“I’m not even sure I can put into words the impact Professor Chepp has had on my time here,” social justice major, senior Bale Kader said.

Other Hamline students and faculty spoke with similar praise and admiration of sociology professor and Social Justice Program Director Valerie Chepp.

“The knowledge, experiences and relationships such opportunities can provide have proven of great importance to social justice students on a personal level, and of great value to the program as a whole,” said Assistant Professor of Religion Earl Schwartz.

The goal of educating is of utmost priority to Chepp.

“I’m absolutely focused on education. My class next semester on youth activism is a good example of how I bring together a lot of things; sociology, social justice, social change but it also integrates my work on young activists and poets,” Chepp said.

Chepp realizes the importance of making education her priority given the personality of Hamline students.

“Hamline students are exceptional. They just make coming to work a joy,” Chepp said. “They’re hard-working, they are honest, they care.”

The same is said about Chepp by the Hamline community.

“She’s genuinely passionate about what she teaches and is patient with her students, creating an atmosphere that is conducive to learning,” Bale said.

Another voice to chime in was professor and co-director of the Conflict Studies Program Colleen Bell.

“Among the gifts Professor Chepp brings to Hamline are her scholarship and the creative challenges she embeds in her teaching. She is a terrific colleague and all around asset to our community,” Bell said.

In addition to working well with current faculty, Chepp maintains professional and working relationships with her former students. She is currently working with recent alum Nico Van Ostrand on a book project.

“I’ve found her to be a thoughtful, kind and deeply knowledgeable mentor,” Van Ostrand said. “She has confidence that what I have to say is worth paying attention to, and it’s a very validating feeling to be taken seriously on a professional level by a former professor.”

For all the support and praise she receives, Chepp returns it all in her appreciation of the community around her.

“I’ve never been at a place like Hamline and the relationships I have with my students here are unlike anything I ever experienced,” Chepp said. “I love the opportunity to work with people in other interdisciplinary programs.”

Her students have taken notice of Chepp’s involvement in the community through the ones she creates in her classroom.

“Professor Chepp creates a welcoming environment by engaging the classroom with activities that are insightful and inclusive,” sociology and finance major, senior Nyjeé Palmer said. “She keeps her class content relevant and thought-provoking and she validates students when they speak.”

Chepp’s support of her students stems partly from her understanding that the academic world can be intimidating, even for someone as established as herself.

“When it comes to sharing work, there’s all this fear around it… you feel you’re going to be judged and that doesn’t go away,” Chepp said. “I think it’s important that students know it’s a very normal feeling and nonetheless we still put ourselves out there.”

Her students feel comfortable due to her demeanor.

“Professor Chepp creates a welcoming learning environment in her classroom by checking in with students constantly during class sessions in order to ensure everyone is following and feels supported,” political science major, senior Sam Burton said.

For all the confidence that Chepp has in Hamline students, she hopes they understand that confusion is all right.

“There are many paths you can take to get to your goal, there’s no one quote-on-quote correct path,” Chepp said, “it’s important to think about what you want your life to look like on the other side of Hamline and then realize that there’s lots of ways to get there.”

On top of this, Chepp stresses that the relationships and networks formed not only at Hamline but in life, are what can guide us through periods of uncertainty.

“Don’t do anything in isolation but it’s really through the relationships we have with others that we can think about what really will make us happy at the end of the day.”