Bringing energy and perspective to the classroom

When students walk into Jerry DiMaria’s classroom, they’re met with more than lectures and assignments. They encounter a professor who shows up ready to challenge them, listen to them, and help them rediscover that learning can be exciting.

DiMaria, who teaches in the Department of Business Information Systems, has built a career on combining professional experience with a student-centered philosophy. Whether guiding a first-year student through a case study or leading a group abroad, his goal remains the same: to spark curiosity and prepare students for life beyond graduation.

From first-gen struggles to faculty mentor

“I was a first-generation college student,” DiMaria said. “I actually ended up going to Bowling Green State. I thought I wanted to be in political science, but very quickly realized it wasn’t what I expected. I hated it. My freshman year, I just did not do well at all.”

That difficult start turned into motivation. After time abroad in the UK and encouragement from mentors, he found his way into training, HR, and eventually teaching. Each step reinforced his belief that students need more than a degree—they need guidance in how to approach life.

“I think sometimes we talk to students about what they want to do or what they want to major in,” he said. “But we don’t talk enough about what they want life to be like. Do you want to live in a big city or small town? Do you want to work for a big company or a small company? Those questions matter.”

Bringing the fun back to learning

DiMaria emphasizes that education should be more than grades and rubrics.

“When you’re in kindergarten, most kids are excited to go to school,” he said. “But somewhere between second grade and middle school, something changes. Suddenly it’s about test scores, ACTs, and comparisons. I think we’ve missed the boat. Education is fun.”

One of his favorite examples comes from leading study abroad programs in England. “We’d sit down at the end of the day and just talk about what students noticed. One talked about cashiers sitting down at the grocery store, another about environmental choices like printing receipts on both sides. The conversations went on for hours. They weren’t worried about a test—they were just learning because they were curious. That’s when I realized: learning can be fun again.”

Teaching with challenge and care

DiMaria brings that same philosophy into his classes.

“I don’t think there’s a magic formula,” he said. “But I can challenge students to stop thinking about the score and start thinking about whether they really learned something. Did they do their best? Did they engage with the material? That’s more valuable than checking boxes.”

Even in introductory courses, he looks for ways to push students beyond surface-level answers. “We’ll use a case study where a customer makes a claim against your company,” he explained. “The question isn’t just, ‘What decision do you make?’ but, ‘Why? What are you going to hang that decision on?’ It forces them to think critically and connect their choices to real-world reasoning.”

A professor who shows up for students

For DiMaria, being present goes beyond the classroom. He makes time in his office hours to connect with students, encourage them, and offer perspective.

He also remembers clearly the support that shaped his own career. When George Ross, then president of Central Michigan University, encouraged him to pursue his Ph.D. and found a way to help make it possible, it changed his trajectory.

“It wasn’t even on my radar, but when someone gives you that kind of opportunity, you don’t say no,” he said. “That support is the reason I’m here teaching today.”

Now, in his own role, DiMaria sees teaching as a way to pay that forward—supporting students and opening doors that they may not yet see for themselves.