public void populateProfessorInfo() throws Exception {
        String sql;
        PreparedStatement st;
        ResultSet rs;
        Connection db = ConnectionUtils.getConnection();
        
        //User professor = new User();
        
        String prof_ID = UserLogin.id;
        
        // get the professor information
        sql = "select professor.prof_ID, professor.last_name, professor.first_name"
                + ", professor.email,section.section_ID, course.crs_name "
                + "from professor, section, course where course.crs_ID "
                + "= section.crs_ID AND section.prof_ID = professor.prof_ID "
                + "and professor.prof_ID =?;";
        
        st = db.prepareStatement(sql);
        st.setString(1, prof_ID);
        rs = st.executeQuery();
        if (!rs.next()) {
            throw new IllegalArgumentException("invalid professor id");
        }
        
        setID(rs.getString(1));
        setFirstName(rs.getString(3));
        setLastName(rs.getString(2));
        setEmail(rs.getString(4));
        
        courses = new String[2][2];
        
        courses[0][0] = rs.getString(5);
        courses[0][1] = rs.getString(6);
        
        courses[1][0] = "THIS IS A TEST";
        courses[1][1] = "MORE TESTING";
        
        
        String tempFormatStr = rs.getString(5);
      
        setSectionID(tempFormatStr);
        setCourseName(rs.getString(6));
        //this.section_ID = formattedString;
        //this.course_name = rs.getString(6);
        rs.close();

        rs.close();
        st.close();
        db.close();
    }