By Sara Humphries
As a professor of history, Dr. Kenneth Wheeler hopes to intrigue students in their past to give them the tools to continue exploring history, even after graduation.
Dr. Kenneth Wheeler
Wheeler first came to Reinhardt in 1999. As a professor of history at Reinhardt’s campus, he feels he can teach in a way that extends outside of his specialty area.
“One thing about working at a small school is that it forces a professor to go beyond his or her normal specialty area and develop courses in a variety of fields,” said Wheeler. “That means it is my job to read broadly in American history, which exposes me to many great authors, books and ideas.”
Wheeler does more than teach his students history lessons. His goal for his students may include a desire for more efficient writing skills or how to be better speakers, but above all these goals, Wheeler strives to inform his students to be good citizens.
“I want students to be better citizens, think about the human experience, contemplate how the world works, and be effective in it. The study of history enriches our lives, I believe, in part by helping us understand and empathize with people in other times and places as well as our own. I hope students become interested in the historical past so they can investigate questions they have far beyond their years at Reinhardt.”
Wheeler has had many mentors and professors that helped him to get where he is today. His teaching skills and habits have been influenced by his father, professors and colleagues, including Professor Curtis Chapman and Dr. Curt Lindquist.
“Like almost everyone, I have had a great variety of teachers, and I have learned something from many of them. My father was a teacher, and I recognize habits of mine that were his, but I also had professors in college and graduate school who influenced my teaching.”
Reinhardt has given Wheeler the chance to help students strive to be their best, and the teaching style approaches he has learned have molded him into the culture of Reinhardt. He believes that the University has been a great place to teach because of the wonderful students he’s come to teach and know.
“Reinhardt has been a great place to work and teach, not least because there are so many wonderful colleagues and students over the years. I count myself very fortunate to have landed in Waleska, and I look forward to the years ahead.”
