Guiding Greatness

At Rollins, our professors are equal parts knowledgeable and fascinating, providing personalized attention to students both in and outside the classroom while becoming mentors, research partners, and lifelong guides.

Our expert professors are a lot of things. They’re distinguished researchers and esteemed scholars. They’re sci-fi superfans, Broadway composers, and medieval masters. They also recently earned Rollins the ranking of No. 1 in the South for its exceptional commitment to teaching undergraduates. But students are more likely to call them “mentors” and “collaborators” because of their uncommon knacks for bringing subjects to life, connecting learning to the real world, and inspiring them to chart their own changemaking course to a meaningful life and productive career. Through our small, discussion-based classes, one-on-one advising sessions, and impromptu conversations on everything from Fortnite’s latest marketing campaign to the ethics of self-driving cars, our inventive faculty and industrious students give new meaning to the words “engaged learning.”

Pulling the futuristic world closer to home The mind of chemistry professor Ellane Park is full of wonder. For example: Could science fiction ever be real science? So she challenges her students to explore the possibilities of nanoparticles and wearable technology, discovering firsthand that what is unrealistic today could make the world better tomorrow.

Introducing an all-star lineup Sometimes a surprise guest will appear in music professor Jamey Ray’s class. He does, after all, boast an impressive roster of connections, having worked with everyone from the London Symphony Orchestra to Broadway performers. His students produce, write, compose, and become versatile enough to make music a career. He knows because he’s done it all.

Experiencing good business and dirty jeans Josephine Balzac-Arroyo is known to dig in the dirt with her social entrepreneurship students. She partners with organizations like Fleet Farming, which converts neighborhood lawns into organic micro-farms, to show her students that what’s good for the community is good for business. They come away with the know-how to find unconventional solutions to complex issues.

Transforming the influenced into influencers With a PhD from the University of Cambridge, business professor Raghabendra KC could be consulting on marketing campaigns for Fortune 500 companies. Instead, he scrolls Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube to shape up-to-the-minute lessons on the motives behind the messages we consume daily. His goal? Prepare each student to be more discerning and more socially conscious.

Taking biology outside the books On the first day of class, biology professor Brendaliz Santiago-Narvaez shows students how biology applies to their major (business, psychology, any major). She then uses daily news stories to show how it applies to everything. Biology becomes a study of living organisms and of life itself.

Changing lives through art If Rachel Simmons’ classroom is a little messy, that’s perfect. It’s supposed to be a busy art studio. Amid the vintage letterpresses and crafty displays is the centerpiece: an oval table. Here, she inspires relationships and creativity to flourish beyond the art-laden walls. Making physics seriously fun First-year students often associate the word “physics” with “complicated.” Students in physics professor Chris Fuse’s classes say physics concepts are awesome. Fuse uses the same learning catalysts that sparked his own interest in science: action movies and TV shows. From there, students are awed to see physics at work everywhere they go.

Opening eyes to how to create real change Political science professor Dan Chong walks in shadows you cannot fathom, unless you’re a student in his Politics of Global Poverty course, for instance, or on a field study with him in Tanzania. He’s worked in refugee camps, medical clinics, landfills, wherever there’s need. His lessons are more of a walk than a talk because he considers the entire world a classroom.

“From day one at Rollins, my professors cared about my interests, about me as a person. They implored me to reach out and explore, to get outside my comfort zone, where they know I’d develop not just technical skills, but communication, problem-solving, and people skills.”

— Lauren Nelder ’20, PhD Candidate in Geophysics, UC Riverside

“Throughout my time at Rollins, which included traveling to five countries and participating in a range of fellowships and service learning projects, I had a community of support around me at every turn to foster a sense of adventure and curiosity. I learned about the person I was, the values I hold, and the impact I want to have on the world.”

— Lucas Hernandez ’13, Director of Corporate Partnerships, Microsoft Philanthropies

Learn more about Rollins’ unique approach to mentorship and meet more of your professors at

rollins.college/mentorship.