Q. Describe how your office or department contributes to the College’s overall success. Who are the primary individuals or groups you serve, and how do you support them in your role?
A. I’d like to believe that the Lifelong Learning program is a positive presence in and around St. Augustine, which in turn highlights the College in a positive way. The St. Augustine community and beyond (Palm Coast, Ponte Verde, and other neighboring communities) are places where Lifelong Learners come from. The Lifelong Learning program is the primary program at Flagler that solely interacts directly with the community. I support our Lifelong Learners by offering a variety of programming that meets their interests, communicating clearly about our programs, supporting instructors’ needs, and being on-site (and out in the community) as much as possible to meet people in person and oversee the program’s offerings being delivered.
Q. What does an average day in your role look like? Can you share specific tasks or activities that are part of your daily routine?
A. Each day is so different! I’m often meeting and communicating with Flagler faculty, historians, and experts in the community who are interested in teaching in the program to develop new program ideas. Also, I’m collaborating with our community partners, such as the St. Augustine Historical Society (SAHS), on speakers or new events. Christine Rodenbaugh, the LL administrative assistant, and I work closely together, so I support her in her role in the program. As a professor in the Education Dept., I teach an education course each semester too!
Q. What inspired you to pursue a career in higher education, and what aspects of Flagler’s atmosphere initially attracted you?
Higher education kind of caught me in some ways. While I was a graduate assistant pursuing my Ph.D., I worked closely with two education faculty members for several years who encouraged me to pursue higher education and teacher education. A faculty position in teacher education opened right across the street from Catholic University at Trinity University. And from there I went. I was attracted to Flagler for lots of reasons, including the beauty of the campus!
Q. What initiatives or projects are you currently working on?
A. Lifelong Learning recently expanded its program to include day trips and long weekend tours led by Flagler faculty. We piloted two-day trips this spring that went really well, so I’m working with faculty members on ideas for the fall and next spring. Our first long weekend tour is filled and set to go at the end of June. It’s a KY Bourbon Tour! An 8-day faculty-led abroad program to Lisbon, Portugal, is filled and going in Sept., and I’m working on another faculty abroad program for spring 2026. The president of the St. Augustine Film Society just reached out to me about ways that our two programs can benefit each other. May 13 kicks off the LL summer session, so I’m working to see that everything runs smoothly.
Q. How have you adapted or expanded your skillset to thrive in this dynamic environment?
A. I’ve tried to be very strategic in what courses, seminars, and events are offered in Lifelong Learning so they are attractive to a wide audience.
Q. Where do you see the greatest positive impact of your work and what do you find most rewarding about your job?
A. The greatest positive impact, I think, is in the large number of people who participated in the Lifelong Learning program during the 2024-25 AY. I find many rewards in this position, but I particularly love to collaborate with Flagler faculty members who have a particular interest or passion and want to share it with the community. Then, it’s wonderful to see the community have access to their expertise and knowledge through the Lifelong Learning program.
Q. Can you share a stand-out memory from your time here or an accomplishment you’re especially proud of? What made this moment significant for you?
A. That’s hard! I guess seeing 40+ seminars, courses, or events full this spring was a great accomplishment for the program. This was a huge climb from just a few years ago.
Q. What are your favorite activities or hobbies that help you relax and recharge outside of work?
A. I’m still fairly new to St. Augustine and Florida, so I enjoy exploring the region and finding new interesting spots to discover. I came from Pittsburgh and lived many years in Washington, DC, so Florida still seems so exotic to me in many ways. I also like to watch historical period series (think Downton Abbey), foreign films, and documentaries. Cooking Italian, Middle European, and American dishes are enjoyable for me!
Q. What strategies do you use to keep lifelong learning programs engaging and relevant for adult learners?
A. I take feedback seriously from LLers and focus on what they’re interested in. I’ve moved away from “self-help” offerings as those courses were under-enrolled and not exciting for LLers. The program is open to 18+ adults (the majority of participants are 50s-70s), and these topics are the most interesting for them: history, art, art history, archeology, nature/outdoors, theater, music, film, photography, local interest, special interest, and St. Augustine history.
