Thank you, Travis!

I received this invitation in the mail for a recognition ceremony.  I had a conflict on that date, so I wasn't able to attend, but I appreciated being nominated.  To my great surprise, a few days after the event, I received this lovely little trophy commemorating my nomination.  Even better was the copy of the nomination letter they slipped inside the package.  

Travis Combs, a former masters degree student in the lab who also took my class MI495G, had this to say: "Dr. D'Orazio is a master of the socratic method.  We would read passages from the textbook before class and she would pose stimulating questions that exposed what I did and did not understand about the topic and most importantly, I would always leave the room with my mind brimming with new thoughts and questions.  If you define a teachers job as stimulating a students imagination and curiosity then there's no one better than Dr. D'Orazio.  I enjoyed her class so much that I asked to join her lab. Presenting data to her was always a thrill.  She was highly critical, as a good scientist ought to be, but always kind and collegial.  Her tutelage undoubtedly made me a better scientist and thinker. My time in her lab resulted in a publication, which certainly boosted my application to medical school.  But most of all she helped me develop my critical thinking skills and curiosity - an invaluable gift."

Well, that just about sums up exactly why I love mentoring students.  It's so rewarding to see them succeed, and I can't wait to see Travis graduate from med school in a couple of years!