Centre News
Professors voted most “dramatic” and “best storyteller”
August 5, 2010 By Abby Malik
Kentucky Monthly says that Dr. Jeff Fieberg “explodes in theclassroom, demonstrating chemical reactions in order to engage
his students in an experiential classroom setting.”
Dr. Amos Tubb received honors for his exceptional storytellingabilities. “His gesturing, his voice, and his excitement all combine
to tell tall tales . . . except his are explanations of real history.”
In the August 2010 issue of the magazine Kentucky Monthly, two Centre College professors are included in a “Professor Superlatives” feature, with Dr. Jeff Fieberg, associate professor of chemistry, voted the co-most dramatic, and Dr. Amos Tubb, assistant professor of history, voted the co-best storyteller.
Below are excerpts from the magazine.
Fieberg doesn’t just talk when it comes to teaching: He walks, sometimes right into the fire, so to speak. He literally explodes in the classroom, demonstrating chemical reactions in order to engage his students in an experiential classroom setting that takes them beyond the textbook and into the real world of science.
And he does it all in his famous tie-dyed lab coat.
Fieberg also takes his students into the Danville community, demonstrating to local elementary school students the art behind the science of chemistry during National Chemistry Week.
Whether Tubb is explaining the British Civil War to his students or relaying the events of Centre’s legendary 1921 football win against Harvard, he’s not just reciting facts. Tubb considers himself a storyteller, and that’s exactly what he does: he brings his students into whatever historical event he’s discussing, and he makes them an active and real part of it. His gesturing, his voice, and his excitement all combine to tell tall tales . . . except his are explanations of real history, a vital subject for his students to grasp.
His storytelling talent was recognized when students asked him to be a part of Centre’s annual “Life Stories” convocation. Tubb took the stage and shared his life story with the campus community, just as he shares the importance of history with his students in the classroom every day.
Have comments, suggestions, or story ideas? E-mail leigh.ivey@centre.edu with your feedback.
Founded in 1819, Centre College is ranked among the U.S. News top 50 national liberal arts colleges. Forbes magazine ranks Centre 14th among all the nation's colleges and universities and No. 1 among all institutions of higher education in the South. Consumers Digest ranks Centre No. 1 in educational value among all U.S. liberal arts colleges. Centre alumni, known for their nation-leading loyalty in annual financial support, include two U.S. vice presidents and two Supreme Court justices. For more, click here.