Psychology professor personalizes class

Classes held in big lecture halls can make for an impersonal learning experience. Some students get into a habit of slinking in late, jotting down notes without comprehending what they are writing and then leaving at the first opportunity, knowing few people will notice. The professor, at times, can become simply a distant figure. Yet, for those enrolled in Phillip Summers' Introduction to Psychology class, it is soon evident that this will not be the case. By the end of the year, chances are Summers will know not only all of his students' names, but also their interests.\nProfessor Summers makes the noble attempt every year to memorize the names and faces of all of the 250 students in his class. Those enrolled in his P101 lecture fill out a card containing their personal information, and a picture that is taken in class is attached for Summers to study. \n"I work with the cards, and I end up remembering many of the names," he said. "Last fall, when I had some students quiz me, I only missed one name by one letter." \nHe also requested a room with several aisles so that he could move around, using what he feels is a more interactive approach. These are just a few of the unique teaching techniques that Summers incorporates into his class. \nIn an effort to give students a deeper understanding of perception in real-life circumstances, he offered extra credit to those who were willing to wear a mask in public and then record people's reactions in a paper. He also uses his class to emphasize student involvement in campus activities.\n"Most of the time, freshman are spectators," Summers said. "Through these projects, they can get involved with the campus." \nPast events his classes have volunteered for include the Little 500, IU Sing and Homecoming. \n"During the past Homecoming parade, he got a group of his students to march in the parade and they handed out Frisbees and key chains to everyone along the parade route," said Cindy Moore, academic advisor for the Department of Psychology.\nProfessor Summers' passion for all things IU stems from a long line of family involvement with the University. His wife, his brother and two of his three daughters graduated from IU. Summers himself attained his undergraduate and master's degrees from IU, but this was not without setbacks. Due to financial difficulties that his family endured, Summers had to drop out of school temporarily. With the help of hard work and student loans, he graduated in the summer of 1960 at the age of 20. He then went on to get his Ph.D. from Indiana State. Summers said from a young age he had been interested in the subject of psychology, particularly human behavior. \n"I took a high school class, and I read the text before the class started because I found it so fascinating," he said. \nMaintaining such an intense passion for his work enabled Summers to become a distinguished member of the community. In 1996 he was given the highest honor Indiana University bestows on its graduates, the Distinguished Alumni Award. \n"I am especially proud that I was the eighteenth president of Vincennes University for twenty-one years," Summers said. \nHe has taught psychology at Vincennes for over thirty years, and it is the town of Vincennes that he calls home. Summers continues to commute to Bloomington to teach his class here, which is a ninety-minute drive. Yet the commute is a small price to pay for Summers. \n"I saw this job as an opportunity to try different things. My classes at home only have about thirty students, so this is a good challenge." \nAll of this is done by a man who is, as he says, "retired." \n"This is just what I do for fun -- it's certainly not for the money," he said. \nThough his retirement plan may not seem typical to most, he feels that when retirement comes along, the retiree is supposed to do what he wants to do. When he is not teaching, Summers enjoys volunteering, playing the piano and spending time with his family, including his four grandsons. \n"I also love my 1960 red Corvette convertible that I have had since 1982," he said. \nHe plans to travel this summer, and continue to work on a Red Skelton building project for Vincennes. \nReflecting back on his career and where is has taken him over the years, Summers has many memories that he holds dear. In the early 1980s, he and his wife made a trip to Swaziland to witness the coronation of its king. Nine of the king's ten children, eight princes and one princess, attended Vincennes University, so he was invited as a guest of the queen mother. The ceremony, which took place in the plains of Africa, had dancers in loin cloths and a three-hundred person choir. \n"There were so many dignitaries in attendance, and it was so unique," Summers said. \nSummers and his wife also got the opportunity to attend the Super Bowl in Atlanta in 1998. His youngest daughter is married to Dan Stryzinski, a former IU and NFL football player who was playing for the Falcons at the time. Though his son-in-law's team lost to the Broncos, Summers said it was great experience, especially since he had a family member playing in the game.\nYet no matter the topic, Summers always seems to bring it back to his psychology students at IU.\n"I have really loved seeing students get excited and look forward to my class," he said. \nThe professor has had many students come in and out of his life throughout the years, and the special connections he has worked for have made a huge impression on many of his colleagues. Joseph Steinmetz, professor and chair of the psychology department, has recognized Summers' passion, and has seen it in his work ethic and relationships. \n"He truly cares about students and thoroughly enjoys teaching students, especially freshmen, about the science of psychology," Steinmetz said. "He is an amazing teacher." \n-- Contact Staff Writer Kimberly Laughlin at kmlaughl@indiana.edu.