Chantel Rodrigues

Staff writer

Cvr5570@psu.edu 

In my sit-down interview with family-centered Behrend professor Todd Burchanowski, I had the opportunity to ask him questions in an ability for students on campus to become familiar with him better and his unique, fun ways. 

Q: What do you teach at Penn State Behrend and Fort LeBoeuf high school? 

A: “At Behrend, I teach Math 21 and 22 and also added Math 81 and 82. At Fort LeBoeuf, I teach Algebra and pre-calculus. It’s my 8th year teaching at Behrend and my 19th year teaching at Fort LeBoeuf”. 

Q: What is one of your unique or hidden talents?

A: “I have the uncanny ability to catch flies. I honestly don’t know where it came from. The teacher who teaches across the hall from me always complains when there’s a fly in her room, and like the kids are looking around, so I think I developed it where I’m always trying to catch it”. 

Q: What would students be surprised to find out about you?

A: “I am a very non-social person like I am quiet when I’m with my family or if I’m at home. Once outside of the classroom, I really kind of keep to myself. I feel like when I’m in a classroom, I’m on stage, and then by the time I get home, I’m just like I wanna watch tv, watch a sporting event, and kind of not have to worry about anything, you know”. 

Q: What song would you say you know all the lyrics to?

A: “Post Malone, I’m no good at goodbyes. Man, I love it!”

Q: What’s a school sport or activity you enjoy watching? 

A: “I love basketball. I coach basketball at the high school level, but I love watching, and people aren’t probably going to like this, but I love Syracuse basketball. It’s like what I live for in the wintertime”.

Q: What would it be if you could pass any wisdom to your current, past, or future students? 

A: “Find something you love to do, and when you do that, you’re never going to work a day in your life, you know, so find something you truly love. My dad was a machinist, and he used to come home kind of upset, you know, and my mom was a teacher with a smile on her face, and I said I want to do that! I want to find something that I love to do. And if they didn’t pay me, I’d still come in and teach because I love it that much. It’s one of the best professions out there”. 

Q: What current trends are leaving you confused, amazed, or weirded out? 

A: “I don’t understand Instagram and Twitter. I don’t understand any of that, and one kid in my classroom says they make a filter, they make a special filter just for you, and it was the bald filter. I do have Snapchat, but I have no idea what that entails. But the challenges like the crate challenge, I don’t know why anyone would attempt those things”. 

Q: If you could take another professor’s class on campus, who’s class and why? 

A: “There are some really influential professors on campus, but the one person is Jodie Styers in the math department. I just love how she cares for her students; she keeps in contact with her students. She wants them to be successful in the classroom, but more importantly, she wants them to be successful for life, so I would love to sit in her class, find out her methods, and pick her brain because in the end in it would only make me better as a professor. She’s kind of one of my hero’s”. 

Q: What’s a hobby outside of school that you do?

A: “OH! I’m a kayaker! I’m a major kayaker. I love to fish, but the main thing is kayaking. I get out on the lake, and it’s like my peace”. 

Q: One fun fact that you want Behrend students to know?

A: “Oh my goodness, there’s like so many weird facts, but I’m a Columbia Jacket fan. I have 41 Columbia jackets now! I try to keep up with that style”.