By Wendi Wheeler ’06
Bill Arden wants Augsburg鈥檚 nontraditional students to know he鈥檚 been on their side of the desk. The business and MIS professor finished both his master鈥檚 degree in physics and his MBA while working full time and going to school at night.
Arden found his way to teaching after working for more than 30 years in engineering, marketing, management, and consulting. The night after teaching his first class in a management program at the College of St. Scholastica, he said he was hooked on teaching. 鈥淚 left class that night thinking I hadn鈥檛 had so much fun in years!鈥�
For four years, Arden has taught in all of Augsburg鈥檚 programs鈥� in the day program, in Augsburg for Adults evening and weekend classes, and in the graduate program. His experience as a student, combined with his professional career, gives Arden a unique perspective as a faculty member in Augsburg鈥檚 adult programs.
Arden says he enjoys the Augsburg for Adults classes most. 鈥淭he students bring their life and work experience to the classroom.鈥� His favorite classes at Augsburg are those where students feel comfortable with a lot of back-and-forth discussion. 鈥淢y best classes are the ones where my students don鈥檛 take what I say as gospel and feel free to disagree with me. That way we all learn.鈥�
While this is more common in the adult and graduate program classes, he says it sometimes happens in day classes. 鈥淭hose times are particularly exciting because I get to see the world through the eyes of a younger, diverse generation with experiences very different from mine.鈥�
Arden enjoys teaching at Augsburg because the small college atmosphere gives him the chance to get to know his students better and allows him to interact with his colleagues.
鈥淎nd,鈥� he added, 鈥渋t’s only two miles from home.鈥�