Video produced by UK Public Relations and Marketing.

Noor Alattar, an English doctoral student from Iraq, will never forget the words of encouragement her professor, Michelle Sizemore, shared with her when she first arrived at the University of Kentucky. "Everything was new to me," Alattar said. "She would never just encourage you with empty words. She was more than welcoming." In fact, that encouragement is why Alattar nominated Sizemore to win a 2017 Great Teacher Award. Watch why this English professor's words were so meaningful to Alattar by clicking on the video above.