One of the best college professors that I have ever had is Dr. Tom Ryan. He was my Latin American History professor at Broward Community College. He had played football in Alabama when he went to college, he fought in Vietnam, he searched in the sea for the lost city of Atlantis, and did all of the things that one could conjure up in the imagination. He was a very accomplished man and when he told a story it would captivate you. When it came to teaching us about Latin American History he would use stories of first hand experiences that he had, because he also lived in Guatemala as a child. He told us what to expect from him in class, and the workload was pretty heavy. I learned more than I thought possible with this brilliant man. I have taken Latin American History at different colleges, and never had a professor successfully taught the course in an active way. It is difficult to learn when the subject is not engaging, but Dr. Ryan engaged us all.
During my stay at Broward Community College, every semester my friends and I would get together to discuss which professors to take and which to avoid. Even if people were finished with their history requirements, I told them that before they left BCC they should take a class with Dr. Ryan, because in my opinion, he is one of the best professors the school has to offer.
-- Cristina Sierra, Florida Atlantic University