... and the #1 life lesson is:
Love
Last Lecture taps professors’ secrets of success “If you knew this were your last lecture ever, what would you say?” arriving at the same conclusion: Love is the most important ingredient in a happy, fulfilling life. Although both are obviously successful in academia, neither set out to become a college professor. Alvarez, in fact, flat out did not want to teach (despite, or because of, coming from a family of teachers), although she set on a career as a therapist early on. – Leslie Alvarez Because her father was a psychiatric nurse, she “overheard a lot of really fasThis year, Last Lecture honors went cinating stories.” Like many in the field, to two fairly young faculty members: Dr. Leslie Cramblet Alvarez, assoc. prof she said, she became fascinated with abnormal psychology and wanted to figof psychology; and Dr. Tracy Doyle, ure out how to help people. professor and chair of the Music De“I was such a nerd, in high school I partment. Their lists of Life Lessons went to summer psychology camp,” complement each which cemented her love of the disciother, with both pline. But once she began her first teaching job, she an adventurous spirit continues to guide Dr. Leslie said: “I loved it – dammit!” Cramblet Alvarez on her life Doyle, too, was strongly journey. At left she leaps over influenced by her father, who fire at a Warrior Dash; below, she said was a “wild one” in she began combining her his younger years. “He raced loves early on. cars, flew to NYC for a cup That is the challenge posed to ASU Presidential Teacher Award recipients who are invited to give a “Last Lecture” during Autumn@Adams. The concept came to public attention in 2007, when a Carnegie-Mellon computer science professor was asked to do just that – then received a terminal cancer diagnosis.
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of coffee, and got into bar fights, but then he settled down.” He sold his sports car and moved the family to a rural town in Massachusetts where he became a “gentleman farmer.”
finding one’s path
Doyle approached her Last Lecture by imagining a soundtrack for her life. She punctuated her lessons with musical interludes of fitting Beatles’ songs on which she played the flute, accompanied by her husband, James Doyle, on percussion, Dr. Matthew Schildt on keyboard, and Marcos LeBlanc ’13 on bass. With the Long and Winding Road as an introduction, Doyle explained, “I have rarely taken a direct route from point A to B, but looking back in the rear view mirror, I know I took the route I was meant to take.” Painfully shy, she began playing flute in sixth grade. Her subsequent transformation was a story her band teacher loved to tell. “I found a path and learned to fly. If you are determined and work hard, you can do anything.” Doyle told how making value-based decisions helped her navigate college and her early career. She began a Dr. Leslie Cramblet Alvarez’s doctorate in flute performance at Louisiana State 1. Learn to express yourself. University in 2. Spend time waiting tables. Baton Rouge, 3. Live in a big city. where she met her “life partner and 4. Give credit where it is due. best friend,” James 5. Make good friends and keep them. Doyle, asst. pro6. Keep learning and combine your loves. fessor of music. 7. Take chances – get out of your comfort zone. She credits shared Plus one to grow on ... Fall in Love. core values with
As much as you love your work, it won’t love you back.”
seven life lessons
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aStater fall 2013