This section offers content related to me both professionally and outside of my campus life, including a brief history, some notes about me as a teacher and person, and some other bits. Do not feel obligated to read or view, but please do so if you are interested.
SVSU hired me just prior to the Thanksgiving holiday in 2004. I officially joined the faculty in August of 2005. I was brought here to participate in the continuing development of SVSU's Professional and Technical Writing Program.
I lead the initiative that resulted in the creation of the Department of Rhetoric and Professional Writing in 2010, and I served as the first Chair of that unit. Since then, my colleagues and I have established the Center for Experience Research & Design (Curtis 143), the RPW Audio & Video Production Studio (Curtis 148), and the RPW Maker Space (Curtis 155), revised and expanded the Major and Minor in Professional & Technical Communication, and developed new programs in UX Design, Writing for Public Purposes, and Digital Publishing and Community Journalism. I am Co-Director of the SVSU Usability Research Team (URT) with Dr. Anne Tapp.
I completed my Ph.D. in Rhetoric and Technical Communication at Michigan Technological University in Houghton, Michigan in 2000. I began as a Materials Science student at that same institution back in 1986. I completed all of my degrees in technical communication, however, including a B.S. in Scientific and Technical Communication, and an M.S. in Rhetoric and Technical Communication.
My first faculty appointment was at the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls, Iowa, where I helped build the Professional Writing program in the English Department (which now goes by the name of Languages and Literatures). Despite the presence of fantastic colleagues and phenomenal students at UNI, the opportunity to return to Michigan was simply too great to pass up.
You will of course come to your own conclusions about me if we have the chance to work together. Here are some things I think are accurate to help you on your way.
I have been teaching in college-level and other classrooms in one way, shape, or form since about 1990. (If you count tutoring, my teaching experience goes back even further.) I coached youth sports (soccer and basketball) for several years, and now coach high school varsity soccer (at Essexville Garber HS). In addition, I have almost always found a way to do some sort of administrative work. (I served on departmental committees even as a undergrad at Michigan Tech.) I have worked as a consultant for individual clients and large corporations. I am a writer, designer, creator, and teacher, both by profession and passion.
I do my best to be a good colleague, a good teacher, and a good person. I try to be a simple read: what you see is what you get. Laughter comes easily to me, even in the face of difficulties and challenges. (After all, sometimes the only thing you can do is smile.) But life hands me plenty to be genuinely happy about every day as well. I try to be as respectful, honest, patient, and helpful as I can. Sometimes that comes easily too. Sometimes people present me with challenges that make it difficult to live up to that pledge. Treat me with respect, and you will get the same in return.
I do my best to be available within reason to my colleagues and students. I have a life outside of campus, but I take my professional responsibilities very seriously. I truly enjoy being a faculty member, in every way that demands of my talents and time. Don't ever hesitate to stop by or contact me if you need help with something. My door is almost always open.
Because I am generally laid back, students sometimes think they can take advantage of my good nature. Don't. It is easy to establish trust and goodwill with me, but difficult to earn it back once it is lost. I am a professor to my students. Although that may mean a lot of different things to different individuals, it never means parenting. I won't raise an eyebrow or call you on the phone if you show up late to class (or not at all), but it certainly won't help you keep my faith in your professionalism if a real crisis presents itself.
Students should understand that we have responsibilities to one another. That is, you should not assume that your education is my responsibility; if you are not involved in and committed to your own education, I can't do much to help you. I encourage every student to take an active role in her, his, or their own professional development. The people who do so always get more out of my classes than the ones who don't.