Thank You.

Audrey Perkins doesn’t waste time. She strides to the front of her class, and without words commands the attention of the entire room.

She begins each session in her Dojo with a satirical “Hello Class,” prompting a satirical, “Hello Mrs. Perkins” back, like a snarky poke in the ribs of tradition. She moves tradition out of the way enough to stand alongside her starchy co-confederate at the podium in the front of the class.

Audrey Perkins has been teaching at Linn-Benton Community College for the last 18 years. This spring will be her last term as an instructor.

The time Perkins spends instructing students is both direct and centered. Perkins emphasizes clarity and detail in every lesson. During her years as an instructor, she has remained focused on what students need to succeed in college.

“It is a gift to partner up with people who stand by their word and work hard to follow through” said, Sandy Fichtner,

Fichtner has been working closely with Perkins for the last 16 years as a fellow Developmental studies department member here at LBCC.

In 1996 Perkins began her career at LBCC as a contracted teacher. Because of an educational gap taking place among students in her Writing 115 and 121 classes, she approached the department head, Beth Camp, about teaching some of the more introductory writing courses so she could “get a feel” for what her students were learning before they arrived at the 100 level.

Thinking of herself more as a sensei at a dojo and less of a teacher at a school, Perkins has developed a style of instruction that draws from her ability to see what is relevant and cuts away with anything not useful. Much like Bruce Lee, her style can be viewed as unconventional, but each movement she teaches is maximized for efficiency.

In 1998 Writing 95 became a course at LBCC as Perkins became a faculty member. With the development of her course, she bridged the abilities of incoming students to the 100 level so they could have a fighting chance at an education.

Perkins set out to do exactly what she intended to do… teach.

“She has transformed many students over these years into confident, thoughtful, critical thinkers and empowered writers,” said Fichtner. There is a toughness that resides in some people. This toughness seeps from bow to stern in them. You can’t ask them about this toughness because they haven’t a clue what you see. A regular person doing regular things is all they are to themselves, not settling short of completing their goals.

Perkins has this toughness. There is no point in asking her about it.

Moving to the East Coast at a young age from the sunny paradise of San Francisco might help explain how to the point Ms. Perkins can be at times. Perkins, at a most impressionable time in her life, was thrown in the bustling fast paced life around Washington D.C. Understanding the difference in culture between the sunny west, free spirited atmosphere and her new surroundings was at a minimum staunch.

Every so often people are thrown for a loop by the cold truths spoken by this assertive instructor, but in real life would you rather wonder about something, or know about something? Having the courage to be honest about not knowing something defines realities for people.

Small lessons like admitting you don’t understand something often will get glossed over on campus, but not in Perkins' class. Moments like those are when Perkins' uncanny ability for clarity takes over like reflexive breathing while sleeping. Times like that are when she pushes each of her students to become a wiser version of themselves. This turning point happens in her dojo often.

“It is about empowerment,” said Perkins.

She makes a point out of teaching her students to take control of something inside themselves. At first a small something like the ability to write clearly. Then she helps grow their talents into the greater ability of taking life head on.

“I can't think of anyone who more deeply understood the impact of cultural and critical literacy in students’ lives and careers,” said Anita Helle, Professor of English/Director, School of Writing, Literature, and Film.

People that are desperate to change their lives take the first steps by coming to this campus; Perkins offers the challenges needed to succeed.

Her ideas will continue sparking fires as her students, co-workers, and peers echo her intensity in their own lives.

At a Glance

Hobbies- local musician http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/gladstone98, Writer.