KEVIN B. KLAUS/Arizona Daily Wildcat Classics professor David Soren was awarded the Five Star Faculty Award last week for his excellence in teaching at the UA. Soren has been known to shed a few tears and bust out a few tap moves in class.

Students give $1,000 award to 'funny' prof

It's not uncommon to find David Soren tearing up in the middle of a lecture.

"You have an honor that you get to present this to a group of people. It's very beautiful, and it makes me weep," said Soren, a Classics Regents Professor.

Because of his commitment to and care for the classics and his students, Soren won the Five Star Faculty Award last week.

He is such a funny teacher, and he makes the class so interesting and entertaining. - Zeb Grady, economics junior

The award is entirely student-based, and the committee chooses from a group of professors nominated by students. Committee members observe the nominees in class and interview the professors to choose the one they find most fitting for the $1,000 award.

Laura Balis, chairwoman of the award committee, said members chose Soren because he truly cares about students.

"He is really great inside and outside the classroom, and the students are engaged in the material," she said.

But Soren was skeptical that he actually received the award.

"I'm pretty sure it's a mistake. It was meant for someone with the same name, but I'm not giving it up," he said.

Soren has been teaching at the UA for 22 years, and he always comes to class accompanied by Angel, his golden retriever-cocker spaniel mix. He said the dog helps him slow down and lower his blood pressure.

"Angel teaches me so much," he said. "I never really appreciated a fire hydrant before."

Balis said the Five Star Faculty Award Committee also chose Soren because of the Orvieto International Institute of Classical Studies he founded two years ago to help students widen their range of knowledge.

Students at the school participate in three archeological excavations and study the classics in Italy. The program also works with the Italian government, and the students get permits to go into sites that aren't usually open to the public.

Soren said his commitment to teaching was inspired by some of his teachers, who helped him get money for school. One professor really wanted Soren to get into Harvard and helped make it possible.

"We got in the car and drove from New Hampshire to Massachusetts, and he got me in," Soren said.

The professor told Soren he needed to pass the torch to another generation, so he began teaching.

Soren also used to be in show business as a child and acquired a love for performing. Sometimes he exhibits some of his show biz talents in class.

"I thought it was hilarious when he tap-danced for our 329 class," said Phil Horner, a psychology junior.

Students said they enjoy Soren's class because he makes it fun.

"He is such a funny teacher, and he makes the class so interesting and entertaining," economics junior Zeb Grady said.

Rachelle Bond, a molecular and cellular biology junior, said Soren makes the difficult subject of classics more interesting and understandable.

"A lot of people aren't majors," she said. "It's a hard subject to learn, and he makes it easier to learn."