Outstanding Teaching Assistant Award Nomination, Letters of Student Support
African-American Student (Letter of Support – On Diversity), The University of Iowa
Latino/a Student (Letter of Support – On Diversity), The University of Iowa
Faculty Observation & Teaching Evaluation, The University of Iowa
Colleague Observation & Teaching Evaluation, The University of Iowa
International Students, ESL
Student Evaluations, Comments, & Praise
Spring 2025
“Dr. Furlong, I wanted to thank you! In the two years you’ve been here, your classes have been some of my favorites. It’s clear that you possess not only an extensive knowledge of the content you teach, but a passion for it too. The depth of your classes has had a significant influence in shaping my own perspective and providing m e a framework where in to grapple with some difficult questions. I also have really appreciated your authenticity and approachability; it is clear you are not only about your students’ academic standing but their personal development as well. Your encouragement and affirmation have meant so much to me, even in nominating me for last year’s academic showcase. I’m thankful for the opportunity I’ve had to learn from you both inside and outside of the classroom. I know you’ve faced hard circumstances, particularly over the last semester, but your continued excellence and your continued resolution of faith despite those is incredibly inspiring. You have been an outstanding professor and Christian role model, and I know God uses you to continually impact your students in the same way you have impacted me. Thanks again for everything! Enjoy your summer!”
“Thank you so much for investing so much knowledge into me over the past two years. It has been so wonderful to have you as a professor! You have left such a meaningful impact on my college experience. I’ve genuinely loved being in your classes! It was so much fun to learn under you. Your passion for literature is evident in the way that you teach. The way that you bring it to life during class made it feel exciting and engaging! I will miss being a part of your classes very much. As I take the next steps of life and move on from Crown. I know that the impact you have had on me will stay with me. Thank you once again for everything! Wishing you a restful summer!”
“Dr, Furlong, thank you so much for all you’ve done for me during my time at Crown. You have beena great academic advisor, and you have also been a dedicated mentor, not only to me, but all of your students. Your faith and trust in Christ is something I greatly admire, and I appreciate how you have incorporated the Lord into all of your classes. All the course I have taken with you have challenged me and made me grow, things I will always appreciate in the years to come. Thank you so much again!”
“[Dr. Furlong] showed tremendous passion for the subject and worked hard to make it fun, which is difficult to do for the subject of grammar. I appreciate his providing all the lecture notes on Canvas so I can go back and learn and relearn as I continue to write for college and beyond; yes, I downloaded all the PowerPoints. I found the quizzes to be helpful for practicing the content and analyzing real world examples together as a class. I found the three textbooks to be really interesting.”
“[Dr. Furlong] explains everything very well including the assignments and in-class collaborative activities. The professor is also good at keeping the students engaged and interested in what is being talked about in class.”
Fall 2024
“Dr. Furlong is very passionate about his work and desires to share it with students and it shows well through his work with the class. He’s very understanding and willing to work with you because that strong desire to see us excel and understands that may be at different paces for everyone.”
“The lecture and discussion were my favorite part of this course. The energy and passion for teaching kept me engaged. I learned so much in the classroom. Going over all the assignments and grammar quizzes in class was beneficial to my learning. Going over example essays and reading helped a lot.”
“I always enjoy Dr. Furlong’s lectures, as he’s really intelligent and thorough in explaining things. He was also flexible with changing assignments up and even eliminating ones that we didn’t have time for. I thought the chronological structure was easy to take in. I liked the fact that we each did different close readings and presented on them rather than all of us reading everything. I liked how Furlong incorporated different visual pieces into our discussions, like famous paintings. I liked how historical it was; it almost felt like a history course in addition to a literature course. Very thorough, very beneficial, and I feel like I know a lot more than I used to.”
“This course opened my eyes to a wide range of early American writings. The expectations were clear and the assignments were very direct. I really appreciated the group discussions as well. I found it beneficial to discuss certain topics more in depth with the class rather than have lecture as the primary source of learning. Discussions in both the small group and large group made the content memorable and engaging.”
“It was great having you as a professor. I learned a lot from your lectures as you made it way
more engaging than a lot of other professors. I learned a lot from your class not only about
english composition but spiritually as well.”
“I had lots of joy with you being my professor, you were super helpful with me getting
better at writing! [It was] such a blessing to get to know you throughout the semester!”
“I will always enjoy going to class and being present for an instructor that is clearly passionate
about the subject he is teaching. It was a pleasure to be in your class, thanks for being a bright
spot in my Monday, Wednesday, and Fridays this semester!
“I just wanted to let you know your passion for teaching and English is inspiring and is a gift. Keep it up!”
“Dr. Furlong, thank you for all you do, and I must say I love how engaging your class is.”
“Dr. Furlong, thank you for pouring into every student on campus. Your passion for your discipline is noticeable and so valuable for all to see. You are a blessing to be around!”
“Thank you for understanding me throughout the semester…. [I]t
was extremely helpful to have a professor in my corner allowing me to process life and
do school at the same time. You truly made my semester easier while I was struggling
and that has been extremely impactful on my life. I look forward to being in your class next semester and I will be “locked in” the whole semester! Thanks!
“Thank you, I know for a fact that I would not be as good of a writer if I hadn’t taken this class.”
“I really enjoyed having you as my instructor for this course. It is evident that you are passionate
about what you do and that brings joy into the classroom.”
“I would like to say thank you for an awesome semester. While your class was difficult, your teaching was phenomenal and I always walked away from your class with new knowledge about English. I am also thankful for the fact that we read our weekly benediction. It was always helpful to me to think about those things and how good God is. Thank you again, and I’ll see you around campus!”
“Through this course I learned the importance of my own voice in writing, and I have felt that my
style of writing is appreciated. I appreciate the constructive criticism, while also feeling valued
for how I write. I also have very much enjoyed getting to write about things that I am passionate
about, as it has helped me enjoy the writing process.Thank you for this semester! I have learned so much, more than I ever have in previous English classes.”
“I enjoyed having you as a professor, although It was a hard class, I’m thankful to
have had you teach me this semester. May God continue to guide and lead you
to do many great things that will glorify his name. I appreciate you being patient
with our class and myself. Have a great rest of your year!”
“Through this class, I didn’t know what to expect going in. Thinking that it would
be a normal English class that I wouldn’t enjoy. It had many useful things and you
explained stuff very well that you could understand. I felt like you cared about us
students and were very relatable when it came to getting stuff done and telling us ahead
of time when stuff was gonna be due. I appreciate you in all you did to make me a better
writer in this class.”
“[In this class], I was able to mature more without using AI for my essays. I was able to use my thoughts
and put the time into each essay I wrote. I feel like being faithful to my work allowed me
to take a step closer to God.”
“As work intensive as this class was, I did enjoy it. Your engaging teaching style is very
helpful when it comes to learning the material. Thank you for pushing us in out writing
and in out thinking skills!”
Spring 2024
“Congrats on the end of a great school year! I am very grateful to have been your student, and I am excited to have class with you again in the fall. You are a wonderful addition to Crown, and we are very blessed to have you. The love and passion that you have for literature shines through in every class and I admire that. Have a great summer!”
“You are a great professor who is very passionate about literature and what you do. I appreciate your grace and understanding when this was a difficult semester for me. Thank you for all that you do!”
“Thank you for being an amazing professor. I may not have you again as a professor again, but I know that what you taught me these past two semester will stick with me for the rest of my life, and for that I am truly thankful. I hope God continues to bless you and your family!”
“Thank you for how much time, care, and enthusiasm you put into the subject you teach. It makes class fun and very intriguing. I am hoping to take some of your classes in the future. Enjoy the summer, Dr. Furlong!”
“Thank you for a great semester! I appreciated your enthusiasm for the course and willingness to help students succeed. I am grateful for the insight that you have helped me gain through this courser! I enjoyed the diversity that was incorporated into the course, whether through authors of diverse backgrounds, using music, or film throughout the course. I sam also grateful for your thorough feedback to help us improve our writing. Thanks for everything–have a great summer!”
“I may not enjoy English or writing that much, but I do enjoy your classes. Thanks for being a great professor!”
“The way you teach invites your students to go deeper and be more intentional. I feel so heard and seen in class because of how thoughtfully you invite people to share. I like that you call us to a deeper standard of thinking and reflection. I genuinely think this class has helped me to become a more critical thinker and be more vulnerable overall. Thank you. This has been my favorite class this semester.”
“I have had an amazing time being in your class and hearing your interpretations in class, and I certainly grew from your teaching! I will certainly use what I have learned in my future. Keep on!”
“Thanks for not giving up on me. Thanks for pouring into my life in many ways without you knowing it. Thank you, Dr. Furlong.”
“I really appreciated how you taught our class! I thought the class expected enough of us that we were able to grow, but it was not overwhelming. You were also engaging and passionate with what you were teaching which made it interesting. Thanks for teaching!”
“Previously, I used to avoid difficult topics, but your course allowed me to feel safe and open to discuss hard moral and ethical topics through literature and culture as well become a more open-minded thinker!”
“Your course helped me appreciate literature and helped me become a better writer overall. I want to thank you Dr. Furlong for a great semester.”
“You are one of the smartest people I have ever met, and I am grateful to have been in your class.”
“Love your English class! You are such an inspiring teacher, and I enjoy all the information you have taught me. Keep being amazing and inspiring other students! Thank you!”
“Thank you for always making English class @ 8 am fun. Thanks for teaching me how to read deeper into the text–it is a skill I will be able to use in my future!”
Fall 2023
“I really enjoyed this class!…Despite being an English major, I have no real intention of pursuing any sort of authorship career. However, while I can see growth from the beginning of the semester, I can also see a lot of the good things that I wrote, even before revisions. Thank you for a great semester!
“It’s obvious Dr. Furlong loves what he does and is very passionate about teaching, which I love about him. You can tell he pours that passion into making class sessions engaging and interesting. Definitely one of my favorite class in terms of being in the classroom.”
“I really liked the way that you taught the information. I think you were always willing to help inside and outside of class. The constructive feedback on our essays was some of the best I have ever received.”
“I really enjoyed this class and the content we engaged in. It definitely pushed me as a writer and has grown my ability to analyze and make connections outside of class in the media I consume.”
“The instructor was engaging and clearly cares for the students. The essay construction was presented in a way that did not overwhelm me, and the expectations of each essay were communicated clearly. The professor also took great care in giving excellent feedback to each student. Overall, it was a fun class.”
“I really appreciated your genuine kindness. I was feeling pretty ill [one time], so not having to deal with the shame of missing class was significant for me. Knowing that I could come to [your] office with any questions showed that [you] were genuinely nice, and that’s something that I really appreciated. He also helped get me caught up when I got a late start, which I benefitted from greatly. I’m thankful to have had [you] as a professor!”
“Thank you for all the extra work you put in to help me grow as a student, understand my struggles and help me through them with the generosity. Your understanding will never be forgotten and will always be appreciated. From the best table in class, we adore you; I enjoy you as a professor and cannot wait to have you next semester!”
“I thought it was extremely impressive from day 1 how much you know about the subject you teach, and how passionate you are about it. Always willing to help and everyone appreciates it. Thank you for the engagement you have in class with us, I tried to answer as many questions in class as I could and stay engaged. You had the only class I engaged with that much because I saw the effort you put in. I am looking forward to next semester.”
“I have really enjoyed this class and the growth I have made since the start of semester. I learned a lot of valuable editing skills that I knew about but didn’t know the significance behind it.”
“Thanks for always putting passion into your work. I feel like you pushed me to be better and am so grateful for that.”
“I thought you did a great job this year with your English Composition class. You made a very hard class become an easier, more broken-down class, which helped me and other students so much. Thank you!”
“As I said above this class has been the one that has stretched me most during this semester. I learned how to consistently give my best work….I also learned how to work as a team, I didn’t really like reviewing other people’s papers, but doing so taught me how to work as a team and also to invest in others writing rather than just doing an assignment. Overall, I feel that I have grown in knowledge and also how to work well with others, treating them as I would like to be treated….This class has been the one that has helped me grow the most and the class that I have learned the most in. Thank you for being such an awesome professor!”
“Thank you for all the work you poured into us over the semester and helping us to improve as writers and as persons.”
“Thank you for being a great professor and helping me learn a lot of stuff that will be helpful for me in the future.”
“This course has caused me to grow as a writer tremendously. I always felt that there was more to my life than writing. In this class, however, I have found joy in writing my thoughts and organizing my ideas. Writing down my theological thoughts in this class have led to intriguing new developments and other theories that have grown me spiritually. So, this class has become an encouragement and led me to appreciate writing in a new way. I will continue to use it to foster my spiritual growth and am considering taking an English minor to support that area of my development.”
This class has really improved my ability to peer-review kindly. I’ve grown in other areas as well however, this has been one of the largest changes and, truthfully, one of the best.”
“:I really enjoyed the class! It was stressful to enter college english because of the work, but with commitment and hard work I was able to maintain. I was very pleased with your teaching!”
“Keep up the passionate fire for teaching English!”
“I just wanted to say this past month has really opened my eyes to the importance of this class, not just as an English credit but as teaching that is getting me ready for what God has for me as a pastor. Thank you for a great semester!”
“I truly felt like the course was presented well throughout the semester. I also felt like great feedback was given on the essays to help better strengths our writing. I liked how you answered my emails quickly and were available to meet outside of class if we needed something. Thank you!”
“I just wanted to say thank you for being an understanding, supportive, and available professor. Truly, thank you!”
“Dr. Furlong, it has been nothing short of a pleasure to get to know you and to learn under the wing of such a talented writer. Thank you so much for everything!”
“I personally enjoyed this class because I love writing, and I strongly believe that you were a great teacher. I think you made the things we were learning fun.”
Spring 2023
“Now that I have completed this class, I am more confident of future writings classes. I am excited for what opportunities I will have with writing as I continue my college career. I really enjoyed your class. You are a great professor!”
“Thank you for this class, truly. I appreciate your patience and understanding when it came to needing to leave early or my absence due to athletics. I honestly learned a lot from this class. Unlike a lot of classes, this wasn’t a surface-level class. I feel like I actually learned things to help me improve my writing that I will carry with me throughout my life and the rest of college. So again, I thank you for being a kind, knowledgeable, and great professor. I wish you the best of luck with your still pretty new baby and the rest of your life.”
“I just want to thank you for this semester and always pushing us to be the best writers we could be. I am walking away from this course feeling like an improved writer who is well-rounded in more than just writings now. Being able to evaluate and draft multiple times throughout the process will help me in the future.”
“Thank you for all your amazing work at UNWSP. Your classes and discussions are incredible, and your investment into all of us students is amazing. Thank you for inspiring us and challenging us to live as Christ call us to live–as “holy rebels,” like you said once. Blessings as you continue to inspire students at Crown and beyond!”
“I thoroughly enjoyed this class. I needed the beginner’s philosophy so that the mountain that I have isn’t nearly as daunting. I’ve often been told in order to really get into philosophy one should start with Socrates and the other wacky greats and then work through history, and this course was a wonderful mixture of poetry, history, philosophy, and religion! I don’t think I’ve ever had a class contribute to so many different aspects of humanity in a single semester.”
“Thank you so much for teaching this class! I know that it could not have been the easiest given your busy schedule, but I hope you know how appreciated you are. I have learned so much from the readings and I cannot wait to continue that growth!”
“Thank you so much for teaching this class! I was hesitant to take it at first thinking it would be hard and boring, but it was the opposite of that for me. I love your passion for what you teach, and it’s made me think about further studying Classical Literature. I’ve found a passion myself to learn more about history and found intrigue in something I hadn’t really thought about. Thank you again for all that you do!”
Fall 2022
“Furlong is seriously one of the best professors that the school has. He is so knowledgable, organized, charismatic, flexible, Christ-centered and gracious. I deeply love being in his classes and I always feel refined both spiritually and educationally in his classes. He also makes sure that there is room for discussion and that everyone’s voices are heard.”
“I enjoyed our discussions about topics related to grammar but not directly tied to grammar. For example, our conversations about where we see grammatical concepts in Christian culture was super thought-provoking and meaningful for me!”
“His teaching has been the best learning experience that I have ever had in my life as a student. He was always respectful and concerned for every student’s learning not only from assignments in his class, but taking into account other class’ activities.We were also able to include our faith in class through different assignments that questioned what a Christian response should be to the issue. I was challenged thoroughly through this semester because I do not believe I am blessed in my writing abilities, but I could tell that I was improving extensively because of our assignments and class discussions. Again, this was a very informative and enjoyable class; ten out of ten professor for sure.”
“Dr. Furlong is an excellent professor who attempts to get his students to engage in challenging topics that will help them understand the course material while also helping them understand their identity as people and, more importantly, as Christians. I would certainly recommend him to any fellow student and would undoubtedly seek out his classes in the future.”
“The instructor had a contagious enthusiasm every day, and lectures were very fun to pay attention to! I fully mean it as a compliment when I say that those class periods nearly always felt like the shortest ones I’ve ever been in.”
“I am so proud and appreciative of how well you teach and how much joy, energy, and care you pour into each class period….I have a lot to learn from you as I step in teaching someday.”
“This class has been a true blessing. Being my first term of PSEO, I have gained a beautiful introduction to the scholarly world of literature. Every Tuesday and Thursday for the last four months I have looked forward to your class. I enjoy learning different stances on prominent issues, and how to interpret them through a Christian lens.”
“I just want to say thank you for sharing your craft and expertise with us in each and every
class period. It was enjoyable and insightful to hear from someone who is passionate
about their research and education. It was a pleasure having the opportunity to sit in each
of your classes and I will never forget what I’ve learned in this course. As a PSEO
student, I can speak for many, I felt comfortable to share who I was and was challenged
in the right parameters. You made each of us feel like we could speak and encouraged us
along the way. So thank you, Dr. Furlong!”
“I sincerely thank you for your fantastic teaching and genuine care for each and every student. We are all grateful for your consideration of other classwork and quick responses to emails. If this was customer service from a restaurant, it would be five stars for sure. I know I will miss the short chats before classes about content of various assignments and random weekend plans. Thank you again for your interesting, informative, and helpful classes.”
“I would just like to say that I have learned so much throughout this semester and it has been the most enjoyable time of writing that I have experienced. You have been such a gracious professor that I hope I will have again in the future. Your classes were never boring, and the essays that we discussed were intriguing and beneficial in learning the pros and cons of writing.”
“Even though I was not initially pumped to take Composition, Dr. Furlong, you have made it enjoyable. I have learned so much and am confident my writing and grammar skills have improved. I feel as if I am more prepared for the rest of college after taking this class. Thank you for all your time, energy, and effort that you put into each of your students to make us better writers. I appreciate your willingness and grace to help and be flexible when we need. Thank you again!”
“It has been a gift in giving me the environment and structure to grow as a writer and a person.”
“Thank you for your in-depth, intentional teaching and insights that you have provided. I have learned multiple takeaways and will be forever grateful. Your lightheartedness and caring remarks have made this class far more effective and enjoyable. Thank you, Dr. Furlong for your work as a teacher!”
Spring 2022
“Such a great course! I don’t even have words to describe how much I’ll miss it or how deeply I loved it. This class was truly a blessing.”
“Dr. Furlong is one of the best professors I have ever had. He is professional and personable, extremely knowledgeable about course content, and seems to genuinely care about our learning. He was excellent at encouraging respectful discourse of all perspectives in the classroom, something I greatly appreciated, and he always included his own perspective while making sure we understood it was okay if we disagreed. I looked forward to class every day, largely because of his fantastic teaching.”
“At the beginning of this course, I did not like it. By the end, it was in the top two of my favorite classes all semester. Class time was easily the most valuable part of this course. The class discussions we had were so interesting and beneficial. I loved hearing all the different perspectives and having deep and insightful conversations about them. I liked that it was more open dialogue versus a very structured conversation. The readings were also fantastic. I learned something from every reading we did, and I feel a lot more knowledgeable…now.”
“I have confidence that those who put in the effort for the class grew LOTS as students, readers, people, and conversationalists. I wish that I was mandated to take a class with professor Furlong each semester. He has continued to kindle my love for English!”
“Dr. Furlong is a wonderful professor. Truly one of the best I have had. He is wildly knowledgable about each text we discussed, he is conversational, and he treats his students as valuable intellectuals with genuine contributions to the conversation….Professor Furlong is wonderful about not rushing grading. When he does grade assignments, it is evident that he has actually deeply read our work and I have never had a professor be so thorough with feedback.”
“Dr. Furlong asked a lot of the students in this class… but he ALWAYS clearly communicated homework, due dates, and assignments. Out of every professor that I have ever had, he has been the most clear with assignments and expectations AND always sent an email after each class with information about what was due for the next class. As someone who is a planner, Professor Furlong was wonderful to be taught by.”
“You made this class a lot more enjoyable with your enthusiastic teaching style. In terms of communicating and helping students with how an assignment is supposed to be done, you were the best teacher I’ve had. Thank you for every thing! I hope to see you around next year!”
“I just wanted to say that I loved American Literature this year and I feel so blessed I got to be a part of this class. I was originally going to enroll in a different course, but it was full, so I ended up doing this one. I think that was absolutely God directing me to where I needed to be for this semester. The conversations we had in class and in our Moby Dick reading group were so stimulating and fulfilling. I loved hearing everyone’s thoughts on the different works we read, and it was wonderful to be able to discuss God and religion through these literary lenses. Thank you so much for leading us and helping us learn. I am so sad this class is done but I am grateful I was able to be a part of it. You have been a fantastic professor and I look forward to being in Structure of the English Grammar in the fall.”
“I wanted to say thank you for everything that you’ve taught us this semester. I walked into your class thinking that I was in way over my head. [However,] you’re class was a safe place to grow. I will so dearly miss it. Thank you so much!”
“Dr. Furlong, truly thank you for such a wonderful class. You have pushed us hard, and I sometimes wondered if I could accomplish what you asked of us, but then you offered encouragement and support and so many of us have grown as writers and readers as a result of your teaching and guidance….This class has been nothing short of a JOY. You have asked a lot of us, but we have reaped the fruit of your care and facilitation. I’ll miss this class like crazy! You are an absolutely stellar professor!”
“Professor Furlong, thank you for being such an amazing teacher! You truly fuel my love of reading and thinking through your passionate investment in the material. I am truly better for it!”
“Thank you very much for a great year of class. I appreciate your kindness and generosity, and I am very grateful to have such a caring and understanding professor. I greatly enjoyed being challenged in the way I had previously thought about issues while reading through the texts during this course. Learning about current issues today from discussions, analysis, and readings of books written hundreds of years ago was a first for me, but I loved every minute of it. I think that you are an excellent professor and a good person, and I enjoyed American Literature 1 with you.”
“I have been blessed to have you as my professor! Your enthusiasm towards teaching this class has benefited me greatly as I enjoyed learning through out every class period, and developed a much deeper respect towards poetry. Thank you so much for all that you have done!”
Fall 2021
“Dr. Furlong, in my opinion, was a phenomenal professor. He helped me grow, not just as a writer, but as an intellectual. He met the perfect balance of challenging our ideas by, at times, presenting his own without presenting his ideas as the correct answer or viewpoint. It allowed us to think deeper about what we think, as well as why we think that.”
“Overall, the course resources, whether assigned or supplementary, and assignments allowed me to both challenge my thinking and demonstrate my learning. In addition to this, we were able to choose the topics of our paper, allowing us to write about things that we care or are passionate about.”
“Overall, the course was an extremely helpful class, and I liked having Dr. Furlong as my professor! He is extremely knowledgeable about what he is teaching, and his feedback is incredibly helpful.”
“This semester taught me how to critically think about the problems in our world. I also learned how to write a well-structured and engaging paper on something I love. I grew in my diction as well. I feel much more confident in my writing abilities now than a couple months ago. I want to thank you, Professor Furlong. You do such a good job making us feel valued and seen. You don’t look at us and see our grades. You see us for who we are, and I truly believe you want what is best for us all.”
“Another thing that I am glad I improved on was research. I learned a lot about different sources and how to use different sources well. Also stuff on being able to find good sources for what I am looking for….Honestly, you, Dr. Furlong, have been a really good role model to me.”
“Throughout this semester, I’ve learned a lot from professor Furlong. I always loved taking notes in his class because he always had meaningful and fascinating content. He had elaborate ideas about writing which I would’ve never thought about nor would I have learned about it if I were in high school….I did learn more about how to use punctuation, comma, quotation marks, and more. My diction has also improved; it’s all because of professor Furlong. He allowed us to talk to our peers (whenever necessary) whether it was to read each other’s essays or discuss something we were assigned to read the previous day. The most important aspect of my writing that strengthened was structuring and organizing my essays….And I’m really glad professor Furlong was my writing teacher and mentor….It was a great delight to be in your class this semester. I remember when my life was chaotic…and you were always supportive and sent kind words of encouragement. I appreciate all that you do for me and others….I’m very blessed and grateful to receive such knowledge and wisdom from you! Thank you for all you do for your students.”
“I have learned a lot about grammar this semester. Of course, the language barrier will still be present for a long time, limiting my thoughts’ presentation, but still a couple of steps forward, and it is already good. I learned better the structure of an essay and different ways to write it. It was not easy to find peer-reviewed articles on particular subjects, and quite a few times, I had to switch the subject because of it. But other than that, I found this class very helpful in expanding my knowledge in the writing process.
Fall 2019
“He is focused on learning and developing literary analysis skills instead of just exams and tests. One of the only classes I’ve taken that seems like the instructor not only cares and is passionate about what he is teaching, but also is passionate and cares about teaching and developing students. My favorite instructor, by far, that I have had yet. Makes a required class that has nothing to do with my major interesting, engaging, and Its one of my only classes where I leave still thinking about the content we went over in class. Probably the only instructor that I have had so far that I would go out of my way to recommend to all of my friends.”
“I came into this class thinking it was just another gen ed to float through. After taking the class, I can now say this is one of my favorite classes I’ve taken at the university. Not only is Ryan very personable and welcoming to all students, I actually cared about the topics covered in class and I always walked out thinking about things and feeling inspired. You can also tell that HE cares about what he’s teaching and cares about students thoughts, views, and ideas to expand on his own. He opened my views on literature and I feel like I can walk away from this class with a new skill and mindset – even though it’s not directly related to my field of study. I would recommend this class to anyone – I really enjoyed it!”
“I trulyyyyyy ENJOYED the class. I am now a better reader and i know how to best analysis movies and books. He is an Awesome Professor who really really cares about his students and their growth. Thank you Professor!”
“I enjoyed taking Ryan’s class immensely. I think he is an amazing teacher who goes beyond to connect with his students on an intellectual and personal level. If I could have him as a teacher in the future, I would opt to do so.”
Spring 2019
“The instructor’s passion for the course content is infectious and motivating. He is very good at facilitating constructive in-class discussions and helping all students participate. I especially valued the emphasis he placed on examining the assigned readings in the
varied contexts of social anthropology, natural sciences, psychology, and philosophy.”
“Ryan Furlong is an amazing professor who truly cares about how his students do. He is extremely passionate about what we learn and is precise in what he does. I appreciate how helpful he is, and how he goes out of his way to help students. This was one of my favorite classes this semester! Thank you so much!”
Fall 2018
” I really enjoyed this class, and it was by far my favorite class I’ve taken. I’ve already referred a few of my student friends to take the literature class with you as the teacher. Best of luck with teaching, and if it were a choice, I’d take another class with you! Thank you again.”
“I think your feedback is very clear and beneficial and I truly believe I have become a better writer. The passion you have for teaching this course makes students want to put effort into the course.”
“As a student who does not like literature, Professor Furlong made this class absolutely amazing and enjoyable for me. His passion for the subject is obvious and that helped inspire me to do better work for the class. Definitely one of the best professors I have had in my time at Iowa.”
Spring 2018
“I came out a better analyzer and writer and I now know how to close read and engage in the text after taking this class. I am not an english major so I was scared about this class, but Mr. Furlong made the class super interesting and I actually got excited to go to his
class in the morning.”
“Professor Furlong is an incredible professor who cares deeply about every one of his students. He is incredibly kind and creates an environment in the classroom where everyone feels welcome and each opinion is greatly valued.”
Fall 2017
“Professor Furlong was a very good teacher. He expected a lot of work to be put into the class (which certainly was required to do well), but made sure the grades reflected these efforts. I felt very good about reaching out to him about any assignments that I could improve before submitting as well.”
“I have felt very encouraged by Ryan Furlong when taking this course. He is very approachable and invites students to be comfortable when participating in class. There are no dumb questions or comments which makes students feel like they’re being heard. Great experience!”
“I definitely had to focus most of my time on this class due to the amount of work that came with it, but I also think that it was definitely worth it and I actually really enjoyed the class. Mr. Furlong was extremely enthusiastic about the material and genuinely wanted to help his students learn and get better. I was lucky to have such an understanding, motivating teacher who was really passionate about what he was teaching.”
“Could not recommend you enough!!! This class was awesome. The discussions were engaging and the reading was interesting and accessible. Even though this class was a gen ed, I learned a ton and feel like what I learned will be applicable going forward. Overall, wonderful experience!! Thank you!!”
Spring 2017
“Professor Furlong is very passionate about literature, and he encourages all students to participate even when they’re unsure. What sets him apart from other professors is that he truly wants each student to succeed. He doesn’t feel the need to just show off how much he knows. His focus is making sure his students learn the material. Unlike many professors, he is not only talented at his subject of teaching but also talented at teaching itself. One of the best professors I’ve ever had.”
“Ryan has been the best teacher I have had since coming to Iowa. He is completely understanding of students and truly wants to see his students succeed. He offers as much out of class help as he possibly can for struggling students and always makes sure that students have no confusion as to what is going on in the class. I have recommended this course with this teacher to friends.”
“One of the only classes i don’t stare at the clock, waiting to get out of the class.<br/>Truly engaging and interesting. Professor Furlong’s commitment to and involvement with this class was truly extraordinary.”
“This class was very well taught and easy to understand. This teacher was very devoted to his teaching and always brought so much energy to the classroom. Made it easy to learn and helped get students excited to show up to class everyday.”
“This was such a fun course and I enjoyed it so much! Everything we read was interesting and could be related to real world things and the essays and feedback I got helped me become more comfortable with formal writing. Ryan was extremely engaged in everything he taught which made the course so enjoyable. I wish all professors were that enthusiastic and passionate about what they taught. He clearly knows what he is talking about and brings great knowledge to the table.”
“Ryan Furlong was an exceptional instructor. I really enjoyed his class and the work he assigned. I am a student who lacks confidence in my writing abilities and he helped me to feel more comfortable writing papers. He was always willing to help students with their work and provided easy to understand assignments.”
“I have had only a handful of teachers who love what they teach and really aspire to engage with their students, and Ryan was one of them.”
“Ryan has been an excellent teacher and resource as a first year college student. His passion is evident while he is teaching, in turn creating an environment where students are compelled to participate and learn. Ryan truly cares about his students and his class while providing a space for students to come to him with questions and concerns. I had a great journey in Interpretation of Literature and that can really be credited to Ryan. Bravo!”
Fall 2016
“I just wanted to thank you for truly being the best teacher I have ever learned from. Your class helped me grown not only as student, but in many other aspects of life. I always looked forward to coming to class and I will miss it….After always being constantly told through high school that I was a poor writer, this class has been a breath of fresh air. I have been able to prove to myself, and others, that I am capable of writing a solid paper and capable of succeeding in college. This semester I learned that I am far more capable of being successful in college than I ever thought. I have learned that I am not the poor writer my school AP Literature teacher told me that I was. Thank you.”
“I wanted to say thank YOU for everything you’ve taught me this semester. It is because of you, and this course, that I have chosen what to do with my college career/life. You reignited literature for me, and I appreciate that more than you will ever know. I would like to keep in touch, as you are a phenomenal professor and an inspiration!”
“I would also like to thank you for the time you spent on this class which made it go so smoothly. I appreciated not having an overwhelming amount of work to do every night. You explained things effectively and we were tested on materials covered in class. Your extra office hours were wonderful for me, as I had class overlapping with your office hours. I appreciate you getting to know me and my life outside of class as well. This semester was a huge adjustment and struggle for me so it was nice to come to a class where I felt a part of it, instead of just another face in the crowd. I know this did not have to do with my writing, but thought it would be good for you to hear.”
“I want to thank you professor for being so positive and intrigued in your own work as well as our performance. I think my papers and reading strategies became more complex and professional. My writing techniques I became familiar with in The Interpretation of Literature will forever help my writing for any class or project I will need to do. I hope other professors can leave such insightful impacts on my future as well.”
“He is a perfect professor and the best I’ve ever met. He is really patient and helps a lot when you need help. And he is very knowledgeable for the course materials. His classes were well-prepared and as an international student, he provided extra, meaningful help for understanding literary terms, ideas, and language sometimes beyond my immediate reach.”
Rate-My-Professor, Student Ratings & Comments
Overall Rating: 4.7/5
Would Take the Course Again: 89% (Yes)
Some student reviews below:
“Love this guy. He is a very hard grader, but so worth it. English majors, TAKE HIS CLASSES!! You gain so much perspective and skill from his classes. I have never and will never enjoy a class more than the class I took with him. He is very accessible and accommodating. I was sick frequently and he made sure I still had what I needed. The best.”
“For a class that often has a bad reputation, Ryan gives it a 360! The class was engaging and he sincerely wants his students to do well. I enjoyed all of the readings we did and wasn’t often overwhelmed by the work. 11/10 recommend!”
“Ryan is definitely the most passionate teacher I have ever learned from. He cares SO MUCH about what each student is taking away from this class, and he tries in every way possible to make each person successful. The course is a little homework heavy, but the assignments do help you to improve. Overall, awesome guy – privilege to take his class.”
“Ryan was one of the best professors Ive had so far at UI. He cares a ton about his students and seriously wants everyone in his classes to succeed.”
Dr. Ryan David Furlong 