Lincoln, Neb. —
What is your background before coming to the University of Nebraska Lincoln?
I was raised in Denver, Colorado, and attended Heritage High School. I came to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln to play football and to get a degree in education. I attended the university starting in 1978. I graduated with my bachelor’s degree in May of 1983. I got my master’s degree in May of 1985. I was a teacher in Industrial Technology and a football coach at Lincoln High School from the fall of 1983 to May of 2007. From 2007 to 2014, I worked at the Lincoln Public Schools district office as a career and technical education curriculum specialist supporting STS, Business and FCS teachers and retired from LPS in 2014.
What is your position at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln?
I am currently an Associate Professor of Practice and head of the Skilled and Technical Sciences teaching option within the ALEC department.
What drew you to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln?
UNL has been home for me since I came to the state of Nebraska. Initially, it was to play a major college sport. It has turned into the quality and character of the people in this city and the university but more importantly the people in the ALEC department.
What aspect of working in an educational setting do you enjoy the most?
I truly enjoy the interactions and building relationships with the undergraduate students I get in class. I love the challenge to make the course meaningful to the students and their career choice to become a teacher. I want to make class relevant to them and an avenue for them to develop confidence and skill in the art of teaching.
What do you consider your greatest achievement?
My greatest achievement is all the small achievements that have led me to this point in time. I have been blessed with a marriage that has grown and blossomed into a 43-year joy-filled union. I have three great children and seven amazing grandchildren. I have enjoyed a career in education that has spanned 41 years. I can’t think of anything that compares with that!
What is something that most people don’t know about you?
Most people do not know I am a project person. I love to have a project to build something… anything that at the end of the process there is something to show for that effort.
What is your life like outside of work?
My wife and I are very invested in our church community at City Light South. We enjoy working with pre-marital couples and young married couples. We are excited about the opportunities this provides to impact the next generation.