Student Testimonials

What do students think of Dr. Berry’s teaching approach? Find out here.

Student Self-Assessments

At the end of each semester, Dr. Berry asks his students to self-assess their learning experience. He asks the students to evaluate whether the course has enhanced their engineering skills and technical communications. He also asks the students to provide words of advice to future students who may take the course.

Below is a listing of student self-assessments, from various terms during Dr. Berry’s tenure as a professor.

Mech-322: Fluid Mechanics

“Fluid Mechanics has helped me build a stronger problem-solving skill by helping me not focus on the problem itself, but on the path that must be followed.”

Former student, Winter 2022

"Dr. Berry, I greatly appreciate your outlook on stem education & stem topics at-large. Your attitude and optimism is very inspiring as a young engineer. Thank you for your work and your continued pursuit towards growing future generations."

Former Student, Spring 2023

Dr. Berry is well known and quite famous at Kettering. Often infamously known by many, he is quite the contrary in person. Dr. Berry has an incredible passion and energy for fluids and conveys this to
his student. His understanding of fluids is exemplary and he does incredibly well to encourage his students and spends plenty of time assisting them when needed. He cares passionately and is a role model to all mechanical engineers."

Former Student, Spring 2024

Mech-420: Heat Transfer

“MECH-420 with Dr. Berry has pushed me to limits I did not know I had. But I can say with 100% certainty I am a better student and will be a better engineer as a direct result of it. Taking this course with Dr. Berry was a blessing. You will work hard in this course, but you will MASTER the concept as they apply to the real world.”

—Former Student, Winter 2021

Letters from Former Students

Avlin White, ‘88, and his wife on a recent visit to Kettering (formerly GMI)

Alvin’s children. His son, Brandon, is a current Kettering student.

A letter from Spencer Christen, ‘19

  • I will never forget two days at GMI:

    -Your 1st day teaching at GMI (and you introducing yourself as the Professor, a very proud moment indeed).

    -My last day of school. We were talking outside on the porch of 626 N. Chevrolet, and you encouraged me to consider going to grad school and pursue a technical masters, to which I replied emphatically "seriously, after GMI?, no way!"

    Never say never, I guess.  You put that out in the universe, and I did end up with an MSME Degree from Michigan two years later.

    I remember who spoke at graduation but not much else about that day. Your days that I mentioned on the other hand are vivid.

    Oddly, didn't know I would be writing this today, but you came up in a conversation I had around 4pm today.  I shared with a friend a story you shared with me about your father-in-law and how you marveled at his ability to take his family on vacation and make ends meet. Was he a postman, 4 kids, station wagon? that part is hazy, but I remembered you sharing it with me.

    I stopped by your office a couple of times this year, but I never caught you.

    Sir, wherever life takes you, my prayers go with you and wish you the absolute best.

    Sorry it's been so long, you know 'life be lifen' but no excuses.  I just wanted you to know that I will never forget all that you did for me. I won't forget the quiet yet powerful impact you made and the  difference you made. I was hoping (and still am) that maybe you could spread a little of your wisdom and spirit with my son Brandon (picture attached).  Give him some insight on what it is going to take to make it there.

    He will need positive people and role models like you in his journey of 1000 miles.

    Kind regards,

    Alvin V. White

    Class of '88

  • Professor Berry,

    I just wanted to thank you. All term you preached the importance of practice and the execution of each topic. I struggled at first but as the term went on your messages resonated with me.

    For the first time in my academic career, a professor compared lessons from sports to academics. I was a three-sport varsity athlete in basketball, football, and baseball. Something I dedicated the majority of my childhood doing. I tied the lessons I learned from sports into everyday life but never seemed to do that with school.

    You helped me connect those two parts of my life together. I worked out every single assigned homework problem for the first time in my academic career. Not once but multiple times. I spent countless hours working on each topic. I wasn't perfect but I can walk away from this class knowing I gave it everything I had, the same way I felt when I played sports.

    Most kids try to avoid taking classes with you and complain about how hard you are but they don't see that you truly strive to make us the absolute best we can be. This is why for the first time I'm not worried about the grade I'm walking away with because I've gained something far more valuable.

    The most important thing of all is that you're not afraid to integrate our creator into academics. I again want to thank you for not only the knowledge you taught me in the classroom but outside of it as well.

    —Antonio St. John

    Winter 2020

  • Good afternoon Dr. Berry,

    I am sending this email to give you more insight into my thoughts about the class as I was beginning to run out of space on the survey you gave to us today. First of all, I wanted to thank you for the opportunity to take a difficult course and be pushed to become a better student. Through my previous KU courses, I have been able to skate by without fully understanding some of the course material, simply because I could understand it "good enough" to get an A. Through your heat transfer course, I was truthfully challenged to critically think about the lecture material, which resulted in me reviewing the homework in greater detail than I have for any class I have taken thus far. Through this experience, I began to understand the fundamental concepts of the course, thanks to your focus upon the units of each problem. It sounds like a little thing, but is one that is a very important detail to double check the math through each problem. At times I was frustrated and felt as though I could not understand the material, but with persistence and trying to understand the big picture, I began to make much progress. I will remember this class for how it showed me I can learn a great deal in a short amount of time. I appreciate you providing the external pressure to unlock the better engineer in all of us students. I know this course will serve me well in my career, thank you again for the opportunity to learn and push myself to grow.

    —Cory Mazure

    Spring 2022