Like the Sound of Music, I will “start at the very beginning. A very good place to start.” I am a first generation college student who grew up on a dairy farm in central Michigan. Education, in all forms, is very important to me and it shapes who I am. While my parents did not go to college, they are avid readers. Their legacy to me and my siblings was a love of reading and life-long learning. Discussions about books, current events, and philosophy were common in our house.
I have a BA in English Secondary Education from Western Michigan University, an MSLS in Library Science from the University of Kentucky, and a PhD in Higher, Adult, and Lifelong Education from Michigan State University. My college experience was much more than degrees and academics, as I have always been involved in extracurricular activities throughout my life. Soccer, Martial Arts, Theater, and Art, among other activities, contributed to my education outside of the classroom. Summers spent working on a farm, building and cleaning sewers, working maintenance and custodial, working fast food, or painting also contributed to my learning and identity development in different ways.
Who am I today? I am a supportive husband and involved father of two wonderful children. I am a newly minted PhD, faculty member, career development specialist, mentor, and hero for hire. I love comic books. I believe that everybody needs heroes, real or fictional, to make all things seem possible if not plausible.
I believe research should flow like poetry and fiction must feel real. I believe the most powerful asset any educational institution possesses is its alumni. I also believe that many institutions currently do not treat their alumni like valuable resources. Post-secondary institutions need to know who is out there representing them every day. This is my dissertation in a nutshell.
Connecting with people is paramount to achieving all things important in life. I believe that helping others succeed is a calling, and I live my life that way as best as I can. Good friends and family are synonyms. We should always try to learn from those we teach, and to never ignore the teachable moments or opportunities for growth. I am a teacher and a learner in all that I do and all that I am. I am greater than the sum of my past, present, and experience. Hello, my name is Barnaby Pung.
I have a BA in English Secondary Education from Western Michigan University, an MSLS in Library Science from the University of Kentucky, and a PhD in Higher, Adult, and Lifelong Education from Michigan State University. My college experience was much more than degrees and academics, as I have always been involved in extracurricular activities throughout my life. Soccer, Martial Arts, Theater, and Art, among other activities, contributed to my education outside of the classroom. Summers spent working on a farm, building and cleaning sewers, working maintenance and custodial, working fast food, or painting also contributed to my learning and identity development in different ways.
Who am I today? I am a supportive husband and involved father of two wonderful children. I am a newly minted PhD, faculty member, career development specialist, mentor, and hero for hire. I love comic books. I believe that everybody needs heroes, real or fictional, to make all things seem possible if not plausible.
I believe research should flow like poetry and fiction must feel real. I believe the most powerful asset any educational institution possesses is its alumni. I also believe that many institutions currently do not treat their alumni like valuable resources. Post-secondary institutions need to know who is out there representing them every day. This is my dissertation in a nutshell.
Connecting with people is paramount to achieving all things important in life. I believe that helping others succeed is a calling, and I live my life that way as best as I can. Good friends and family are synonyms. We should always try to learn from those we teach, and to never ignore the teachable moments or opportunities for growth. I am a teacher and a learner in all that I do and all that I am. I am greater than the sum of my past, present, and experience. Hello, my name is Barnaby Pung.