My teaching career has seen me lucky enough to teach and mentor many fine students, and for the

last seven years at Galveston College. My goal is to not only teach my students the material, but
to also show them how to be good members of the community. That is why I always use myself
as a role model and make sure that my behavior, online and in person, is such that I provide a good
example to follow. When I was on campus teaching, I made sure that I did when out to dinner,
and at other activities around town. Now that I am primarily online, I do so by keeping a
professional tone in student correspondence and on social media. I am always quick to offer advice
when asked, whether it is during the semester or years later. Just recently I had a student call me
from Galveston College that I had not had since 2013, wanting assistance getting into graduate
school. I was happy to look over his application, his writing samples, and statement of purpose.
While I do not know whether he got into his program yet, he was appreciative that I took the time,
all these years later, to assist him. Another one of my students, from years ago in class, took my
online class last summer. He struggled with it due to a situation outside his control, but with
persistence and lots of assistance on my end, he did not just survive, he thrived. He ended the
course with one of the highest grades in the course. I was so proud of him for this, as it was his
last class before completion. Getting a college degree was a goal of this particular student and I
was happy to see him accomplish his goal while also seeing a profound change in his confidence.
He was so thankfully for my years of support, not just in my history classes but for all his academic
pursuits, that he asked me to come to graduation this year to see him walk, an honor which I have
most enthusiastically accepted. These are just snippets of my daily interaction with the many great
students we have at Galveston College.
Communication is key between instructors and their students, especially in an online setting. That
is why I use all forms of technology, including Twitter, Facebook, and Skype, to keep my students
knowledgeable and to allow them alternative ways to keep in touch. Even though I am no longer
on campus, I continue to have an open-door policy with my students. I allow them to contact me
by cell phone during appropriate times (8am-8pm), and am willing to find time after that if those
hours do not fit their needs. Recently I had to have a Skype conference with a student at 1:00am
due to their busy work schedule. Was it the best time for my sleep schedule? No. However, it
was the only time the student had free that week and it was important to them that we have some
time to discuss issues they were facing. That was important to me, more important than any lost
sleep. I find that students are more willing to take advice and guidance if you show them you are
willing and encouraging of contact. I always tell my students, “There is no such thing as a silly
question” and that I would rather you ask for clarification than feeling lost. Many have found this
to greatly reduce any study anxiety they may have with either major exams or research papers.
When I am in town, I am always happy to meet with current, and former, students in person.
As a final assessment of my qualifications for this award, I would like to submit a few letters from
former students over the last few years that speak about my character and willingness to do what
is necessary to make my students successes both in the classroom and in society. I think their
words, and the countless others that have conveyed these same sentiments to me in the past, carry
more weight than anything I would say about myself.
Thank you for being considered for this award. It is truly a great honor.
Regards,
Scotty Edler

Dear Sirs: 2/12/18

I am writing this letter to tell you about my experience with Mr. Edler as an educator at Galveston
College.
As a non-traditional student I was a bit nervous going back to school after 20+ years. I am very
happy to say that Mr. Edler was teaching one of my first classes. He made me feel welcome and
never treated me any different than the other students. He treated all of us with respect and he
guided us in many different areas of life, not just through history lessons. If anything, he
encouraged me helping me forget that I was much older. I was completely at ease and even more
eager to learn in his classroom.
I will honestly say that for the first time in my life, I enjoyed history! Mr. Edler not only knows
his discipline, he presents it in such a way that you almost feel like you are there. He challenged
each and every one of us and I found myself connecting the dots from years past.
Mr. Edler also has a way of helping his students implement the information with daily life and he
uses it to help teach lifelong lessons. He is in control and leads his students in the classroom
particularly well. I do not give compliments for the sake of giving them and I must say that Mr.
Edler has indeed impressed me time and again.
Another thing I really value about Mr. Edler is that he does what he says he is going to do and
expects the same from his students. I appreciate a leader you can count on. If you need help he
helps you. He isn’t too easy on students or too hard, he is fair. Mr. Edler expects things to be done
in a logical, timely and consistent manner, which is very commendable in my book. I observed
him help the younger students develop and use common sense to reason out what’s, why’s and
how’s of the lessons and life.
I have explained a lot of the more professional things about Mr. Edler that stood out to me in the
classroom, but I would like to add that not only is he a great teacher but he is also funny at times
and caring. I never felt like I couldn’t ask a question or ask for help. He announced his interest in
helping quite often, in fact, I do believe he has schooled me and given me advice several times
since I took his class.
To this day Mr. Edler is one of my favorite teachers and I have in the past, and I will continue in
the future to suggest him to other students.

Respectfully,
Kyra Elliott

To who it may concern,

Scotty Edler, not only is he a hands down genuine person and friend to me now but he
was (and still remains so) a monumental mentor to me … may he know it or not.
I attended Galveston College in the summer of 2009 with little to no hope in really
succeeding in my parent’s wish for me to have a college diploma as I was a child of a bad
divorce in my high school days and then cursed with the tragic death of my brother in the second
year of college (which I never took seriously). And with this tragedy, and after months of
grieving, I knew that my brother would have absolutely wanted me to make something great of
myself so I took action on the path to making him proud and I enrolled in one class of the
summer of 2011. That class being History 1 with Professor Scotty Edler.
Yes, ill admit, History… not my thing, at all but, after the first few days in Mr. Edler’s class, I
found it fascinating because of the way he taught.
He was passionate about this field and you could most definitely tell which in turn captured my
interest. I strived to do the best I could to let one less person down, my history instructor.
Hard. History class was hard. Mr. Edler was a strict, punctual professor who loved 100
question exams and pop quizzes that you could only pass if you had literally written down
EVERY word of his class lectures. He poured history down your throat until you drowned in
every detail. Punctuality and attendance were important to Mr. Edler so much so that when the
week of thanksgiving came around and the class attendance dropped, he gave a “pop quiz”
consisting of an impromptu outline of your hand recreated as a turkey in place for a grade as a
reward to those who actually attended. Testing our commitment to the class, he also gave us
great laughs referencing the HBO show, Boardwalk Empire among many others. His creativity
and love for history was heard by how passionately he spoke of each subject he taught.
The day I knew this man had actually made a solid impact on my life was the day (in
History 2) that he had asked a question in reference to the History 1 course to which I raised my
hand and answered… correctly. Okay… lets get to know me for a second. I absolutely freeze
when I have to speak in front of others much less actually REMEMBER something from school!
What a smile that came over Mr. Edler’s face as I was one of the few students who managed to
make it out of his history one and into the second history class without bailing to find an easier
course. In that moment, he was proud.
Being on an island, everyone is fairly close as in location but little did I know that Mr.
Edler had been living directly across the street from me for some time. If I needed help, he was
happy to assist with notes or simply going into more depth over email or even in person. Can I
give him an ‘A’ for being an amazing professor?
Summer of 2011, I had passed my first college course and with and ‘A’. An ‘A’?! An
actual superb grade that I had EARNED?! And yes, I say earned because this man gave little
away… you had to earn every penny. My jaw dropped. I can’t tell you how fulfilled I was to
know that I had that potential to pass a subject that was considered a weakness. If it weren’t for
this great man, Scotty Edler, and my motivation to never settle for less, I would have been
content with an average grade. Because of this ‘A’, I fueled my drive and took on courses of a
full time student, making the Dean’s list twice. Because of this man’s faith in me I pushed
myself to do the best that I possibly could. Because of this man’s success in changing people’s
lives even if they didn’t know it, he made me into a better student… a better person.
November 2013, when I finally received my Associates in Science, the first person I
could think of in my time of glory was the man who awarded me with my first ‘A’ as he did not
know my hardships until later in life but yet still had the same hope in me as he did to all of his
dedicated students.
It is 2018 and Mr. Edler and his wife, Dr. Edler are dear friends of mine and I am so
incredibly honored to call them just that… friends. In one of the weakest moments of my life, I
saw that light of a future for myself. Something I didn’t think I would see so soon after a major
heartbreak of losing my own brother but Scotty Edler is the reason I aspire to be exceptional and
beyond average and I thank him for everything he has done for me whether it was just pushing me
just a little further in my courses or just being there for me as a friend. This man is a one of a kind
professor and the definition of inspiration.

Taylor Macon
February 13, 2018
To whom it may concern;
I am honored to recommend Professor Scotty Le Edler for your distinguished choice of adjunct
of the year. I was his student for two semesters of American History at Galveston College, where
I observed the eloquent and passionate manner of his teaching ability as well as his approachable
and friendly nature.
Professor Edler engaged my interest with his story-telling style of lecturing and proficiency of
craft. It’s easy to see that he values knowledge and the potential he sees in his students. I always
felt that my voice was encouraged and appreciated in his classroom. His talent for connecting
with students in a respectable way is evident in the friendships he builds and sustains with them.
As a student in his class, I also appreciated Professor Edler’s dedication to organization and clear
instruction. He takes his work seriously which is also a sign of respect for his students. I never
felt lost or misguided and if I had any questions, he made it known where and when he could be
reached.
In closing, Professor Edler stands out more than any other professor I’ve had. He is intelligent,
tenacious, and sociable. I am inspired by the fact that although we hold many different views, we
maintain a mutual respect for each other and I cherish his friendship.
Sincerely,
Lisa Del Bosque
February 9, 2018

To whom it may concern,

I am an older student, who waited until my kids were basically fully grown before attending
college, a bucket list item, one might say. History is one of my weakest subjects, but one needed
to meet requirement for associate’s degree. I had previously signed up for a history class on line
but soon realized I needed to take in class with another professor. This is what led me to having
Professor Edler.
The day I walked into his class back six or so years ago, I was ready to turn around and leave.
He presented himself as a very disciplined, dedicated and demanding professor with no room for
adjustments. Boy was I right, but on the other hand boy was I wrong.
Professor Edler is extremely knowledgeable about his subject matters. To this day, I still contact
him on questions I might have on history as I continue my educational career. He is the type of
professor who sticks by his syllabus and assignment dates, but is willing to work with a student
as long as the students is willing to work.
Like I mentioned, history is one of my weaknesses but Professor Edler made it interesting, and
easy. You could feel the passion he had for history in his lectures and his presentations were
always interesting, understandable and well prepared. I would be lying if I didn’t say, my hand
hurt after three hours of note taking in his class, but those notes are what got me the grades I
earned in his class. His quizzes and exams were right off his notes, he didn’t pull any strings or
tricks. And yes, I used the word earned because he expected each of us to be responsible for our
learning, it was not something given to each of us.
I ended up taking Professor Edler for two semesters, and I believe ended up with an A and B for
these two classes, which for me and history was excellent.
I think I had a unique situation with Professor Edler the two semesters I took him. Like I
mentioned above, I am an older student, so the population for most of my classes tend to be
classmates that are my children’s age. For this particular class, it was my own child as a
classmate. She kept it secret, until finally he put two and two together, but not once did he treat
us any different than any other students. In fact, the following semester there was three of us, my
daughter’s boyfriend joined us. That second semester personally was trying for me, and I
remember missing one class. My daughter came home questioning me and stated Professor
Edler had addressed his concern with her. That made a big impression on me, and stands with
me to this day. It showed the willingness he is to reach his students, and help the in their desire
to reach their goals.
I am now working on my masters, and I can personally say, I wish there were more Prof. Edler’s.
He is one of the most dedicated professors I have come across. He will go out of his way to help
any students, as long as the student is willing to do the work. If memory serves me right, he was
one of the first professors I had that actually gave out his cell phone for us to reach him, of
course within appropriate hours.
Out of all my professors, he is the only one I still keep contact with. As you can tell, he is an
amazing professor and basically all around personable.

Sincerely,

Lycia Champagne-Buckley