20 Years

I just returned home from campus where PUC concluded the annual
"awards assembly" where faculty and staff are acknowledged for years
of service, accomplishments or retirement.

I received a very nice little clock (made in China) with my name on
it, recognizing me for 20 years of service to Pacific Union College.
I do not know how to feel about it. Pleased, yes, Honored, not
really, Surprised at the passing of time, I suppose, Depressed, at
least a little.

20 years, that is enough time to go from P51 Mustang airplanes to
putting a man on the moon. What have I done? Oh, I know, "well, you
have touched lives and influenced young people during their formative
years...." blah blah blah. It feels kind of funny to be moving into
the ranks of the longest serving employees at this institution. Who
would have ever guessed it. So I shall bore you with a brief review
of how to spend 20 years at work.

First, a year before the 20 began, Linda and I married. We spent a
year as broke PUC students before one of us had a staff job of any kind.

Year 1: Heating Plant Supervisor. Operating boilers, firing sleeping
students, climbing inside huge equipment to remove corrosion and
calcium scale.
Year 2-12: Heating Plant Manager. Became the boss, managed budgets
and learned more and more about myself, human nature and how to fix
things with no money. I also began consulting with the Bay Area Air
Quality Management District where I was mentored into the realization
that thinking adults could disagree with each other and then go out
to a fine lunch of Thai food. I learned the true meaning of
"collegiality" and I was urged to return to school and finish my
bachelors degree. Along the way I became the only Chairperson of the
BAAQMD Hearing Board to serve in that capacity with less then a
Doctorate degree.
Year 12-17 PUC program representative. I went back to night school,
finished that degree, had a son and stepped out of the Power Plant
into a suit and tie to recruit adult students into the same PUC night
school program I had just finished. The credit for this
transformation from machines to people goes to Linda, Gary Gifford
and David Ritter, Tom Ferritto, Dr Jim Hughes and Mary Romadis. Each
of these people nudged, urged, pushed, prodded or just plane shoved
me forward and into the light. I thank them.
Year 17-20 Assoc. Director, Enrollment Service. Locked to a desk,
loving nearly every minute of it and working with seven wonderful
full time staff and 21 part time students to share the word with
families about the possible reality of a Christian college education
for today's young people.

I know for a fact that it is unusual and difficult to move from the
trenches, literally, into my current position without changing
institutions or employers. I am so grateful that I have been at PUC
all these years. The squabbling on campus, the strong leadership, the
tepid leadership, the changed lives of students; it all melds into
the years and they have been good years.

Only God knows about the next 20, and that is probably best.