My first assignment in my 1983 photojournalism class was to photograph the intersection of Fourth Street and Lincoln Highway in DeKalb, IL. I didn’t understand the assignment. Why are we photographing an intersection? What’s the point?

Still, I headed out with my camera and took some pictures that I thought were pretty good.

I handed in the best one. It received a C.

I was not the most mature 20-year-old. I normally would not have taken well to a C if I thought I deserved better. But coming from Rus Elder, I took it as a challenge to do better.

Aside from my parents, Rus was the most influential person in my life. He gave me the knowledge and inspiration I needed to succeed as a professional. More importantly, he made me believe I could.

I was shy and unsure of myself in those days. College had been an uncertain journey. I was having a hard time figuring out where I belonged.

One fall morning, I was in the basement in Northern Illinois University’s Cole Hall on my way to the photo lab. I felt nature’s call, so I ducked into the men’s room.

Somewhere midstream, I heard someone come in behind me. I followed proper men’s room etiquette—kept looking forward, no eye contact.

I brought a newly developed print into the light to examine it. Rus and one of his fellow professors were talking nearby. When I walked by, he said, “Hello, Mitch.”

He knew my name.

He had hundreds of students, and he knew my name. That simple thing made me feel like I belonged—like he cared. And the C became a challenge. I liked him. I respected him. I wanted to do better.

My grades did improve. I became one of the top students in the class. I grew confident in that environment. But as graduation approached, insecurity started to seep back in.

Will anyone hire me? Will I be good enough?

Rus overheard me talking to my friend Mike about it. He shook his head.

“You don’t need to worry about that,” he said. “People tend to perform the same way in the working world as they do in school. If you’re a C student, you’ll be an average professional. B students will be good, and so on. You are both strong students. You are definitely viable in the field.”

That helped. And over the years, it proved to be true—not just for me, but for most people I’ve met.

I graduated from NIU in 1984 and built a career doing work I loved. I even started my own business in 2003.

Almost 30 years after I graduated, I reconnected with Rus on Facebook, where I post a lot of photos. We exchanged greetings. He complimented my work.

I felt the same sense of belonging I did when he remembered my name in the photo lab 30 years earlier, even though I had long since overcome my insecurity.

I said I was surprised he remembered. He responded by saying he was surprised I remembered him.

“I not only remember you and what you taught me, I use it every day,” I said. “Literally, not a day goes by where I’m not drawing on my NIU education. The tools may have changed, but the principles are the same.”

“I suppose everyone who has had any success owes some of it to a teacher who made a difference along the way. For me, that teacher is you.”

“Before I walked into your classroom, I was afraid every day that I would fail. After I walked into your classroom, I was inspired to succeed. It was like you turned on a switch and I finally saw what I wanted to be. Then, you provided the tools and guidance I needed to get there.”

“Thank you.”

I was glad for the opportunity to say that. What I didn’t mention, though, was that C. For years, it was an unresolved challenge. I still wanted to understand the assignment. I still wanted to do better.

When I moved back to Illinois, it was time to settle it. One evening, I drove to DeKalb to photograph Fourth and Lincoln. The featured image in this post is the result.

Sadly, Rus passed away just a couple weeks after this photo was taken. I never got to ask his opinion. But over the years, I’ve had a lot of time to think about that assignment, and I think I understand the point.

Photojournalism is about telling stories with images. So why not send new students to a mundane place and see what kind of stories they bring back? Let’s start with storytelling and get to the mechanics later.

Hopefully, this image is an improvement.

If you have enjoyed my photos over the years, you have Rus to thank.

If I have given you photography advice, you share his wisdom.

And if you don’t believe you can make a difference in someone’s life just by letting them know you care, I’m here to say you can.

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If you want to see more of my photos, you can visit my website. If you want to see some cityscapes like the one mentioned in this post, check out this gallery.