Courier

Media Credit: Victoria Cheney Speech Professor A.C. Panella's laid-back demeanor, as well as her ability to put people at ease, make her extremely relatable to students.

It should be no surprise that professor A.C. Panella gets along well with students. Communication is, after all, her specialty.

The Speech Department professor, known to most simply and ever-so-coolly by her last name, has been at PCC for only three years (the last two as full-time faculty,) but she has already become very involved in student affairs.

Aside from teaching a full load of classes, ranging from a course in interpersonal communication to one in argumentation and debate, Panella is also an assistant coach of the speech and debate team as well as the faculty advisor for the United Rainbow Alliance.

She also puts her wide range of skills to use off campus, working as a community organizer and lobbyist for such things as environmental and human rights issues.

Keeping busy is nothing new for this youthful, easy-going professor. After graduating from Sonoma State University with a BA in music and education in just three years, she went on to San Francisco State University. There she completed a second bachelor's degree, this time in speech and communication, as well as a master's degree in the same subject. She also received a conflict resolution certificate for community organization from the university.

Best Thing: "I was able to learn about who I was and gain a sense of self," Panella said of her years at Sonoma State. During her time at San Francisco State, she learned "how things could be applied in the real world."

Worst Thing: "The first time around I took too many classes and worked too much. The second time I forgot to have enough fun."

Most Interesting: When she was only 20, Panella had the chance to learn from one of the most famous student activists. "I was lucky enough to work with Mario Savio, who was a leader of the Free Speech Movement in Berkeley in the 60s," she said. "He was a phenomenal man."

One Thing I'd Change: "I rushed through it. I would have taken a little more time to listen, not only to the people that I agreed with, but also to those I disagreed with."

What You Know Now That You Wished You Knew Then: "I would take the time to appreciate the little things that happened," Panella said. "It's easy to get caught up in the big drama."

Advice to Students: "Do what you love and everything else will come into place," she advised. She cited herself as an example, saying that even though teaching does not pay a lot, she loves what she does and comes to work happy, and there is nothing better she could ask for.

Student Comment: "Panella is cool because she can relate to students while still remaining professional," said 20-year-old liberal studies major Jacqueline Ramirez.

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