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Through teaching, Professor Dustin Hanvey exudes his passion for literature and theater in his English Composition and Literature classes.In 1995, Hanvey began his undergraduate career at UCLA. He further continued his pursuit of higher education in 2003, attending graduate school at UC Riverside.

Before becoming a professor at PCC, Hanvey taught for ten years as professor at UC Riverside and at various community colleges.

Along with the English Composition and Literature classes that Hanvey teaches, he also leads the Theatre in Ashland program.

In August, Hanvey will be traveling to Ashland, Oregon with a number of PCC students, where they will get the chance to experience a variety of plays, many of them Shakespearian.

Hanvey would like to encourage any students interested in experiencing the Ashland program this summer to speak with him immediately because some spots are still open, as well as the opportunity to win a $250 scholarship for the trip.

Hanvey, who wrote his undergraduate dissertation on Victorian literature, said that literature classes and classes focusing on the novel were his favorites in college.

“Charles Dickens was my favorite writer as a child,” said Hanvey. “In college I also really enjoyed my earth science classes. I loved learning about the history of the solar system and its future.”

Best thing: “All of the interesting people I met and the opportunity to delve into subjects I normally would not have learned. Also, the opportunity to study under professors who were at the cutting edge of their particular field.”

Worst thing: “The lack of availability of some professors, especially at UCLA. To a certain degree, also the competition between students in terms of grades and prestige in the classrooms. Usually class sizes were between 500 and 600 people, [and] it was very competitive.”

Most interesting: “The possibility for the first time in my life to be self-supporting. I came from San Francisco to Los Angeles out of high school, so it taught me how to grow up and be independent.”

If I could change one thing: “I’d be more involved on campus, definitely. In college I was involved but not as much as I should have been. If I could go back I would definitely have taken more advantage of that opportunity.”

What I know now I wish I knew then: “That the grades I was getting were less important than I thought they were. And keeping my notes and books-it took me three years to learn to hang on to them. Before then, I sold all of my books and threw my notes away. I wish I still had them for reference, for my classes now.”

Student opinion: “I am forever grateful to Dr. Hanvey. He exemplifies the essential elements of a phenomenal professor, as well as provides compassion and concern for his students’ well being,” said liberal arts for humanities major Jules Ostro, a student of Hanvey’s.

“There wasn’t a day of class when he didn’t greet us with a kind smile and a ‘Good afternoon everyone,’ as well as a concise outline of what we would be doing that day in class. He takes the extra time to help his students with their writing and understanding of the fundamentals.

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