Joyce Miller-Alper (MED ’71, ES ’74) has been teaching for over 40 years. Says Alper, “In the early 1970’s everyone wanted to intern in Gainesville and stay there to teach.”  She began at Gainesville High but quickly wanted to teach at the “new school”, Buchholz High,where at the time everyone was vying to work.  She taught at Buchholz for nine years before moving to Texas where she has been teaching ever since.

Several college of education professors had a profound impact on Alper, including Dr. Timmons and Dr. Casteel, who “would drink so much coffee when they visited the campus”.  She noted that Professor Ted Hipple debated with Alper for years whether or not you teach students or you teach the subject.  She recalls meeting with Dr. Hipple years later at a conference in Knoxville and continuing the debate.

“The University of Florida made me who I am. I am proud to be a Gator and to have been recognized by the college,” says Alper, “but the foundation was my professors. To them I am grateful for eternity.”

In 1989 Alper was named Outstanding Graduate by the UF College of Education and Texas Teacher of the Year.