From Ilciuco@aol.com Thu Nov 14 17:24 EST 1996
Subject: Your article in August Notices of the AMS
A friend of mine, Prof. Tony Gaglione, USNA Math Department suggested I read your August article, ``Teaching at the University Level". I have read the item and am writing to compliment you on your effort. While I am not in academia nor am I a mathematician I have an appreciation for the work you do and an interest in the topic. Your "Academic Orientation" for freshmen is excellent. Well thought out and very appropriate in my estimation. In fact this approach would be very helpful to students when they enter the job market and are expected to produce results for an employer.
This is the vantage point that I am viewing your stuff from. That is, I am a sales manager for a high technology firm and I deal with mechanical engineers primarily and consequently have engineers and sales people working for me. My experience has shown that the philosophy underlying your "Academic Orientation" is sadly lacking in the vast majority of employees. Enough said.
I suggest you keep doing what you are doing with students. You are on the right track and are in fact helping solve what is a very widespread and debilitating set of problems be they in academia or elsewhere. You are preparing people to be productive and self reliant in society. Good luck.
Tom Morganelli