dog’s best friend???

Valencia student Roxy Jean Smith turns to blogging to pay tribute to Valencia’s finest!

Reprinted from Roxy Jean Smith’s professional blog (http://bit.ly/6cJnpJ):

Professor Patricia Boyle has been teaching 20th Century Humanities at Valencia for 12 years and enjoys every minute of it. “I genuinely like the subject matter,” said Boyle, “if I wasn’t teaching it, I would be reading about it and studying it.”

Boyle received her degree from Montclair State College in New Jersey and has taught at other institutions like the University of Central Florida, Seminole Community College and on United States Navy ships during the Gulf War in the early nineties.

Humanities isn’t just about art and history, it is about people. “I have a natural curiosity about what makes people tick and why things happen,” said Boyle.

President Dwight D. Eisenhower believed that you can “promote peace through understanding.” Humanities is sought to do the same thing, by understanding people and the history of a different culture we can learn to respect and appreciate the people and land.

Boyle’s real love is in helping animals and being kind to the Earth, which is the main focus of the Humane Education class she teaches.

Humane Education has only been offered at Valencia for the last three years and has just recently become an official class that is now recognized statewide.

“This class isn’t just about helping animals,” said Boyle, “it is about how humans relate to each other.”

The class frequently has guest speakers and goes on different field trips throughout the semester. Some of the field trips include going to the Orlando Science Center, The Holocaust Center, the pound, animal shelters and the humane society.

Boyle has given humane education presentations at elementary and high schools. The presentations focus on how to treat animals properly and the importance of preserving the environment.

In 2003, Professor Boyle and a few of her friends got together to form their own organization to help and rescue animals. Buddies for Life, Inc. is about humane education and the importance of pet adoption.

Buddies for Life’s motto is, “A vision of a loving, permanent home for every pet.” They have rescued and successfully adopted 1,012 animals.

The organization mostly rescues dogs, but they occasionally get a few cats. When they receive an animal they get them updated on their shots and have groomed before they are put up for adoption.

“I love animals and I want to do what I can to help,” said Boyle.

Professor Boyle strives to make a difference in the life of her students and animals through teaching humanities and humane education classes. The most valuable asset Valencia Community College has to offer to the students is its professors; without them Valencia would have no purpose.

Thank you, Roxy for calling attention to the Valencia professors who strive to change the lives of their students (and animals) everyday!!!