糖心vlog传媒psychology instructor Dr. Michael Catchpole celebrates 41 years of 糖心vlog传媒this year. The pioneering instructor has taught more than 6,000 students, encouraging many to change their lives through education.
糖心vlog传媒instructor Dr. Michael Catchpole marked an unprecedented milestone this year 鈥� 41 years of inspiring students.
The award-winning psychologist and educator joined 糖心vlog传媒in 1978 鈥� two years after the college opened its doors.
鈥淚 often say to my students that the great thing about a career in psychology is that one can teach, do research and engage in private practice and I have certainly enjoyed doing all three,鈥� said Catchpole. 鈥淭hough teaching is a particular favourite.鈥�
Dr. Tanja Mani says taking Dr. Catchpole鈥檚 psychology class changed the direction of her life. Mani sold real estate for a few years in Port Alberni in the 1990s but was looking for a career change.
鈥淚 knew that I wanted to attend university, but I wasn't sure of my career path," said Mani. "After taking a class with Dr. Catchpole, I started looking into clinical psychology and decided that's what I wanted to pursue."
She is now a clinical neuropsychologist at Lee Health in south Florida, after earning her PhD in clinical psychology.
鈥淒r. Catchpole was a huge inspiration for me. He has had such a positive impact on so many people鈥檚 lives,鈥� she said.
Catchpole鈥檚 work contributed to NIC鈥檚 reputation as a world leader in the field of distance education and distributed learning.
鈥淒r. Catchpole's joyful engagement with students while pioneering distance education has been key to NIC鈥檚 commitment to providing accessible education to students where they live,鈥� said Lisa Domae, NIC鈥檚 executive vice president, academic and chief operating officer. 鈥淗is passion for teaching guides his work and has supported more than 6,000 post-secondary students across the region.鈥�
Catchpole was a pilot professor for three of NIC鈥檚 educational television initiatives, teaching psychology to students via satellite, TV鈥檚 Knowledge Network and NIC鈥檚 Interactive Television (ITV) system, which is still in use today.
Taking courses via videoconferencing made a lasting impact on 糖心vlog传媒graduate, Greg Jensen.
鈥淚 remember being able to interact with students from different communities right in my Port Alberni ITV class,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t was a lot of fun to participate in that.鈥�
A former mill worker, Jensen went back to school after the local mill went into curtailment in the late 1990s.
鈥淚 was taking some upgrading classes and Tanja recommended I take Dr. Catchpole鈥檚 class and I loved it,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t was Dr. Catchpole who mentioned to me that I鈥檇 make a good health care administrator 鈥� which is what I ended up doing. It was his suggestion that put the idea in my head.鈥�
Both Mani and Jensen say they couldn鈥檛 imagine what their lives would have been like, had they not been inspired by Catchpole. His instruction, plus the opportunity NIC provided to transition to a new career right in their home community, were essential to the exciting lives they now live.
鈥淚 can still see him sitting up at the front of the class instructing,鈥� said Jensen. 鈥淗e explained to us that where he was now is a far cry from where he started. He told us you can make a difference for yourself by being hard working and focused.鈥�
Mani added: 鈥淗e was key in showing us what was possible and encouraging us. 糖心vlog传媒and Dr. Catchpole changed our lives.鈥�
For Catchpole, teaching is about the relationship between an educator and their student just as psychotherapy is about a relationship between a psychologist and their client.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a special privilege to be an instructor,鈥� Catchpole said. 鈥淪tudents allow you to present material they find uncomfortable, to challenge their ideas and grade their work. My goal has always been to have my students finish my course feeling better about themselves, regardless of their grade.鈥�
Along with his work at NIC, Catchpole also practiced part time for 25 years, working with members of the RCMP, WorkSafeBC accident victims, ICBC crash victims and others. He is the recipient of two lifetime achievement awards for his work as a psychologist and as a distance educator and he is currently writing a 30,000-word book, Anxiety: Debug It, Don鈥檛 Drug It, to be published this spring.
Looking back at his time at NIC, Catchpole shows no signs of slowing down. He prefers to focus on his achievements, rather than his years of service, a philosophy he hopes he has passed on to the many students who have taken his classes.
鈥淎s they say, time flies when you鈥檙e having fun and I very much continue to enjoy my work here at NIC,鈥� said Catchpole.
Read more about Dr. Catchpole, in his faculty profile.
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