{"id":1932,"date":"2013-02-23T05:01:00","date_gmt":"2013-02-23T05:01:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/scqa.hult.edu\/en\/news\/hult-labs\/2013\/february\/the-legacy-of-inspirational-teachers\/"},"modified":"2026-05-06T15:46:30","modified_gmt":"2026-05-06T14:46:30","slug":"the-legacy-of-inspirational-teachers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/the-legacy-of-inspirational-teachers\/","title":{"rendered":"The Legacy of Inspirational Teachers"},"content":{"rendered":"

I can count on both hands the number of teachers I\u2019ve had \u2013 from the primary to the graduate level \u2013 who I\u2019ve found inspiring in some way.<\/p>\n

I can count on only one hand the number of teachers from whom I have received guidance or insight so profound that it made an indelible imprint on my brain. A neuroscientist probably has a more precise description of that process, but that\u2019s the best way I can describe it.<\/p>\n

As for why a handful of teachers made such a big impact, I can only offer a three-pronged explanation: they had a passion for their field of study, genuine care for the growth of their students, and gave straight, thoughtful feedback. Sometimes the latter was tough to take, for those of us who\u2019ve been there, but it was also laced with enough encouragement to neutralize any feeling of defeatism. Sometimes the feedback was like a time bomb: an abstract learning finally collides with real life, detonating an insight that truly sticks. \u201cOh, that\u2019s what he meant!\u201d<\/p>\n

When I have been fortunate to have teachers who had confidence in my (or my team\u2019s) ability to tackle a challenge and come out ahead, I responded by pushing myself harder. I believe I did so because these teachers threw traditional transactional teaching out the window and raised the stakes. They wanted to encourage big questions and more expansive thinking. So I pushed myself, and saw others do the same.<\/p>\n

This isn\u2019t to say that pushing more than usual yields positive results every time. Have you ever pushed yourself at the gym after a hiatus? It hurts. It\u2019s uncomfortable. Sometimes there\u2019s bruising \u2013 of the body and the ego. But if you keep going, you build endurance. And an inspiring teacher is like a personal trainer who knows how to lead you to your limit, but not let you give up or pass out.<\/p>\n

Something else interesting happens when a teacher is your advocate: you feel the freedom to take risks. So you try a different approach, or adopt a new mindset. You may even feel your creative fire take you around unknown corners. And then on the other side of it, despite mistakes and failures (maybe because of them), you feel a little bit wiser. And you gain a little bit more confidence. The stretching and the bruising don\u2019t feel so acute \u2013 you’ve learned that you are made of tougher stuff.<\/p>\n

Rob Richter, an Investment Advisor in Panama decided to switch industries in business school. \u201cI was a US-based graphic designer and marketer prior to business school<\/a>. I took FORAD [Multinational Corporate Finance] with Professor Michael Moffett, and\u00a0I felt like a financial idiot all the way up through graduation.\u00a0But it was afterwards, once I was in the real world that I\u00a0realized, ‘hey, I can do this \u2013 and better than most!’\u00a0I was the CFO of my company in Panama before becoming an independent investment advisor this year after having sold it. The entire process of Professor Moffett’s class, and his faith in us, were apparent only AFTER I graduated.\u201d<\/p>\n

Julia Collins is a Senior Consultant at Deloitte based in Cleveland, Ohio. She\u2019s also a former Strategy student of Hult Labs\u2019 Managing Director, John Beck, who recently wrote<\/a> about cultivating faith in his students over the years. Five years after graduating from business school, she still applies what she learned in his class.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere is a reason excellent professors inspire; they have passion. A passionate professor\u2019s belief that a student is worthy is the equivalent of hours of reading, vigorous discussions, and challenging assignments. Professor Beck told us at the beginning of his class that he was going to push us to the \u2018precipice of the learning cliff\u2019. I still think of that example as I consult to my clients. I try to bring them to the edge of that cliff and push them to their precipice. The result is almost always excellence.\u201d<\/p>\n

Seth Isenberg, a Trade Analyst with the U.S. Department of Commerce in Washington D.C., was also in Beck\u2019s class. \u201cIt continues to impact my thinking to this day. He deliberately pushed us both with our workload and the brevity and intensity of our presentations. He shared with us his theory that pressure produces better and better work, until one falls off a cliff \u2013 and he aimed to bring us to the precipice without tumbling over. That faith in our performance, along with his positive attitude towards us taught me a lesson about what I am capable of achieving, and fulfilling my true potential.\u201d<\/p>\n

If you are currently a student, know this: When you come across a teacher who makes the time and effort to help you build your skills, and provide critical feedback, digest it \u2013 and then ask for more. School provides a safety net that you won\u2019t find in the real world (mistakes generally don\u2019t get you fired from business school) and finding a good advocate\/mentor is not always easy. Get accustomed to soliciting and accepting feedback. When you\u2019re on the job, resisting feedback gives the impression that you are inflexible, and without it you can\u2019t learn and grow.<\/p>\n

If you are a teacher, know this: it\u2019s OK to raise the stakes in your class if you are genuinely doing it in your students’ best interests. Business school<\/a> students like a formidable challenge, which is why there\u2019s a good chance they will raise their game, curiosity level, and creative drive. They won\u2019t always know what they\u2019re capable of unless you push them a little, and if you do, there\u2019s a good chance they\u2019ll be thankful long after the \u201cbruising\u201d is gone. And they\u2019ll remember what you taught them for a very long time.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\n

If you would like to find out more about Hult\u2019s global business programs,\u00a0download a brochure here.<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

\n

 <\/p>\n

Photo courtesy of Nguyen Vu Hung<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

Hult offers a range of highly skills-focused and employability-driven business school programs<\/a> including a range of MBA options and a comprehensive one year Masters in International Business<\/a>. To find out more, take a look at our blog Student perspective: Meet Paul Ahn\u2014my most inspirational professor<\/a>. Download a brochure or get in touch today to find out how Hult can help you to learn about the business world, the future, and yourself.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I can count on both hands the number of teachers I\u2019ve had \u2013 from the primary to the graduate level \u2013 who I\u2019ve found inspiring in some way. I can…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":2036,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[25],"tags":[181,444],"yoast_head":"\nThe Legacy of Inspirational Teachers | Hult International Business School<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"I can count on both hands the number of teachers I\u2019ve had \u2013 from the primary to the graduate level \u2013 who I\u2019ve found inspiring in some way.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"The Legacy of Inspirational Teachers | Hult International Business School\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"I can count on both hands the number of teachers I\u2019ve had \u2013 from the primary to the graduate level \u2013 who I\u2019ve found inspiring in some way.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/the-legacy-of-inspirational-teachers\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Hult International Business School\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/Hult\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2013-02-23T05:01:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-05-06T14:46:30+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/media\/uploads\/2013\/02\/classroom1.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"538\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"287\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@Hult_Business\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@Hult_Business\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Hult International Business School\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/\",\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/Hult\",\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/hultbusinessschool\/\",\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/school\/hult\/\",\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/hult\",\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Hult_Business\"],\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/#logo\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/media\/uploads\/2022\/08\/hult-social-profile.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/media\/uploads\/2022\/08\/hult-social-profile.png\",\"width\":400,\"height\":400,\"caption\":\"Hult International Business School\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/#logo\"}},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/\",\"name\":\"Hult International Business School\",\"description\":\"The latest insights and stories from Hult International Business School\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":\"required name=search_term_string\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/the-legacy-of-inspirational-teachers\/#primaryimage\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/media\/uploads\/2013\/02\/classroom1.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/media\/uploads\/2013\/02\/classroom1.jpg\",\"width\":538,\"height\":287,\"caption\":\"one-year MBA Curriculum\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/the-legacy-of-inspirational-teachers\/#webpage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/the-legacy-of-inspirational-teachers\/\",\"name\":\"The Legacy of Inspirational Teachers | Hult International Business School\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/the-legacy-of-inspirational-teachers\/#primaryimage\"},\"datePublished\":\"2013-02-23T05:01:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-05-06T14:46:30+00:00\",\"description\":\"I can count on both hands the number of teachers I\u2019ve had \u2013 from the primary to the graduate level \u2013 who I\u2019ve found inspiring in some way.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/the-legacy-of-inspirational-teachers\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/the-legacy-of-inspirational-teachers\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/the-legacy-of-inspirational-teachers\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"The Legacy of Inspirational Teachers\"}]},{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/the-legacy-of-inspirational-teachers\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/the-legacy-of-inspirational-teachers\/#webpage\"},\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/dbe8d3fbe34eef3c731cd9bd7018d078\"},\"headline\":\"The Legacy of Inspirational Teachers\",\"datePublished\":\"2013-02-23T05:01:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-05-06T14:46:30+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/the-legacy-of-inspirational-teachers\/#webpage\"},\"wordCount\":1082,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/the-legacy-of-inspirational-teachers\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/media\/uploads\/2013\/02\/classroom1.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"faculty\",\"student experience\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Careers\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/the-legacy-of-inspirational-teachers\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/dbe8d3fbe34eef3c731cd9bd7018d078\",\"name\":\"Hult News\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/#personlogo\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/media\/uploads\/2018\/04\/logo-100x100.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/media\/uploads\/2018\/04\/logo-100x100.png\",\"caption\":\"Hult News\"}}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"The Legacy of Inspirational Teachers | Hult International Business School","description":"I can count on both hands the number of teachers I\u2019ve had \u2013 from the primary to the graduate level \u2013 who I\u2019ve found inspiring in some way.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"The Legacy of Inspirational Teachers | Hult International Business School","og_description":"I can count on both hands the number of teachers I\u2019ve had \u2013 from the primary to the graduate level \u2013 who I\u2019ve found inspiring in some way.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/the-legacy-of-inspirational-teachers\/","og_site_name":"Hult International Business School","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/Hult","article_published_time":"2013-02-23T05:01:00+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-05-06T14:46:30+00:00","og_image":[{"width":538,"height":287,"url":"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/media\/uploads\/2013\/02\/classroom1.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@Hult_Business","twitter_site":"@Hult_Business","schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/#organization","name":"Hult International Business School","url":"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/","sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/Hult","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/hultbusinessschool\/","https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/school\/hult\/","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/hult","https:\/\/twitter.com\/Hult_Business"],"logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/#logo","inLanguage":"en-US","url":"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/media\/uploads\/2022\/08\/hult-social-profile.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/media\/uploads\/2022\/08\/hult-social-profile.png","width":400,"height":400,"caption":"Hult International Business School"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/#logo"}},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/","name":"Hult International Business School","description":"The latest insights and stories from Hult International Business School","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":"required name=search_term_string"}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/the-legacy-of-inspirational-teachers\/#primaryimage","inLanguage":"en-US","url":"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/media\/uploads\/2013\/02\/classroom1.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/media\/uploads\/2013\/02\/classroom1.jpg","width":538,"height":287,"caption":"one-year MBA Curriculum"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/the-legacy-of-inspirational-teachers\/#webpage","url":"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/the-legacy-of-inspirational-teachers\/","name":"The Legacy of Inspirational Teachers | Hult International Business School","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/the-legacy-of-inspirational-teachers\/#primaryimage"},"datePublished":"2013-02-23T05:01:00+00:00","dateModified":"2026-05-06T14:46:30+00:00","description":"I can count on both hands the number of teachers I\u2019ve had \u2013 from the primary to the graduate level \u2013 who I\u2019ve found inspiring in some way.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/the-legacy-of-inspirational-teachers\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/the-legacy-of-inspirational-teachers\/"]}]},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/the-legacy-of-inspirational-teachers\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"The Legacy of Inspirational Teachers"}]},{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/the-legacy-of-inspirational-teachers\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/the-legacy-of-inspirational-teachers\/#webpage"},"author":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/dbe8d3fbe34eef3c731cd9bd7018d078"},"headline":"The Legacy of Inspirational Teachers","datePublished":"2013-02-23T05:01:00+00:00","dateModified":"2026-05-06T14:46:30+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/the-legacy-of-inspirational-teachers\/#webpage"},"wordCount":1082,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/the-legacy-of-inspirational-teachers\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/media\/uploads\/2013\/02\/classroom1.jpg","keywords":["faculty","student experience"],"articleSection":["Careers"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/the-legacy-of-inspirational-teachers\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/dbe8d3fbe34eef3c731cd9bd7018d078","name":"Hult News","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/#personlogo","inLanguage":"en-US","url":"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/media\/uploads\/2018\/04\/logo-100x100.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/media\/uploads\/2018\/04\/logo-100x100.png","caption":"Hult News"}}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1932"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1932"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1932\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":24352,"href":"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1932\/revisions\/24352"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2036"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1932"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1932"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1932"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}