New faces – we see them frequently. In college, students and teachers come and go. Dr. Laura Blount Carper is the newest addition to the team of mass communication professors at Texas A&M University – Texarkana (TAMUT).

A Louisiana native, Dr. Carper graduated from Louisiana State University (LSU) with her Ph.D. in communication studies. Having both attended and taught at larger Louisiana universities, the move to TAMUT – or downsize, rather – has been a bit of an adjustment.

“By far, these are the smallest classes I have had,” said Dr. Carper. She recalled teaching 100-person sections at LSU. “The unity that’s at TAMUT is much more family oriented than I have seen at other institutions,” she said.

Outside of teaching, family is a big part of Dr. Carper’s life. A mom to three children and a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, she values spending time together. She is often told that she is motherly, which she attributes to being the oldest of her siblings. These values carry over into her role as a professor.

“I want to be the person that you’re comfortable coming to, to talk about your life, even if it’s not about class,” said Dr. Carper. She describes herself as a kind and loving person, and she places emphasis on being an open, caring, safe space for her students.

Although she is a teacher, Dr. Carper has a passion for learning. “Just as much as students learn from me, I learn from them,” she said.

So, if you see Dr. Carper around campus, stop and have a chat with her. Break the ice by asking her about the relationship between birthdays and hurricanes (spoiler – she was born during one).