Confident, energized, funny and committed are only some of the words used to describe Julie Mallard, professor of speech.
Professor Julie Mallard, 35, lectures on appearance and nonverbal communication. Eugene Paul Arellanes / MOUNTAINEER
“Professor Mallard is such a confident, encouraging teacher; she fills the definition of professor, she actually puts her teaching into momentum,” said Isaiah Berry, a 23-year-old neuroscience major. “Seriously, she has to be one of the best teachers I’ve taken by far.”
Mallard, 35, has been teaching at Mt. SAC for the past 10 years, as well as teaching part time at other colleges such as Pasadena City College and Chaffey Community College. She was going to school to be a corporate trainer, but instead realized that her passion in life was teaching.
“I love what I do, it’s [a] bit of an addiction for me,” Mallard said.
Mallard is not only a speech teacher, she was also on the forensics team and the first head director and interior designer for the Speech and Sign Success Center when it first opened.
“We teamed up with the sign language course, then we took a room and made it into a tutorial center,” Mallard said.
The speech and sign success center was successful and is still on campus to assist students with their speech and sign language courses.
Mallard has also worked as the assistant director and choreographer for ‘Puttin’ on the Hits,” one of the biggest fundraisers held at the Sophia B. Clarke theatre. Teachers, administrators and board members get together and perform a lip-sync show for the students. Mallard said that every year the fundraiser, held in March, raises about $20,000.
Although she is no longer a part of it as of last year, she said she is proud of the achievement. “I am very proud of this fundraiser, the faculty association scholarships, and it is held to help students,” Mallard said.
Gisela Alvarez, 22, communications major, has taken Mallard’s class three times. She said she loves the way she teaches. “This is my third class taking professor Julie and she is great. I always recommend her to any of my friends that are going to take speech,” Alvarez said. “She is fun, funny and never boring. I always learn so much in her classes.”
Mallard said she bonds with her students and likes it when they keep coming back to take more of her classes.
“When you see student come back to your class three or four times you know you have made an impact in their life,” she said.
Mallard said that being a speech teacher has helped her gain perspective and knowledge. This involvement has allowed her the opportunity to experience many things with her students.
“I meet students that have situations that just floor me. All I could tell myself is wow, I wasn’t the most privileged person, but I didn’t have obstacles like they had or have,” Mallard said.
She remembered a story about a student she once had and how she had an impact on her life.
“About seven years ago, I wrote on a student’s paper – ‘Wow! You did so well – I’m really proud of you!’ She started tearing up and when I asked why she was crying she told me, I was the first person to ever say they were proud of her,” Mallard said.
Mallard is fiercely loyal to Mt.SAC and hopes that students have the same experience and success as any other university student.
“I do this because I love it, but I love it because I am a 100 percent student advocate,” she said. “I want them to have the same opportunity as any university student and to have somebody that gives them that chance, someone that does not judge them or doesn’t think they cannot do it.”
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As one of Julie’s middle school teachers, I am very proud of her. There is no greater reward than having a student praise your teaching abilities. Way to go Julie! You were a wonderful student and now a wonderful teacher. I was honored to have you in my class. Keep up the good work! Students are worth it.
I have know Julie for a long time, as I am her Mother. I have had the privilege of attending her class room many times. I am so proud of her accompishments and how she passes what she has learned down to her students. Many students have expressed to me how motivated they are after taking her class. She is such a positive teacher in all that she shares with the classroom. They also love the fun things she brings into the classroom like flash mob. What a great teacher and I am so proud of her.
I have known Julie for a long time, as I am her Mother. I have had the privilege of attending her classroom many times. I am so proud of her accomplishments and how she passes what she has learned down to her students. Many students have expressed to me how motivated they are after taking her class. She is such a positive teacher in all that she shares with the class. She also makes it fun as they do Flash Mob which really gets them knowing one another. I am so proud of her as my daughter and as a teacher.