understood most of the material fully. He seemed to really care about his students and their progress and added funny little quirks to the lesson in an effort to make everyone laugh which I thought was really refreshing and fun. Although the course consisted of heavy material like he warned it would, he made it achievable through homework, lots of extra, and giving students plenty of opportunity to get as much points as possible on his tests. This was one of my most interesting classes." (CHEM 105: Introductory Chemistry I, Lecture, Fall 2020, Nicholls State University)

• "Dr. Alivio had a few slip ups that occasionally put us behind in class but was overall a great professor that made it easy for those that wanted to learn to do so. He responded quickly to questions and easily admitted if he made mistakes. Overall a great professor." (CHEM 105: Introductory Chemistry I, Lecture, Fall 2020, Nicholls State University)

• "Dr. Alivio's class is a joy to be in if you're someone like me who's already fairly proficient in math and has an interest in how the world functions on an analytical level. However, even if you're not, he still takes the time and effort to listen to each and every one of his students. He was extremely effective in creating an understanding and comfortable learning environment, especially given the current circumstances. He was very honest and respectful of his students and typically admitted when he had made a mistake, which is a very admirable trait. He gives students the opportunity to actually become interested in the course material and never wants a student to feel left behind. I can only criticize the lateness of a few of his lecture videos, but he probably already knew that was coming. At the very least, he warned us before doing so. I would definitely recommend his instruction to a fellow classmate." (CHEM 105: Introductory Chemistry I, Lecture, Fall 2020, Nicholls State University)

• "Although Dr. Alivio was a little difficult in the beginning, I have grown to truly enjoy chemistry and his class. The way that he teaches is a little difficult, but he is always helpful towards his students to make sure they understand the material at hand. Overall, I don't think he is a good teacher for everyone, but he was a good teacher for me." (CHEM 105: Introductory Chemistry I, Lecture, Fall 2020, Nicholls State University)

• "I like the flipped classroom approach. Doing the homework problems, during class, helped me understand the content better." (CHEM 105: Introductory Chemistry I, Lecture, Fall 2020, Nicholls State University)

• "I really like how much you care about your students and there success and how hard you work to try and help them as much a you can to better understand this difficult coarse. We don't have many professors who demonstrate these characteristics and i admire you greatly for them." (CHEM 105: Introductory Chemistry I, Lecture, Fall 2020, Nicholls State University)

• "Professor Alivio was a very helpful, empathetic educator. Even with the time crunch due to COVID and the hurricane, I felt like he really helped students understand the topics. He provided plenty of opportunities for extra credit, and chances to supplement the exam grades." (CHEM 105: Introductory Chemistry I, Lecture, Fall 2020, Nicholls State University)

• "Great professor. Would recommend and/or take again. Very good during these unique circumstances." (CHEM 106: Introductory Chemistry II, Lecture, Summer 2020, Nicholls State University)

• "I think Dr. Alivio is an amazing professor. I took AP chemistry in high school and had an amazing AP chemistry teacher. Coming to college, I was worried about not having as good of a chemistry teacher than I did in high school. Dr. Alivio is just as amazing as my AP chemistry professor, and I love the way he teachers the course. This course was taught at a college level that was challenged, and I can see how it could be challenging to someone who did not take AP chemistry. With the right work and passion for learning chemistry, Dr. Alivio designs his class in a way in which the grade is reflective of how hard the student works. I am very grateful for an amazing CHEM 106 professor! [The] PowerPoint slides are well thought out, and they are an invaluable resource! [Dr.] Alivio's lecture explanations are great. It is apparent how well he knows the material. [He] teaches the course in an entertaining way, and he understands how students think. [The] tests are challenging but in a good way. " (CHEM 106: Introductory Chemistry II, Lecture, Spring 2020, Nicholls State University)

• "Dr. Alivio is one of the most caring professors I have ever encountered not only at Nicholls, but in my high school career as well. He always puts his students first. Chemistry is a hard subject in general, but his love for the subject and his students makes it easier for us to go and talk to him when we need assistance" (CHEM 106: Introductory Chemistry II, Lecture, Spring 2020, Nicholls State University)

• "Dr. Alivio genuinely cares about the material he is teaching and makes an effort to make sure his students are successful. He was very helpful when the quarantine started. I also think he should teach higher level courses." (CHEM 106: Introductory Chemistry II, Lecture, Spring 2020, Nicholls State University)

• "Dr. Alivio is very invested in his students. He is an important asset to our university." (CHEM 106: Introductory Chemistry II, Lecture, Spring 2020, Nicholls State University)

• "I enjoyed this class a lot even though I do not like chemistry nor am I good at it. I will miss this class and having Dr. Alivio as a professor." (CHEM 106: Introductory Chemistry II, Lecture, Spring 2020, Nicholls State University)

• "Dr. Alivio has really improved since last semester. He always puts his students first! He's very helpful and is always available for questions!" (CHEM 106: Introductory Chemistry II, Lecture, Spring 2020, Nicholls State University)

• "Dr. Alivio adapted very well to the transition to online classes." (CHEM 106: Introductory Chemistry II, Lecture, Spring 2020, Nicholls State University)

• "I believed that this semester was ten times better than before. I had his class last semester and he improved a TON. I think he shows great potential as a chemistry professor, and I love the enthusiasm and sympathy he has for his students." (CHEM 106: Introductory Chemistry II, Lecture, Spring 2020, Nicholls State University)

• Professor Alivio has been very helpful this semester, especially given the circumstances. I thoroughly enjoyed this class and even changed my major to Pre-Pharm Chem. :) He made switching from an in-class environment to an online environment very easy and efficient. The extra study sessions and zoom meetings were very helpful in preparing for the tests! Although I wasn't able to take his class for 106, I would definitely recommend him to anyone else who is looking for a helpful and cooperative Chem professor!" (CHEM 105: Introductory Chemistry I, Lecture, Spring 2020, Nicholls State University)

• "My professor provided great instruction and was extremely helpful considering the circumstances. With the transition to online classes, my professor for chemistry was one of the most prepared and organized. It helped a lot to have a structured instruction method." (CHEM 105: Introductory Chemistry I, Lecture, Spring 2020, Nicholls State University)

• "Dr. Alivio was very caring about his students and the courses material. He always went above and beyond to make sure we understood the material and was willing to help us understand the material no matter what the circumstances were. It was very difficult for me to adjust to online chemistry because I am not the best in this subject but with Dr. Alivio's help it was an easier adjustment than some of my other classes" (CHEM 105: Introductory Chemistry I, Lecture, Spring 2020, Nicholls State University)

• "It was a joy coming to this class because he was always so positive and happy. Made my weeks go better." (CHEM 105: Introductory Chemistry I, Lecture, Fall 2019, Nicholls State University)

• "He did a great job being understanding when personal life interferes with school. He always has his office door open to come talk." (CHEM 105: Introductory Chemistry I, Lecture, Fall 2019, Nicholls State University)

• "His class is interesting and has made me enjoy chemistry more." (CHEM 105: Introductory Chemistry I, Lecture, Fall 2019, Nicholls State University)

• "I appreciated the mock exams. They helped me a lot. I also liked that you put in consideration for us when applying deadlines/moving assignments around. Although I didn't attend any of the help class, I do appreciate that you offered it to us for those who needed it." (CHEM 105: Introductory Chemistry I, Lecture, Fall 2019, Nicholls State University)

As a teaching assistant at Texas A&M University

• “Troy was so incredibly helpful with letting us know exactly what he expected of us for the lab reports as well as making sure we understood the concepts in lab rather than just trying to leave early [every day].” (CHEM 326: Physical Chemistry II, Laboratory, Fall 2018, Texas A&M University)

• “Troy is very personable, which I believe is a great trait for a TA to have. Because he made the atmosphere of the lab full of discussion, the experiment was able to be understood a little better.” (CHEM 326: Physical Chemistry II, Laboratory, Fall 2018, Texas A&M University)

• “Always very calm under duress, would always help out when an experiment went wrong and would follow up on your progress without having to be asked, and was explicit about exact content he wanted on the lab reports.” (CHEM 237: Organic Chemistry I, Laboratory, Fall 2016, Texas A&M University)

• “Troy was very concise with instructions during the lab. He was always available to clarify any part of the experimental procedures that we did not understand. He was exceptionally better than my CHEM 101 TA. I would definitely want to take OCHEM 2 lab with him if I knew what section he would be teaching.” (CHEM 237: Organic Chemistry I, Laboratory, Fall 2016, Texas A&M University)

• “He is very passionate about teaching chemistry and he is very enthusiastic and helpful” (CHEM 112: Fundamentals of Chemistry II, Laboratory Spring 2016, Texas A&M University)

• “Overall, I really did like this instructor. It took me a little, but I finally realized that he definitely had my best interest in mind. And he definitely made it easy for me to [bring] all of the concepts I learned and apply it to my chemistry knowledge. He gradually made me work a lot harder throughout the span of the semester. Not just in his class, but in all of mine.” (CHEM 112: Fundamentals of Chemistry II, Laboratory Spring 2016, Texas A&M University)

• “Wholly knows what he’s talking about and can explain it well in layman’s terms. Handles stress EXCELLENTLY! Hard grader, but very fair; he just wants us to do the best work that he believes we can do.” (CHEM 112: Fundamentals of Chemistry II, Laboratory Spring 2015, Texas A&M University)

• “He is VERY smart and knows the material very well and he is on top of things in the lab. He is also a really nice guy and made efforts to get to know the students, which was pretty cool.” (CHEM 111: Fundamentals of Chemistry I, Laboratory Fall 2014, Texas A&M University)

As a teaching assistant at the State University of New York at Buffalo

• “Theodore was an excellent TA for CHE 102. He was knowledgeable, informative, and presented the information in a concise fashion. We [were] always well prepared with his own recitation outline that enabled us to proceed through the material in an efficient and effective manner. Also, Theodore was always more than willing to answer questions and give in-depth responses when warranted. Theodore was always kind and treated his students with utmost respect; this being yet another one of his great qualities that are hard to come by regarding teaching assistants at the University at Buffalo. Also, Theodore truly cared about his students and wanted us to succeed, giving personalized service tailored to our needs as opposed to other TAs who operate much like crabby incompetent robots.” (CHE 102: General Chemistry II, Recitation/Laboratory Spring 2013, SUNY Buffalo)

• “Troy did an awesome job teaching the course. He did a great job reteaching the topics to us and I feel like I learned from him in recitation than I did in lecture. He really connected with his students. I would definitely recommend him to other students and even I hope to have him again.” (CHE 101: General Chemistry I, Recitation/Laboratory Fall 2012, SUNY Buffalo)