Photo by Amanda Garcia.
Randi Larson
News editor
Jean Walker has been an employee of WTAMU since 1980.
She is a member of the finance faculty, teaching in the college of business and she has been the Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE) advisor for 15 years.
Walker grew up in Panhandle and resides there today, commuting to and from Canyon every day.
As an undergraduate student, Walker went to Texas Tech University, however, she holds her bachelors and masters degrees from WT.
As SIFE advisor, she and her students focus on teaching and learning market economics, entrepreneurship, focus on business ethics, financial literacy, success skills and more recently environmental sustainability.
“All of the student’s projects are done over the course of the year, and their general idea is to inspire others to better their lives,” Walker said.
SIFE co-president Luis Cruz has worked with Walker for three years and has high regard for her advisement. “She’s an expert on SIFE, and she’s very confident,” Cruz said. “She gives us confidence. When we make a mistake she lets us know it’s not the end of the world, and she helps us correct it.”
Co-president Carolina Barbery said that as an adviser Walker is very understanding and helpful, and very passionate about what she does.
During the summer, Walker continues in her quest to teach others.
“I do workshops for teachers of elementary, middle, and high school teachers, showing them how to teach economics in their classrooms at the K-12 level,” Walker said.
Through her years of teaching others Walker believes that her favorite part is the students.
“I enjoy seeing students mature as they go through their years of college and meet the real world as graduates,” Walker said, “What makes her a great teacher and advisor is that she really cares about the students,” Cruz said, “one of the first things she tells us is not to hesitate to call her.”
“The way that she explains thing is clear, and she is very understanding in the classroom,” Barbery said.
As for her prowess as the SIFE advisor, the success speaks for itself.
“I was never unsure of winning the regional competition because we had her,” Cruz said.“She’s a great teacher and anyone who takes over SIFE after her is going to have some big shoes to fill.”