Spotlight Series: Dr. Denise Barkis Richter

Dr. Denise Barkis Richter, professor of communications at 帕洛阿尔托学院 for 21 years, uses her love for teaching and traveling to bring new experiences to the lives of her students, and it has even led her to publish her very own book.

Now in its second edition, Richter's "100 Things To Do in 圣安东尼奥 Before You Die" gives tourists a glimpse of what the city has to offer. A publisher asked Richter to write the book noticing her work on 圣安东尼奥旅游, a blog that she started in 2010 to showcase the hidden gems of the city.

"I love 圣安东尼奥, so I like showing it off to people,里希特说。. "The thing I'm most interested in is off-the-beaten-track 圣安东尼奥. My [blog's] tagline is, 'For folks who want to get beyond the Alamo and River Walk.'"

Richter's idea for the blog came about after she took a group of students to study abroad in 2004. Part of their coursework included blogging about their experience, and as a writer herself, she decided to take part in the blog too. 回家后, she realized there was an opportunity to share some of 圣安东尼奥's best kept secrets with tourists and locals alike, and 圣安东尼奥旅游 was born.

通过她的写作, Richter showcases for her students how to be a self-starting reporter and writer. The students put out the 大学's student publication, the PAC脉冲. She believes that the work she does for her blog sets a precedent for the work that they do on their own.

"I think it is good for my students to see me shooting the photos, 面试的人, 把它写下来, and hitting those deadlines,里希特说。. "It shows them that you can create something yourself. You don't have to wait for someone to hire you."

The blog provides Richter an opportunity to continue writing while being a full-time professor.

"The whole reason I got my master's degree was so I can teach,里希特说。. "The thing about teaching writing is that you grade a lot of writing, but you don't do an awful lot of writing. 我真的很想念."

Richter's interest in travel also influences her classes. Throughout her time at the 大学, Richter has taken students on various trips around the United States and the world.From Spain to Washington D.C., giving students opportunity to travel serves as a stepping stone for students to branch out in the future.

"One of the things I'm most proud of here at 帕洛阿尔托学院 is that I have created these opportunities for my students to have study abroad experiences,里希特说。. "I think once you have that kind of experience, it builds your confidence and you realize, “如果我能做到的话, I can do just about anything.'"

To get a copy of Richter's book, visit the Twig Bookshop located at The Historic Pearl or a local Barnes and Noble bookstore. If you have a story idea for an upcoming edition of the PAC脉冲, please send to drichter@holinginvestmentgroup.com 考虑.