After attending and teaching at different universities and colleges, Dr. Rolland Fraser a full-time instructor of biology believes he has found his home at Missouri Southern.

Fraser, who holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in biology from Emporia State University and a Ph.D. in geography from the University of Nebraska, likes the size and feel at Southern.

“The size allows the instructor to know the students and the students to know their instructors,” he said. “You don’t get lost in the numbers.”

Before joining the Southern teaching staff, Fraser taught at Western Michigan University, DeVry University and Crowder College.

In addition to his interest in biology, Fraser became an instructor to help reach students. “My sister always reminds me that I was the one in high school who always said I hate school,” Fraser said laughing.

The one thing Fraser didn’t like about high school was that he thought there were a lot of bad teachers. He saw that he could make a difference if he became an instructor.

“I really saw learning styles that worked and that didn’t work,” he said.

He wanted to be able to help students by helping them utilize their proper learning styles and then relate them to biology.

The one thing Fraser wants his students to take away from his class is the fact that biology is always around us and is relevant to our daily lives.

“I like to bring out the relevance of biology in current events,” Fraser said.

That’s why before he begins each lecture he gets online to find news stories that deal with biology.

As for his home life, Fraser is the father of a fourth-grader and a sixth-grader, both attend school in Carl Junction. His wife works on campus as part of the Missouri Southern Foundation. He is fast to note that his children are involved in activities outside of school.

“That is very important for young kids,” he said. “We try to do things together when we can find the time.”