Big Sandy Community & Technical College Professor Jeremy Dempsey’s Essay is Published

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Big Sandy Community & Technical College (BSCTC) Associate
Professor Jeremy Dempsey was recently published in The Association for
Educational Communications and Technology (AECT)/Brill Publishing’s
Leadership and Best Practices in Educational Technology Management Series.
Dempsey’s essay, “The greatest lecture I was never taught: Leadership lessons and
mentoring moments from the lives of everyday educator,” is part of a compilation of
educators’ vignettes from all sectors of the educational world.
In this series, educators were called to submit experiences that shaped their core
values as mentors and leaders. AECT called for educators to share their greatest
lessons learned from observation, rather than formal classroom education.
In his essay, Professor Dempsey writes, “I encountered a professor who was a bit of a
mystery to those who did not know him well and most were told to avoid such a difficult
professor altogether… He was difficult and cranky, and I wanted nothing more than to
demonstrate to him that I was worthy of his time and attention. However, while I was
busy formulating an impression, Dr. Burgher was looking for students who were focused
on doing quality work and not simply building a particular perception.” Dempsey aptly
moves forward in the lessons he learned through his mentor: hard work pays off,
respect is earned, and “the work must be completed.”
Jeremy L.W. Dempsey, MA, is an Associate Professor of Communications at the
Pikeville Campus of BSCTC. He enjoys teaching and engaging his students both in the

classroom and online. In his spare time, he loves playing the guitar and mandolin as
well as singing at various events both on campus and throughout the community.
Jeremy and his wife Charlene have two children who continue to bring laughter and love
to their lives every day.