Noyce Scholar Profile
John Richter
Undergraduate major or graduate field of study: Economics
Subject area(s) and grade level teaching focus: Mathematics, grades 6-8
Category of scholarship/fellowship:
Noyce Scholar
Name of Noyce institution:
University of North Carolina Wilmington
Current academic or teaching status:
Recently certified
School and school district:
Roger Bacon Charter Day School
Background:
I have thirty plus years of experience in the pharmaceutical business with a major corporation. I specialized in sales/management/managed care and marketing. I had additional experience in pharmaceutical-related continuing education development and implementation. Outside of work, I was involved in leadership activities in a variety of community affairs organizations. I’m the principal owner of a small consulting LLC and the secretary of the US chapter of CEASa-Int (Civil Emergency Alert Services Association International).
Why do you want to teach:
It is time for me to give back. To be able to make even a small difference in some youngster’s life would be wonderful.
Describe a memorable teaching experience:
Royce J Watts, taught ECON 125 (Statistics) at West Virginia University when I was an undergraduate. He taught it as a discipline with specific homework, a specific format for submitting your work and a strict grading scale. I don’t believe that Mr. Watts knew that there was such a thing as a grading curve. Sadly, I was an undisciplined young man and received an F – twice. The third time taking the course I had moved my seat next to his desk, did all the assigned homework in proper form and on time. Actually, for my own benefit, I did every problem in the text. Going into his final, I had about a B+ or A-, AND Mr. Watts knew me by name. As I turned in that final exam, I said to him “Mr. Watts you might have to give me an A for this one.” He replied “Only, if you earned it Mr. Richter.” R.J. Watts not only taught me statistics (which I routinely used in my pharmaceutical career – daily), BUT he also taught me the value of discipline. I might forget when to use chi square analysis, but I will never forget the discipline lesson.
What does the Noyce program mean to you:
The ability to complete my certification process.
