*Quotes are from student letters of recommendation written for Dr. Rich,
Video of teaching philosophy is based on work by Chickering, Arthur and Stephen C. Ehrmann (1996),
and music by Ben Harper.
"Dr. Rich had a tremendous impact on me inside and outside the classroom. Inside the classroom, I had to work harder in Dr. Rich’s classes than any other classes that I have taken, but, I also gained more out of those classes than any other. One of the reasons I was hired at the company which I now work is my knowledge and understanding of the Software Development Lifecycle, which Dr. Rich “preached” about in Software Engineering I. Dr. Rich is a great asset to Athens State University. My college experience made many stops, first Calhoun, then the University of Alabama, then UAH, and finally ASU. At none of these other colleges or universities did I ever come into contact with another teacher that was as dedicated to her students as Dr. Rich." Kane Bell, Phase IV Systems, Class of 2000
“Dr. Rich nurtures the discovery and application of knowledge, and raises the standard by which all professors should be held. In each class that I have had with Dr. Rich, I am always impressed with how quickly she creates an atmosphere of trust and accountability in her classroom. It is clear that her primary motive is to open a dialogue between herself and her students that will encourage questions and facilitate understanding of the subject matter. She intuitively discerns when her class is not grasping a new concept and quickly gets to the root of the confusion. She is a creative thinker and able to teach on many levels without losing the momentum of the class. Dr. Rich continues to find new and ingenuous ways to energize and inspire her students. She demands excellence, sets forth a rigorous course of study, and is undeniably fair minded in her expectations of her students. I have done some of my most creative and complex projects under Dr. Rich’s guidance. They are examples of my best effort and are a product of Dr. Rich’s encouragement for me to step beyond my comfort level.” Diana Bittle, IT Department, Vanderbilt University, Class of 2002
“When I was a student, I took Dr. Rich’s classes as often as scheduling would allow. Her methodology of applying classroom theory to real world projects gives her students not only valuable, hands-on experience, but a sense of accomplishment and tangible evidence of one’s learned capabilities. Dr. Rich instills in her students a sense of professionalism and in this regard, leads by example. She is ever mindful of her student’s needs and goes out of her way to be available for their assistance.” David Borella, Class of 2006
"I cannot tell you how much of the learning experience this is! If I had a nickel for the times I said, “Dr. Rich was right!” this week, I could retire! Your expertise is so valuable to us." “Dr. Rich possesses a gift of fleshing out what other teachers have taught and polishes those skills so that they may be used in the workplace. She expects only the best work from her students and is consistently fair, patient, and available. She always answers emails promptly with helpful advice and extends office hours and phone meetings whenever students request. One of Dr. Rich’s greatest gifts is that she genuinely loves people. She has not only enriched my life professionally; I am a better person because I call her my friend.” Holly Camp, Lockheed-Martin Missiles and Space Systems, Class of 2002
"I want to show you what I’ve created for my company after taking your CIS440 class. We use this database to figure out all our employees’ commissions on cellular phone cells. I am supposed to start working on a new one for our sign shop. Just wanted to let you know that I enjoyed your class and REALLY learned something useful." Christy Campbell, Class of 2003
"I am especially grateful to Dr. Lisa Rich for teaching me the principles of database design and SQL code, and for having the foresight to offer a database class using Oracle and SQL*Plus. It was that class and the knowledge I gained from Dr. Rich’s enthusiastic lectures and hands-on labs that helped me land a lucrative position at Jacobs Technology. Dr. Rich told me about the job opening and encouraged me to apply. During my interview, I was able to answer not only general database design questions, but, Oracle-specific ones as well, due in large part to Dr. Rich’s Oracle class." Gabi Clark, Jacobs Technology, Class of 2006
"Dr. Rich exceeded my expectations as an advisor right away, because she always made herself available and was willing to assist me every time I needed help. I really enjoyed being in her classes because she was always happy and upbeat when she came into the classroom. She enjoys what she teaches and is very knowledgeable about the material. Dr. Rich was a great teacher that always treated me with respect and was a wonderful person to be around." Wes Cork, Class of 2000
"Dr. Rich is an excellent advisor. She was always available during her posted hours and often met with me outside those hours. She was energetic, organized, and willing to discuss any problems or concerns that I had. As an instructor, Dr. Rich is always prepared to teach. She came to class thoroughly prepared and full of zeal. Her courses were the most difficult and challenging courses that I took. However, I appreciated that because it forced me to work hard and truly learn the material that we were covering." Chad Easterling, Dynetics, Class of 2000
"Dr. Rich absolutely cares that each and every student in her classroom leaves feeling that they received the best possible education for the chosen topic. She frequently invokes the class for their feedback, personal work experiences as it relates to the given subject. She alters the course as necessary to apply as much real world examples possible. The attention that Dr. Rich has provided me throughout my educational experience at Athens has helped make me the professional that I am today." David Foust, Class of 2002
"Dr. Rich has been an asset to Athens State University since the day she arrived. She is a dedicated professor who will go out of her way to help any student who needs help. She pushes students to reach their full potential, is very fair in her evaluation of students, and is very clear in her methods of instruction. Dr. Rich honestly cares about her career and her students. She is not just a professor; she is a mentor." Holly Foster, Class of 2003
"Dr. Rich is a great teacher and I am so thankful to have had the chance to be in her class. I have really been successful in my job because of her teaching. She makes learning fun, even if you are 44 years old." Laura George, Huntsville Hospital, Class of 2007
“Dr. Rich’s teaching methodology is by far one of the best that I have experienced. Her overwhelming knowledge in application design and usability testing is second to none. In addition, her eagerness to share that knowledge energized the classroom and invigorated many students. In all cases, she kept the course work interesting, challenging, and extremely rewarding. A personal characteristic of Dr. Rich that outshines many is her sincerity in helping students learn and experience new educational activities.” Robert Grant, Graduate Student, UAH, Class of 2006
"I just want to let you know how much I appreciate your effort and work to enable ASU to offer these distance courses in CS. I need to graduate this semester in order to be offered a permanent position with the Army. Your distance classes are very time demanding and are not for the student that is looking for a “free ride”. The course forces you to think and think a lot. That is a good thing! With that said, let me thank you sincerely again for the opportunity to take these courses by distance learning." Bill Grubbs, U.S. Army, Class of 2002
"Just emailing you to say thanks for all of the knowledge that you shared with me. I have been employed with Analytical Service, Inc. for a few months as an IT Technican." Landers Hardin, Analytical Services, Class of 2006
"Dr. Rich demonstrated amazing knowledge of Computer Science. She is the type of educator that sets forth expectations to challenge her students within their capabilities. She is an extraordinary person who filled the offices of professor and advisor to me. She illustrated commitment and loyalty while she set forth a perfect example of the qualities necessary to be successful at any profession. Dr. Rich is intelligent, articulate, and has a genuine interest in her students, which are the essential elements for success in the education field." Shannon Harwell, Elkmont High School, Class of 2002
"Dr. Rich has been an exceptional instructor, advisor, and mento throughout my time here at Athens State University. She has always been willing to meet with me each semester and check through my courses to ensure that I was successfully completing the program. While completing my courses here at Athens State, I feel that Dr. Rich has been the greatest instructor, and also mentor for me and many of my classmates. Not only has she helped me throughout courses she was teaching, but also with other courses that I may have been struggling in as well. She has always been willing to do whatever was necessary to ensure that her group of students would do well in her courses. She volunteers her free time to meet with students to have study sessions, and also allows us to call her at home if we are struggling with any aspect of the course. She genuinely wants her students to do well, and to carry the knowledge gained from her courses to build a successful career..." Amy Higgins, Class of 2008
"Dr. Rich gave me knowledge and that is a gift this is often ignored by many. Many professionals like Dr. Rich have sacrificed raises, tenure, and promotion within the corporate world because they feel they can change the world one student at a time. She gets nothing but praise from me. I owe her so much, because she taught me many things in such a short time. The most important thing that I learned from Dr. Rich was not from a book or lesson plan – it was that smile and gentle persona which could reinforce an old Army Sergeant like me!" Lionel Holguin, ARMDEC, Class of 2006
"Dr. Rich expected me to learn more than I needed to understand. In The Digital Enterprise, Dr. Rich explained enterprise information systems. During this class, my manager began to rely on the insight that I was gaining as school and I found myself working with his manager and beyond to choose new directions in information systems. Software Ethics and Managing Information Resources were just in time. The depth required by Dr. Rich in these classes prepared me for the legal and cultural differences as my role extended to global development. Dr. Rich taught me to apply a proven, user-centered process for software construction. In Human-Computer Interaction and Software Engineering, Dr. Rich reversed my software design perspective. The revelation came from one memorable lecture when Dr. Rich said “Your purpose is not to make better ways for computers to interact with humans; it is to make better ways for humans to interact with computers. Computers don’t interact; humans do.” Dr. Rich reinforced this user-centric approach throughout our study of the structured phases of design in Software Engineering. These new approaches immediately improved the quality of my software and shortened my development cycle at work. Dr. Rich encourages students to apply the class lessons at work. I submitted my Human-Computer Interface project at work. The project proposed many usability enhancements for our company’s customer service website and the majority of my suggestions were implemented." Carey Johnson, General Electric Corporation, Class of 2009
"I would have to say that a tremendous amount of what I know today about computers is due to the excellent teaching skills that Dr. Rich used in the classroom. Dr. Rich exemplifies a college professor who teaches at a more personal level with students. She always took time away from class to help anyone that needed help and really wanted to learn. She is the type of person that the students will learn from and also gain from." Shawn Jones, Class of 2002
"Dr. Rich is one of the best instructors that I had during my years at Athens State. She challenges her students to go beyond what is in the textbook – to think at a higher level. Dr. Rich is committed to promoting excellence in all of her students and is devoted to her work." Lesley Kennemur, Class of 2002
“I have had the opportunity to take online classes with Dr. Rich, and have always found those classes to be challenging learning opportunities. Dr. Rich is an excellent teacher who stays current with the material she is teaching. It is obvious that she cares about her students and will not settle for substandard work, yet she is always fair. Her classes are structured and outlined in such a way as to facilitate the student’s learning of the material.”..."I wanted to thank you for being such a great advisor and instructor too. You were always east to get in touch with and that isn’t always the case with instructors, especially when you classes are online. I enjoyed the Software Ethics class, it was more interesting than I thought it would be." Melanie Landers, Tennessee Valley Authority, Class of 2007
"I'm thankful to have such a great teacher, that loves to teach. You don't always run into a teacher that truly loves her job. I'm glad that I chose this class this semester, it made me think of things that I don't normally think of. I have learned a lot." Rosalind Lankford, Management Major, 2007
"I cannot stress enough how Dr. Rich’s influence inspired me to apply my learned computer science skills, thus, preparing me for graduate school. To her credit, I graduated with a Masters of Science degree in Computer Information Systems." Allissa Leach, AMCOM IMMC, Class of 1999
“I have had the pleasure of attending several of Dr. Rich’s classes both on campus and through distance learning. In my opinion, she is one of the finest teachers I have encountered at any institution that I have attended. Dr. Rich consistently demonstrates a high level of professionalism in the classroom and her approach to teaching shows her dedication and passion for this profession. She makes a genuine effort to connect with her students and ensures that everyone in her class understands the course material. She is highly respected within the student body and is generally thought of as the preferred professor for the classes that she teaches. Her professionalism in the classroom and the respect she shows for her students creates a productive dialog between her and her students on how she can improve the current class presentation.” Terry Leger, NASA, Marshall Space Flight Center, Class 0f 2007
"It was during my two quarter software engineering sequence that I witnessed the real world knowledge, expertise, and patience of Dr. Rich. Her knowledge of business applications and what questions to ask our clients was quite impressive considering that oft times she had never met our client personally, and, yet still knew more about what would be needed no matter what type of business the client ran. She exhibited not only patience, but, fairness. Perhaps what I admire most about Dr. Rich is her sincerity and support – which has been clearly validated by the fact that I still communicate with her til this day. The foundation of professionalism and teamwork that I learned under Dr. Rich will always be an asset to me." Robert Lett, First Capital Management, Class of 1995
"... I really appreciate all those courses that you taught me (I believe I had 4 classes with you!) and it really came in handy when I was applying to different companies. I can honestly say that I had to actually draw an entity relationship diagram and explain during an interview. I'm really glad that I kept all my textbooks and reviewed them beforehand! I am really using almost every class I took at Athens State! Thanks again! Jessica Lewis, Trumbell Services, Class of 2007
“Dr. Rich worked very closely with me and provided steady guidance with course advising and career building techniques. She played a major role in helping me choose a career in database programming. Under her direction, I have been motivated to strive for and achieve high standards in programming and software development.” Adrian D. Love, Computer Sciences Corporation, Class of 2006
"Dr. Rich definitely made an impact on my education and career. Her unique style of teaching helped me understand what I had to face once I graduated. Dr. Rich even offered her expertise to me and former classmates after graduation when we faced problems creating a database for our employer. Her teachings have definitely helped me accomplish my goals as a Program Analyst for the Huntsville Corp of Engineers. She shines above the rest and is a true example of what Athens State is and what it stands for – Excellence!" Tracy Lynch, Class of 2000
"The knowledge and skills I learned in MG 302 already help my in the workplace. I work part time currently, for a contractor in Huntsville. And, being able to manage my time is so important. Knowing how to be creative with powerpoint or word is vital in everyday life where I work. MG 302 has shown me how to utilize all of the tools that are available to me. I just want to say that MG 302 has been my favorite class so far at Athens State. I transferred here from the University of Alabama and being able to practically have the class catered to me personally was so refreshing and appreciated. Ms. Rich, you did a very good job of always answering my questions fast and throughout. You went out of you way several times to help me on something that I just couldn’t figure out. I really appreciate all the time and effort you put into this class. I liked the fact that you are so organized and you have all of our material right there where we can easily access it. I also appreciate that you always wanted feedback to make the class better for everyone. Most teachers don’t care about how the students feel. I just want to thank you for a wonderful class experience and I have learned so much from this course and from you." Haleigh McGee, Management Major, 2007
“I bring a unique perspective to this recommendation for Dr. Rich as I have over twenty years of experience working as an embedded programmer and have been awarded a number of patents in ultra wide band technology. Dr. Rich taught the only class that I attended that required students to learn and then exercise the practical everyday skills a computer science graduate faces in the working world. Her work experience proved invaluable in describing the give and take required between team members, the pitfalls to avoid during each phase of a project, and the necessity to balance the design to the available skills and man hours. I learned specialized skills and theory from many of my professors, but the single professor who assembled the framework and taught the holistic nature of programming was, without a doubt, Dr. Rich.” David C. Meigs, Time Domain Corporation, 2007
“Dr. Rich is one of the finest instructors that I have encountered in both my academic and professional life. She provides a challenging but fair learning environment. Dr. Rich sets the highest standards of performance for her students and expects nothing less of herself when it comes to the quality of instruction that she provides. The knowledge that I obtained as a result of Dr. Rich’s teaching efforts has served as the basis upon which I build every day in my professional endeavors.” Russell Morlando, Jacobs Technology, Class of 2005
"I had the privilege of working as a student assistant for Lisa during the 2001-2002 school year. As her assistant, I found her to be an exceptional teacher who was truly committed to the success of her students. Lisa spent countless hours advising and planning with students to ensure they were on the track to success. She encouraged input from students to plan classes around their schedules – she always put the needs of her students first." Lindsay Moss, Limestone County School System, Class of 2002
“In my experiences, I have never met a teacher with such compassion for his/her students and the subject area that he/she teaches. Dr. Rich has shown great enjoyment in her lectures and passes that along to her students. Dr. Rich always made time for her students and provides many techniques in her teaching. She taught with several examples, in depth explanation, and encouraged discussion. Dr. Rich provided a new learning experience for me. She motivated her students to interact, and she was always prepared with the appropriate questions to facilitate learning discussion.” Rachel Jess O’Rear, WestStar Corp, Class of 2006
“What would make a computer science graduate confident, optimistically tenacious, motivated, marked by erudition and faith? The answer for me rested greatly in Dr. Lisa Rich. When my senior year came, I stepped into Dr. Rich’s software engineering class and it was more work than I ever imagined. The deadlines were real, the grades final, and a high quality of work was expected. This course, coupled with Dr. Rich’s teaching style, turned out to be the best and most beneficial course to me because of the current work that my job with the government entails. My work is irrevocably requirement, budget, and deadline-driven. The deadlines are real and there is always the expectation from the customer for a high quality of work from us. That is just what Dr. Rich prepared her students for … the real world. If it’s true that attitude determines altitude, then, she is soaring. Thankfully, that same spirit of determination and optimism becomes contagious and spreads to all those she comes in contact with.” John P. Redmon, Southwest Research Institute, Class of 2001
"I want to thank you for all you’ve done for me at ASU. You’ve been everything from an advisor to someone I could talk to about other issues. You are an asset to the college." Jeff Riley, Class of 2006
"Mrs. Rich always had an open door policy. As students, we knew that we could discuss any questions or concerns with her at any time – this included calling her at home if was necessary. In her lectures, Mrs. Rich taught us the academics of the course, but, she also conveyed much more valuable knowledge to us. One of the most important things that we learned was the value of teamwork, which is a must in today’s working world. We learned to listen to others, resolve issues and concerns, pool resources, present ideas to one another and our “customer”, and deliver a product. In other words, we learned what it takes to be successful in a work environment. Ms. Rich, as our mentor, guided us along every step of the way."
Teresa Rogers, Class of 1996
“As a student in several of Dr. Rich’s classes, she was both firm and fair with her assignments and grading. There was never a lack of different discussions, activities, and exercises which was evidence of the amount of preparation that she put into her classes. As a student aid, I saw first hand how Dr. Rich always worked hard to develop new and better ways to teach students and bring new technology into the classroom. She genuinely cared about her students and wanted them to get something tangible out of their education. Dr. Rich has been one of the only teachers who made a real difference in my life." Mirek Sadilek, Jacobs Technology, Class of 2005
"I’m not sure that this message is heading to the right person. I just wanted to comment the efforts of my new advisor, Dr. Rich. The previous person that I dealt with at the school was very poor. Dr. Rich has given me a new standard with which to judge by. I am not used to the extremely quick replies that I have gotten, and thus, feel it necessary for me to show my gratitude to whomever possible above her. Congratulations, Dr. Chapman, on the quality employees that you have to work with." Chris Schuster, Hyco Alabama, Class of 2007
"Although being familiar with the SDLC, I’ve never had a good grasp of it academically. In that regard, this course has helped me tremendously in my efforts to define SDLC processes for our team. I’ve been using IEEE 12207 standards as well as this course as guides to help me define our processes. This course has really helped me pop out of the weeds of the development phase and move toward understanding the “big picture”." Lee Shikoh, Class of 2008
"I appreciate the help you have given me. I used a lot of materials from our textbook website during my time at the company in Russia. As I was writing to you, the company is going in the right direction, intuitively, by trial and error, and finding out the things I was taught at Athens State. And many things, integral to the software engineering process, are not done at all. Based on what I learned in your software engineering course, I examined the company, wrote a report, and made a presentation for management which included suggestions for change and they were ready to hire me into the position." Art Shvetsov, Class of 2001
"Dr. Rich was instrumental in my success at ASU and, furthermore, there are many things that I learned from her in and out of the classroom that were invaluable to my success in the real world. She always presented herself and her courses with the utmost professionalism and enthusiasm. She made the curriculum fun and interesting while providing me with the guidance I needed to attain my goals. If I needed any guidance along the way, Dr. Rich went out of her way to make time for me, at my convenience, and always greeted me with a smile. Dr. Rich is someone I will always remember and enjoy hearing from." Stan Stanford, Toyota USA, Class of 2001
"...Ms. Rich has helped me achieve my degree at Athens State. She has made the transition from traditional classes to web courses easier. I have always been able to contact her, iether in person, by email, or phone and she has always helped me with the problem at hand. She is dedicated to student growth and well-being. Lisa provides the leadership and help needed for students at Athens State..." Duffy Swann, Class of 2007
"When I was determined to change my major, Dr. Rich sat me down and showed me what I had already accomplished and what I had left. She showed me that if I would just “grin and bear it” everything would work out. She never told me it was going to be easy, but, at the same time, she kept a very positive outlook and informed me that she was preparing me for what the world had to offer. It was this knowledge that I admired about Dr. Rich – her strive to always be the best that makes me want to be the best! Dr. Rich is truthfully an inspiration to me." Kim Tersigni, Northrup Grumman, PhD Candidate, Walden University, Class of 2002
"Dr. Rich’s instructional style is clear, in addition, she always obtain feedback from the class to assess their comprehension, and adjusts her approach as needed. Her assignments provided me and my teammates with much useful experience in interesting contexts. Her vibrancy and enthusiasm made me with that she taught more classes. I took several classes with her even though they were not required for my major. This is because they were always both beneficial and enjoyable." ..."I think about the things we learned in your classes constantly since I got a job as a programmer. I love the work, but, my very first post-graduation job has turned out to be one of those “death marches”. I wanted to tell you about it because you asked us to think about what our role in such a situation would be. I’ve been well able to work with it, so, thank you, and keep up the good work. Hope you are doing well – you are the best teacher there!" Liana Thompson, Class of 2003
“Dr. Rich inspired me to think for myself and to investigate through hands-on experiences many questions in software development. While working in the area of software development for the Department of Defense and continuing my education in graduate school, Dr. Rich assisted me in a research project focused on the Object Oriented methodology for developing Software Test Cases. The confidence that I gained from conducting this research ultimately shaped how I view the field of software engineering and information systems. Without her help, I would not have been encouraged to pursue my masters of science degree. Not only did Dr. Rich show interest in my career endeavors, she also had true concern for me as an individual. She encouraged me to pursue my dreams and goals, academic and non-academic. Dr. Rich has always extended her helping hand to me and I consider her a friend and a mentor.” Augustus S. Tucker II, Lockheed Martin Missiles & Space Systems, Class of 1998
"Ms. Rich showed a genuine interest in each student’s and group’s success. Although it was hard and time-consuming, Software Engineering was the capstone course that tied all of the other programming courses together. The theories and principles taught by Ms. Rich and the practical experience gained in the course have proven to be the most valuable in my career." Don Wallace, Class of 1996
"I really enjoyed the MG302 class. It has been my favorite class at Athens. I enjoyed the interaction of all the students. I felt like I was part of a real class and not just an online class. Thank you, Dr. Rich, for making this a good class and staying in touch with us. It is nice to have contact with your professor. Some professors just give you the assignments at the beginning of the semester and you don’t hear another word from them until the end of the semester for your final grade. Thank you for checking on us throughout the semester and making sure we were on the right track. I have learned a lot in this class and have learned several things I will take with me. I know how to use a computer and a lot of technology, but this class helps you understand other aspects in the technological world and how it relates to everyday jobs. I realized how important information systems are to companies no matter the size. The researching skills I learned will help me during school and when I get a job. I hope to keep improving on these skills. I also might start my own personal blog site." Tabitha Webb, Human Resources Major, 2007
Select this MG302 link to view comments from students in the MIS course that Professor Rich's taught most recently.
