by Matthew John Phillips > University of Maryland, College Park | photos Kate Cassalia

When Kevin Corbin, a sophomore economics major, first came to college, his experience was like that of many incoming students. He was from a small-town high school and enrolled at a university with a student body about 150 times larger than his graduating class. He was lucky enough to be naturally outgoing and sociable, but Corbin found that within his classes, he was immediately lost among the other students. As an economics major, his classes often had hundreds of students in them and the professor never seemed more distant.

Whether your campus has 30,000 students or 5,000, you’ve probably felt that professors are removed and unreachable. Nevertheless, there will be times when you need them. If you’re struggling to understand the material, if you are in need of a recommendation for graduate school, or if the course topic is in the field you want to pursue, it could help to have a professor on your side. Maybe you’ve never thought about it, but consider developing a professional relationship—a “faculty friendship with benefits”—with one of your professors. But, you think, I have nothing in common with my professor. Wouldn’t it be awkward for both of us?

Don’t be surprised; most professors love to meet with students. Pamela Gerhardt, an instructor in the University of Maryland’s Professional Writing Program, says that “those who teach like young people or they wouldn’t be teaching. It also makes us, as instructors, feel wise and knowledgeable.”

One of Gerhardt’s students in her Non-Fictional Narratives class, Alisa Averbukh, struck a bond with Gerhardt. Because of this relationship, Averbukh felt comfortable approaching Gerhardt about interviewing her for another class’s project. And Gerhardt responded warmly to helping out, most likely because she knew Averbukh well.

Speaking to Gerhardt outside class helped Averbukah in more ways than just completing her interview assignment, especially because Averbuhkah plans to be a professional writer after graduation. “…it really helped me learn more about what exactly it is that she does as a writer,” Averbukh said.

Thomas Deal, a graduate from the University of Virginia and now first year law student at George Washington University, became friends with his undergraduate professor for an entirely different reason—a D on his French exam. Deal approached his French professor, John Lyons, about how to improve his grades and Lyons helped work with Deal to learn the material. Just working with the professor, Deal noted, was enough to boost his confidence in the class and it inspired him to work harder. He felt as though Lyons had really invested himself in Deal’s success. Along with an A in French, the experience left Deal with a strong relationship with his professor. And when Deal applied for law school, he asked Lyons for a recommendation.

That golden letter of recommendation when applying for a scholarship, study abroad program, graduate school or job, is just another example of the benefit of these faculty friendships. A professor that you’ve developed a relationship with will be most familiar with your work ethic, personality and social fortitude, making them an apt resource for the decision makers on your application.

Relationships with faculty members, without a doubt, are more easily formed in small classroom settings. But regardless of class size, it is still possible to make your presence known to a professor. Chelsy Meyers, a junior English major, remembers the advice her Medieval History professor, Jeannie Rutenburg, gave her lecture hall of more than two-hundred students on the first day of class. “Show up on time. Always sit in the front row. Ask questions after class or come to office hours. Above all, just show your professors that you’re interested in what they’re teaching.”

Pamela Gerhardt agreed. “If you’re interested in developing such a relationship with a professor, first show them that you are a dedicated student. Then, send them an email. Say you’re interested in meeting with them briefly to talk.” It also never hurts to approach your professor after class; sometimes they stick around just to speak to students and answer questions.

Use this time with the professor to talk about the class material, ask for help or bounce ideas off them. You can also talk to your professors about career options. “A professor can give you an insider’s perspective of an industry and how it works. You can’t go to the library and find that out. You need to know somebody within the industry,” Gerhardt said.

Also keep in mind, once the semester ends, you don’t want your professors to forget who you are. So when the time comes for references and letters of recommendation, “ask politely,” Gerhardt said, “and then just keep in touch and write occasionally.”