Collegiate Times

Joann Harvill, one of the English instructors at Virginia Tech, works with many athletes.

Joann Harvill is helping student athletes rewrite their academic narratives.

Balancing the hefty workload of athletics and academics is often a challenge for student athletes, and coping with the stereotype of the “dumb jock” can often cripple them in the classroom.

While many teachers may overlook student athletes based on this cliche, Harvill, an English professor, has set out to help them succeed in the classroom.

Harvill was named Professor of the Year in 2010 by the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, an award that validated her pursuit of enriching the academic experience for student athletes at Virginia Tech.

“I don’t know of anything I have that I am prouder of than,” she said of the award. “Over the years, I have come more and more to appreciate what (athletes) take on and how serious (they) are about it.”

Only students voted for the winner of the award, enhancing its meaning and importance in Harvill’s eyes. 

Harvill’s determination to help student athletes succeed in the classroom can partly be attributed to the athletes in her family who have had to overcome those negative stereotypes from a young age.

Harvill grew up in Beaumont, Texas where football was not only a defining characteristic of the local high schools, but also of the greater community.

While sports were a key focus in her family, there was also a heavy emphasis on academics. There were several professors in her family, who helped her eventually recognize her own passion for teaching.

However, when Harvill went on to obtain an undergraduate degree, she was not yet convinced on becoming a professor and struggled to find her academic calling.

“I couldn’t decide what I wanted to major in. There were four universities I went to as an undergraduate,” she said. “I learned a lot and had a lot of fun. I guess what is important to me is that learning should be fun, and that is what I hope my classes do.”

While Harvill might not have had a typical undergraduate experience, encountering various collegiate atmospheres and the students who embodied them gave her a heightened appreciation for the human experience.

“It was a great education to see how similar all people are. Even at that young age, you see the comparisons of your peers and the people who are teaching you. It is the humanistic experience,” Harvill said.

Harvill’s fascination with human nature led her to finish her undergraduate studies majoring in English. At that point, Harvill decided she wanted to go on to teach, like many members of her family. This led her to obtain a master’s degree at Tech.

“I had family from Virginia, so I came up here and kind of stumbled into the program, delightfully so, because I wanted to be here. It was a place that attracted me,” Harvill said.

Harvill began teaching at Tech in 1980, and her initial experiences helped affirm her decision.

“Once I started to teach, I felt I was at home. I recognized that was really what I wanted to do in my life because my own teachers had made such an impact on me. I wanted to be like them,” Harvill said.

Over the years, Harvill has been able to see the dynamics of teaching change, which has helped her develop core philosophies that help engage and motivate her students.

“In my day, professors were kind of put on a pedestal and whatever they said you wrote down. But the attitude has changed, which is a good thing. There is more of a sense (that students) can question,” Harvill said.

Harvill described this unique change as being centered on the complimentary relationship between student and professor — both assisting each other in the learning process.

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A version of this article appeared in the Nov 17 issue of the Collegiate Times.