It’s been a bit of a roadtrip back but…… it is official…… I’m
back! In 2014 I took an early retirement from Springfield Technical CommunityCollege and signed on as a part-time consulting Co Director for NationalScience Foundation Advanced Technological Education (NSF ATE) funded NationalCenter for Optics and Photonics Education (OP-TEC). OP-TEC with a main office
in Waco, Texas and funded via University of Central Florida, had five years
left before sunsetting. I ended up staying with OP-TEC as a consultant for
about 3.5 years. Most of my work was done out of my home office in
Massachusetts with monthly trips to Waco and the occasional trip to UCF in
Orlando. The work was interesting and I enjoyed it but the Center was in the last year of funding - something referred to as "sunsetting" in the grant world and my time there was to be ending soon. I knew I needed
to find a replacement, with a preference for something a little closer to home....
In November 2017 I applied for and was offered a visiting
professor position at the University of Hartford College of Engineering, Technology and Architecture. I spent the last three amazing semesters
there teaching a variety of electronics, electrical engineering and engineering
design courses. The admins, faculty and especially the students were incredible
and it felt so good being back in the classroom – teaching. So much fun to
connect with students again after almost 20 years of academic and NSF grant administrative
work. I am so impressed with the University of Hartford community – the way
everyone pulls together to help each other out - respectful, hard working
committed….. amazing. I had left teaching traditional age college students in
1998 and was not sure what to expect in 2018 – to say I was pleasantly
surprised at Hartford is a huge understatement!
But those visiting professor gigs are temporary and don’t
last long. This past spring I sadly realized my time at Hartford was coming to
an end and I needed to start looking around again. So…. I applied for an
Engineering Professor position at Holyoke Community College, interviewed and….. was offered
the position. I start in September…. a little closer to home and also a lot closer
to my parents home.
Leaving Hartford is breaking my heart - I’m really going to
miss everyone there, especially the incredible students I had the opportunity
to work with in my classes. No names because I’m sure I would end up leaving
some out. Thanks to all of you who worked so hard in my classes – I’m jealous
of you all with your work ethic and commitment to excellence along with the internship,
career and academic opportunities you have already had or will have. If any of
you are reading this please keep working hard and stay in touch. I look forward
to following your careers.
Took the long way back to Western Mass via Waco, Orlando and
Hartford but I’m back. Looking forward to reestablishing some of those past
regional business and industry connections and working with the admins, faculty
and especially students at HCC. And yes - you bet I’m hoping to establish some sort of
a formal transfer/articulation agreement between HCC and Hartford.
