By SHANDA MURRAY
Laughter floats from 151 TNRB and cries of 'Story, Norm, story' are heard. Is this some kind of party or just Accounting 200?
Then again, 'Norm' is no typical accounting instructor. Enter Norman Nemrow, the professor who warns his students not to call him 'doctor' because he doesn't hold a Ph.D. He jokingly urges them to address him as 'Master Nemrow.' After all, he does have his master's degree.
Students learn the practical value of the language of business with plenty of jokes along the way to smooth over the process.
'It didn't matter what was being taught on a particular day, but he always made it fun with his funny stories. Even though the subject might have been boring, I still wanted to make it to his class,' said Mike Jensen, a junior from Elko, Nev., majoring in public relations.
The subject was difficult for Jensen, but he said wanted to learn because Nemrow 'showed how to apply it to real life.'
David Fuhriman, a junior from Portland, Ore., majoring in public relations, has similar feelings. 'I liked him because he realized it wasn't the most exciting topic, so he used a lot of practical applications and stories to make it useful for us.'
After completing a master's of accountancy degree at BYU in 1979, Nemrow went to work as an accountant at Arthur Andersen & Co., and later as partner and president of a start-up real estate investment company in Orange County, Calif.
His accounting and business background gave Nemrow the skills to teach accounting. Before coming to BYU, he had a professorship in the Pepperdine Graduate School of Management.
What sets Nemrow apart is his love of teaching and enthusiasm that students can feel. 'He was excited about it,' said Fuhriman.
'I just enjoy the process of finding out where the stumbling blocks of learning are and figuring out different ways to overcome and explain these so people can understand,' Nemrow said.
Sometimes professors think on such a high level that they have a hard time explaining concepts to students. 'Maybe that's my advantage, I'm dumb' Nemrow said in his classic 'Norm' style.
Thinking as students do and feeling their pain is well appreciated. Budding undergraduates clamor to get into Nemrow's stuffed classes, even sitting in the aisles of the large auditorium.
Despite his huge classes, 'he acts like he cares about you and understands what you are going through. The other day he said we were going to hate him for a terrible assignment, but that it was an important one,' said Melanie Bridge, a sophomore from Greensboro, N.C., majoring in public relations.
Nemrow often stresses the privilege of attending BYU. 'Let's face it, the church pays for this university. Why should they take tithing from Bolivia to pay for some rich California kid to go to school?'
To Nemrow, the LDS church's funding of the university is for a spiritual purpose: to train future church leaders in spirituality and for careers.
'This is a way for me to do something that helps the church,' Nemrow said. 'My hope is to have spiritual impact, bless students' lives for the long term. It's not just about making a dollar.'