“We need to remember that we are not climbing a ladder to get to the top. We are walking through life together.” These are some of the wise words that adjunct public speaking professor, Patricia Coughlan, shared with her family members, students, and professors at her “Last Lecture” presentation on Tuesday.
Coughlan stated several times that she felt, “tremendously humbled,” to have been chosen to give this speech. She discussed, “how to live a life of interest,” and how all her experiences and everyone she has come into contact with has shaped who she is. Coughlan and the audience both got emotional and laughed often when she was shared what she has learned from her experiences along with personal family photos, mementos from her life, and stories.
This SUP sponsored event took place in the Student Center Ballroom and was inspired by Carnegie Melon University’s computer science professor, Randy Pausch, who gave his famous last lecture once he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. It has become a tradition at universities to have students vote on what professor they want to see give their hypothetical last lecture and Rowan students chose Patricia Coughlan.
The seven main point of interest that she outlined for the audience included: be confident and humble, be eclectic and worldly, be passionate and bold, be personable and kind, be glib and good, be ready, and be the Zamboni ( which was her metaphor for telling everyone that they need to take risks).
“Education is not just about the degree, it’s about being lifetime learners,” explained Coughlan as she shared a story from her childhood when her father gave her a bottle of whiskey on her first day of kindergarten and she was not allowed to open it until she got her degree. She still has not opened and she does not plan on opening it until she completes her PhD.
Coughlan admitted that she was not sure how to prepare for her last lecture and she got inspiration by emailing some of her past students and asking them for feedback. Coughlan said that her inbox was flooded with responses about how she had inspired them and affected their lives. She realized that she had already reached and impacted so many students and made a difference in their lives through her teaching and no matter what she talked about in her last lecture she had already made a difference.
“Keep a hero file,” advised Coughlan. She feels that we should keep stuff about ourselves because it reminds us who we are and that we are good people. She also pointed out that we often do not listen to our inner voice and listen to the pressures of society instead. But as a little girl she wrote on her typewriter about how she wanted to be a teacher someday and something as simple as that can remind you of what you are meant to be doing.
“She always pushed you. She made me have a voice and confidence in what I said,” according to Alex Kristopovich, senior elementary education major, who had Coughlan as his public speaking professor. He also said that Coughlan inspired and motivated him and he will be thinking about her a lot during his student teaching.