ABOUT THE AUTHOR

My name is Paul Hummel, and I often introduce myself to others as a recovering engineer.  If you are familiar with the Dilbert cartoons, let me simply say that I lived all of that.  I started my college saga at Illinois Institute of Technology.  Eventually, I earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering and a Master’s Degree in Engineering Management.  I worked for many years in the manufacturing industry, and during this time I did some college adjunct teaching.  During my career I held several managerial positions in industry, the last as Director of Technology of a division of a Fortune 500 corporation.  Then in 1996, with minimal planning or forethought, I found myself working as a manufacturing consultant on behalf of Elgin Community College (ECC).

My career in higher education soon began to take shape.  I fell in love with ECC and with the mission of community colleges in general.  I worked full-time and occasionally taught college courses for my institution and two other colleges.  It wasn’t long before I set a goal to move over to the “credit side of the college” and eventually become a college administrator.  In 2006, having earned my doctorate in education the prior year, I achieved that goal.  I was hired by Waubonsee Community College as Dean for Technology, Mathematics and Physical Sciences, the position I currently hold.

I have had the great fortune of working at two excellent colleges.  The insights I want to share are drawn from the various college positions I have held.  At ECC, in addition to my consulting role, I coordinated non-credit professional development training programs for a couple years.  I also spent four years advising students in the TRiO Student Support Services program.  It was this last position that helped me understand college education from the perspective of today’s college students.

I hope I am able to achieve my goal for this blog.  With the support and advice of my readers, I am confident that will happen.

Sincerely,

Paul A. Hummel, Ed.D.