Cabrini's ovvn Science Guy

George Hebard has been experimenting with success here at Cabrini for over l O years. His Biological Perspectives class has been a favorite among students, and he loves the class as much as the students. But the man behind the desk is more than just a science instructor. He has a whole unique personality to share with students.

by Megan Zustra and Julie Shallis copy editor and news editor

If you ever have to take a dreaded 8: 15 a.m. class, then take Biological Perspectives 103 with George Hebard. Not only will you learn about biology, but you will also learn a great deal about Hebard himself.

Hebard has been an adjunct faculty memrer at Cabrini for the past 11 years. Just last year he received a mug, which he proudly showed in class one morning, that was given to him for his 10-year Cabrini anniversary.

"I love it here," he said. "The students are academically stimulating and so eager to learn."

Although he only teaches the one course in the fall and its continuation, Biological Perspectives II, in the spring at the same early time slot, he makes sure he does his absolute best to make the students enjoy the class to the fullest.

While in class, the learning is not always from the text. He many times incorporates stories about his life and even shows students pictures of himself in the 1970s as he proudly displays his knowledge of the infamous Elmo, the high tech overhead projector located in the Widener Center Lecture Hall.

Each student enrolled in the course must give an oral presentation so Hebard, knowing how nerve-wracking a 10-15 minute oral presentation can be, does more than one speech of his own on topics of his own interest, such as backpacking, for the class to model its own talks around.

In his speeches, as well as in lectures, he tries to utilize the technology of the lecture hall to the fullest. Often times he will use Elmo or the VCR.

Of course, problems occasionally arise and this is when Hebard calls upon his students to further his technological knowledge.

The same goes when he uses his laptop, a gift his son gave to him because he needed an upgraded model, to do Power Point presentations. He even generously offers his laptop to any student who wishes to use power point during their presentation. Hebard is especially interested in using Power Point, although he is still mastering the program and all of its options. Any time a student corrects Hebard, "plus points" are awarded. Plus points are bonus points and can be added to any grade the student wishes and definitely keeps students interested in the already interesting class.

The most plus points are, by far, given out during lab. Lab is just as interesting as class, as students walk around campus and gain points when they are the first to see a specimen, or something just plain unusual._

Because he only teaches two days a week, Tuesday and Thursday, Hebard has plenty of time to indulge in his many other interests.

While some people do not enjoy school, Hebard is an avid fan of studying and learning new things. Born on Valentine's day in Connecticut, he began his schooling there in the public school system. But, when high school came along, he traded public school for the Salisbury School, a private boarding school. There he played ice hockey and graduated with the class of '66.

After high school he went on to the State University of New York's College of Forestry and Environmental Science at Syracuse University.

It was at Syracuse that he met his wife, Nancy, who was a year older than him, but was attending the same school.

After college he began to teach and also attended many schools. He and Nancy also had two sons, Jordy and Charles.

He has taught at many schools, both public and private, in New England as well as the Philadelphia area.

At the present time, Cabrini is not the only place of work for Hebard. He has another duty, which is the economical development of the inner city. He renovates homes for a corporation and hires inner city people to do the construction jobs. He would like to receive a degree at Eastern so he can continue this work more in-depth. He tries to take as many classes as his busy schedule allows.

Languages are his current interest on the educational front. He knows a bit of German, as well as some Spanish, which came in handy he a.m.

Not too long ago, he went on a backpacking adventure in Argentina while visiting his son.

He has passed this hobby down to his son, Jordy. When Jordy was in sixth grade, they went on their first backpacking trip together.

Hebard has been to almost all of the national parks in the country. His next big backpacking trip will re to Canada to the provincial parks.

Hebard has also traveled all around the world. He has been to Germany, England, France, Southeast Asia, Thailand, Indonesia and his favorite country, Mexico. He likes to speak the Spanish that he does know.

His next two most adored hobbies are windsurfing and auto mechanics. Although he is not an extreme windsurfer, he still enjoys the sport and describes himself as an "intermediate windsurfer."

As for auto mechanics, he is working on building a 1946 Chevy-woody, a rare car of which approximately only 800 were made from scratch. He has already completely re-done the engine and hopes to one day fully restore the entire vehicle.

Hebard is also a memrer of the Radnor Fire Company as an emergency medical technician and has reen an ambulance driver since 1985. He usually works the graveyard shift, since that is when he has most of his free time. So, like many Cabrini students, Hebard knows what it is like to pull "all nighters."

Although Hebard has many hobbies and pastimes outside of teaching in the Cabrini College community, he sees himself still at Cabrini in the future as an adjunct faculty memrer teaching Biological Perspectives 103 at 8:15 a.m.

by Joe Elliott