SPRINGFIELD — When he’s teaching theater or English at Springfield Technical Community College, professor Phil O’Donoghue draws from his own experience as a student who struggled with a learning disability and battled anxiety in the classroom. Growing up, he was an avid reader, but could not keep up with the lessons.

“Back then, this was proof positive that I did not really have a learning disability,” said O’Donoghue, a Northampton resident. “I was simply told that I was lazy and needed to have a better work ethic.”

Many years later, when he was in his 40s, O’Donoghue was taking college classes and still struggling. After seeing an educational psychologist, he was diagnosed with a learning disability. “It was liberating to know that I really did have a disability — I wasn’t lazy after all,” said O’Donoghue, who felt more confident about pursuing a college degree.

He completed a self-directed major in dramaturgy and playwriting from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, at the age of 47. He always loved theater and listened to his father’s collection of Broadway albums as a boy. He dreamed of being a playwright. He worked in regional theater as a young man and then worked at advertising agencies, but never felt like sales was the right career for him.

With encouragement from a UMass advisor, O’Donoghue applied for and was accepted to the Master of Fine Arts Playwriting Program at Smith College. “This is where I learned that education did not have to be a nightmare,” he said.

“I was studying what I loved. I worked harder than I ever had, but it was a joy,” O’Donoghue said.

Having successfully completed the master’s degree program, O’Donoghue applied for a position at STCC. With his fine arts background, he wasn’t sure if he would fit in with a school that had a technical focus, but to his surprise, he was offered a position. On his 50th birthday in 2005, O’Donoghue started teaching as a half-time professor at STCC.

“I fell in love with STCC right off the bat. I still am,” he said.

He was elevated to full-time in 2018 and now holds the rank of full professor. O’Donoghue said his teaching approach is a response to his own struggle as a student with a learning disability. He looks at each student as an individual and discovers their learning styles.

“I feel incredibly fortunate that the courses I teach allow me to have a lot of flexibility,” O’Donoghue said. “In my speech classes, I have had students who have had fairly profound learning disabilities. I have modified their assignments, so they could know success.”

For his excellence in teaching and service to STCC, O’Donoghue was named Outstanding Faculty Member of 2023-2024 at the 2024 commencement ceremony on May 30. O’Donoghue beamed as he accepted the award from Dr. Christopher Thuot, vice president of academic affairs, and Dr. John B. Cook, STCC’s president.

O’Donoghue’s wife, Valle Dwight, their two adult sons, Timothy and Aidan O’Donoghue, and his future daughter-in-law Phoebe Jones were in the arena at MassMutual Center to cheer him on.

“Professor O’Donoghue has consistently demonstrated excellence in teaching, while serving as a tireless advocate for the arts,” Thuot told the audience at the commencement.

In an interview, O’Donoghue shared his journey from a struggling, anxiety-prone student to distinguished professor. He said as a young man, he never could have imagined he would find a passion in teaching and transforming the lives of students.

“This is a big deal, and I can’t downplay it because of the road I’ve taken,” he said. “When I walk into Building 13 (on the STCC campus) and I see my name in the directory, I get a rush. I still can’t believe it.”

O’Donoghue forges a bond with his students, particularly the ones who participate in the plays he directs each semester. He teaches the STCC Theatre Workshop, which welcomes students from all academic disciplines.

STCC staff member Deveir Cockett ‘14 who voices the patient simulators in the School of Health and Patient Simulation, said, “When I was a student, he inspired the artistic side of me by getting me into acting and playwriting.”

STCC student Cole R. Wood described O’Donoghue as knowledgeable, dependable, enthusiastic and humble.

“His actions create an environment conducive to learning, and his impact ripples through Springfield Technical Community College students, faculty and graduates alike. Phil O’Donoghue is the prime candidate for this honor,” Wood said. “Working with him revitalized my love of artistic expression.

STCC Professor Denise “Daisy” Flaim called O’Donoghue an exemplary teacher. “In playwriting, I saw advanced writing taught expertly. Phil would take a student script and seek comments from other students, who often weren’t sure how to express their comments, in a helpful way.”

During the theater productions at STCC, O’Donoghue said he loves nothing more than going to the back of the house and hearing the audience applaud and cheer for the student actors.

For many years, he has served as one of the faculty marshals at commencement. In that role, he calls out the names of students who pick up their degrees or certificates. At the start of the ceremony, he leads the faculty procession into the arena at MassMutual Center.

“Every single year, I say to myself, ‘Life is amazing, because I’m wearing this academic regalia. I’m carrying the (ceremonial mace) and I’m leading the faculty. I feel like I’m a rock star. It’s just fantastic.”

He loves hearing students’ family and friends cheer after he calls out a name. “It just doesn’t get any better than that,” he said.

After a summer break, O’Donoghue said he looks forward to another year at STCC, where he will direct plays and teach theater and English to a fresh incoming group of students.

“STCC is a magical place,” he said. “It’s my place. STCC is where I found my home, and it’s been my home for the last 18 years. It’s just been a joy.”

Jim Danko, a former Gazette reporter, works as assistant director of communication at Springfield Technical Community College.