Professor Will Kleinelp

Will Kleinelp, an associate professor in the biology department at Middlesex County College, has spent the last 37 years imparting knowledge on his students in an interactive and educational way. The major goal has always been to make the subject matter interesting, fun and to impart it in a way that keeps an open dialogue between the students and myself, said Kleinelp. It is always important to make the learning process enjoyable.
“I believe that the classroom should be interactive. I instruct in a conversational tone and utilize the technology available in both the lecture and in the laboratory,” said Kleinelp.
Kleinelp grew up in a small town just outside New York City, but moved around a lot due to his father being in the Armed Forces. Since 1965, Kleinelp has lived in New Jersey in Teaneck, Aberdeen, Rumson, and currently resides in Millstone Township. Kleinelp attended Roosevelt High School in New York and following his graduation attended Fairleigh Dickinson University at Teaneck, to initially major in Shakespearean literature.
“I changed my major to the biological sciences and education in my second year of college when I realized that the jobs available for Shakespearean literature majors were very limited,” said Kleinelp.
Kleinelp received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Fairleigh Dickinson and went on to continue his post-graduate education at Rutgers and William Paterson University. Initially the interest in science came from taking a course to fulfill a core requirement in college, said Kleinelp.
“I had a wonderfully interesting and interactive professor named Dr. Rick Isquith. He held my attention at each meeting. He was thorough and very concerned about imparting knowledge. He changed my mind and directed me into science education,” said Kleinelp. “He later became my mentor for research, sponsored me during an internship in my graduate studies at the Franklin Institute of Sciences and has remained a close friend for the better part of 40 years.”
As an education major, Kleinelp taught at Dwight Morrow High School in Englewood N.J. for one year and at Fairleigh Dickinson University for 2 years. While teaching at the high school level he came to realize that he was not teaching, but reiterating material. “My only salvation in high school was the advanced placement courses,” said Kleinelp.
He returned to school and continued on with a research degree in physiology. Kleinelp was the recipient of a full graduate fellowship that paid for his tuition, room and board. In return and in addition to partaking in graduate studies, teaching was also required, said Kleinelp. It was teaching at the college level that really pushed him forward into pursuing a job in teaching at higher levels.
Kleinelp has also spent time developing several websites. As technology develops and moves into web spaces as a means of communication so do we, said Kleinelp. He is currently involved in the synthesis and development of interactive illustrative software for the allied sciences that students can use as an extra-classroom environment to augment their experiences in the laboratory. The websites were developed to provide students with a centralized place for information, easily accessible and current, said Kleinelp.
“Basically, it’s a one-stop shopping area for information. I develop and maintain five websites: http://www.woodriverassocaites.com, http://www.wckleinelp.com, http://www.biologyworks.com, http://www.middlesexcc.edu/anatomy (in concert with my colleagues), and http://www.middlesexcc.edu/academi/bio/index.html,” said Kleinelp.
Along with website development Kleinelp has published quite a few books. In 1982, a realization that the royalties paid by the publishers were very minimal sent him out to develop, print and publish his own books. At the present time he has 45 works published.
“My strongest present influence is my wife, Mary. A woman of incredible intelligence, strength, perseverance and vision,” said Kleinelp, “she has been my confidant and guide through the many difficult decisions I have had to make, as well as a provider of suggestions, recommendations and comments. She is the rudder that guides me.”
Kleinelp has been at MCC since 1972 and has taught most of the courses within the Biology department. Presently he is coordinating Human Anatomy & Physiology II as he teaches Human Anatomy & Physiology I. Kleinelp not only teaches, but he recently developed and taught an online course for Human Structure and Function as well as developed and taught an online course in General Biology II.
“Working here [MCC] is the best job in the world. Aside from the employment benefits, the students here at MCC are the best. There are very few if any other jobs where the clientele changes every four months. Each semester is like walking into a new position, with new faces, new goals and new aspirations in life,” said Kleinelp.
A major goal has always been to make the learning process enjoyable. This is a never-ending process and each class, with a new array of personalities, presents its own set of challenges, said Kleinelp. To continue pursuing this ever-changing goal means keeping up with the technology and getting students to use the technology in a way that is educationally advantageous for them, said Kleinelp. New technology can be used to obtain all kinds of knowledge, particularly in the sciences.
“I am very fortunate to be part of a department whose goals are all similar – a department where my colleagues share information, teaching styles, technology and the like. Our common goal is improve, enhance and make the educational experience enjoyable and fulfilling,” said Kleinelp.
Kleinelp would like to think that after taking his course, students obtain a better appreciation of Human Anatomy and Physiology. He also hopes the students walk away with an enjoyable experience, knowing that learning, even difficult subjects can be pleasant and knowledge really is power. “I enjoy each day that I get to come to MCC, even the days where there are difficult challenges. For students trying to find their way my advice would be do not give up don’t quit and try new experiences,” said Kleinelp.

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