As an educator, I believe in the transformational power of education to change lives and society as a whole. As the first in my family to obtain a higher education diploma, I support inclusive classrooms that allow everyone to grow and public policies that facilitate access to higher education.
I strive to make my classes as interactive as possible and to connect the issues I am teaching with real-world scenarios and examples. I believe that students need to be introduced to different perspectives and points of view to be able to make an informed decision about their careers and education.
Below, I introduce a summary of my teaching experience and some testimonials from my students. During my Ph.D., I taught three classes to undergraduate social work students as an independent instructor, and this has allowed me to gain hands-on experience with college-level teaching, from syllabus development to creating lectures, assignments, and grading student work. I have also been invited several times as a guest lecturer and speaker to different classes and academic events.
SW 200 History of Social Welfare in the U.S.
Summer 2026, Instructor of Record
The University of Alabama School of Social Work
Mode of instruction: Online. Credit hours: 3
SW 101 Orientation to Social Work
Spring 2026 & Fall 2025, Instructor of Record
The University of Alabama School of Social Work
Mode of instruction: In-person. Credit hours: 3
SW 410 Human Behavior and Social Environment
Fall 2024, Graduate Teaching Assistant
The University of Alabama School of Social Work
Instructor of record: Hyunjune Lee, PhD
Mode of instruction: In-person. Credit hours: 3
- Erick is by far the best professor I've had so far in my time at UA. He is so caring and truly wants to see his students succeed. He is always willing to answer questions, pause class to explain something that we don't understand, and is overall an excellent teacher. He is also very real wth all of his students. He answers questions with honesty and does not mislead us when it comes to the professional program or the real world. I would take a class of his again!
(SW 101, Fall 2025)
- Honestly, this has been the best class I’ve taken so far! The communication, the teaching skills, everything exceeded my expectations. I’m truly grateful to Mr. Erick, and I can proudly say that I’ve learned so much.
(SW 101, Fall 2025)
- I loved Mr. Scherf; he was an amazing teacher. Everything we learned in class was very helpful for a starting base of my career. I always enjoyed coming to his class! (SW 101, Fall 2025)
- He is always extremely kind and compassionate towards each student. I would 100% recommend this course with this instructor again. (SW 101, Spring 2026)
- He is the best professor I've ever had. We had very valuable conversations in class. He was great to communicate with. We felt we all felt connected to him as students. (SW 101, Spring 2026)