| Randy L. Bott | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1945 Utah |
| Residence | Provo, Utah, USA |
| Education | B.S. Psychology M.S. Education Ed.D. Educational leadership |
| Alma mater | Utah State University Brigham Young University |
| Occupation | Religion professor at BYU |
| Known for | 2008 RateMyProfessors.com #1 National Professor |
| Religion | The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints |
| Spouse | Vickie (Pehrson) Bott |
| Children | 6 |
Randy L. Bott (born in 1945 in Northern Utah) is an American professor of religion at Brigham Young University (BYU) in Provo, Utah, USA. He teaches classes on missionary preparation and the Doctrine and Covenants, and is a prolific author of LDS doctrinal and motivational literature. In 2008, he was also listed as the highest-ranked professor on Ratemyprofessors.com.
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After earning a B.S. in psychology from Utah State University, Bott subsequently earned a M.S. in education from the same university and an Ed.D. from BYU in 1988.[1] Bott also speaks Samoan.[2]
Bott is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and has served in various leadership capacities for the church, including bishop, high councilor, stake presidency counselor (twice), and as a Mission president in Fresno, California. Bott married Vickie Pehrson in September 1969, after dating for two and a half years, despite the age difference—the two beginning their courtship when he was 21 and she 16.[3] They are now the parents of six children (3 boys, 3 girls) and the grandparents of eight.[2]
Bott says he spends four to six hours every day answering phone calls and e-mails from his students, which "enables him to have a more personal touch with the students he teaches".[4] At the beginning of every class, he also invites students to ask any question they wish about missionary life, LDS Church doctrine, and personal comportment. Bott's tests, which he calls "celebrations", are open-note, open-book.[5] In 2008, Bott taught 3,149 students at BYU, which is more than 10 percent of the university's student body.[6]
Out of the more than one million professors listed on Ratemyprofessors.com and the six million ratings listed there,[7] Bott was the highest-rated professor in America in 2008.[8][9]
Bott has authored and co-authored numerous books on LDS Church doctrine, missionary preparation, application of doctrine to life, and the writings of Joseph Smith.[2] Many informal reviews of his work have emphasized how accurate and helpful his books are in preparing people for missionary service.[10] Regarding Bott's missionary prep book Serve with Honor, one LDS-affiliated site commented the following:
"Every missionary should know and practice the information contained within this book. Brother Bott's experience as a mission president and missionary and daily interaction with hundreds of prospective and returned missionaries through his courses taught at BYU makes him a uniquely qualified author. This should be required reading for all newly-called missionaries before they arrive at the MTC!"[11]
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