David “Das” Odasso
Part-time faculty member, David “Das” Odasso is not only respected as a speech instructor but as well as an overall person by students of the Saddleback community.
Entertaining but challenging, according to the anonymous posts on ratemyprofessor.com, Odasso is intelligent, hilarious, gifted, engaging and motivated.
“I chose to teach college because I am very out,” Odasso said in regards to his homosexuality.
Within the classroom Odasso relates the book context to real life situations and topics such as sexuality, relationships and culture as he acknowledges the restrictions that are often placed on these topics in lower levels of education.
“I try very hard to be honest and direct so it doesn’t leave any room for confusion on either sides,” Odasso said.
Many of Odasso’s students find that his abilities to be open, personal and engaging with the class are what define him as such an influential and credible instructor.
“His style of teaching is amazing, he puts us in situations that would occur in real life and I find that the most useful way of learning,” Eric Diomartich, 19, sports marketing, said. “He is like no professor I’ve ever taken.”
According to Odasso, lecture is necessary at given times but he emphasizes the importance of discussion and interaction within the classroom.
“I believe the more communication in a classroom the better,“Odasso said. “It creates own understanding in lives.”
He believes that education is vital and can serve as a turning point for many. He was impacted by an instructor who assisted and guided him during the duration of his education and Odasso hopes to reciprocate the act with his own students.
“I do not just want to change a life, but impact a life,” Odasso said. “Teachers should challenge, critique and praise.”
As a part-time faculty member, he is not required to have office hours yet Odasso is always willing to go out of his way to make time for his students.
“He really cares for his students. He is easy to approach and is always understanding of situations,” Austen Ward, nursing, 21, said.
Out of a total 43 posts on ratemyprofessor.com, Odasso has received 40 positive comments. Although he previously viewed the anonymous notes, he now chooses otherwise, claiming that it can be embarrassing.
“It [ratemyprofessor.com ] reminds me that I can be a gay giant cartoon,” Odasso said jokingly.
Odasso believes that the only thing that differentiates between each instructor is their personality.
“We [instructors] are all focused on the student,” Odasso said. ” Students label teachers as different.”
While Odasso may not believe that he is different from other teachers, many students have praised him to be one of the best instructors at Saddleback.
Originally, Odasso intended to study medicine in hopes to work with children but switched to the field of communications as an Undergraduate Student at the University of California, San Diego. Pursuing his education, he completed his Graduate program through California State University, Long Beach.
Odasso has been teaching at college level for ten years in which five have been spent at Saddleback. While at Saddleback he has contributed to the Forensics Team as a part-time coach and currently instructs three classes, Communication Fundamentals, Persuasion and Interpersonal Communication.