The purpose of this brief report was to develop a typology of relational turning point events between college teachers and students. Participants were 640 undergraduates who were asked whether they could recall a turning point with a teacher, and if so, to report the turning point event in detail. Analysis of the data yielded 6 large categories of turning point events, including instrumental (discussion of grade; discussion of course assignment, course content, course more generally; discussion of college, major, independent study, and/or internships; discussion of course policy/rule), "personal" (discussion of coursework and personal information; discussion of common interest; compliment; invitation; name used), "rhetorical" (lecture topic or claim; teaching style), "ridicule/discipline," "locational," and "other person." As the first of a series of studies on relational turning point events between teachers and students, the current study presents new insight into the literature on relational turning points and the larger body of literature on teacher-effectiveness. The current study also offers teachers an understanding of how to establish and build meaningful relationships with students.