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- Dr. Michael Curtis
College of Education Faculty Oral Histories
Dr. Michael Curtis
LT: Sure.
MC: So I don’t think we should necessarily just follow along. I think we need to be part of the larger enterprise, but also be an influence in where the University is going. It seems to me that the College continues to be respected, but perhaps for different reasons. If you look at things such as external funding, even when I came to the University I think the College had been very productive in that regard, and we continue to be more so now. The College really stands out compared to most other colleges of education in terms of the amount of external funding it brings in. Within the University, except for the very largest colleges and areas like medicine, the College still ranks near the top in terms of the funds it brings in to the University from the outside. I think the College, from my point of view, is really quite well-respected in the University.
LT: If I could shift more toward a personal note if I could. If someone were to ask you after you retire what would be some of your most significant memories of your experience here in the College? What would that sound like?
MC: Well, I personally really value personal relationships. I would talk about the accomplishments of the School Psychology Program, which will always be a piece of the pride I have as a professional. However, personally, for me, I really value the relationships I’ve had with other faculty here and people in administration. I really admire people who contribute to those things that other people are trying to do. I always have valued a collaborative approach to things we do professionally. I think that is one of the most pleasurable parts about being here is having many opportunities to work with colleagues who are truly wonderful, as well as with many of my students. We’ve taken on much more of a mentoring professional development role with our students than I think existed previously. That really starts to give you a lot of pride when you look at those people and what they are accomplishing as graduates of the program. Soon you have both the professional perspectives and also personal connections with former students. I think it’s very important.
LT: Is there anything else that I haven’t asked you that you would like to say? You’re a significant part of the development of the College, and we want to record this for history.
MC: I’m not sure I agree that I was a significant part of the development of the College. There are times when, with all the time and energy that we put into the College, you get the feeling that you’re a part of this massive movement of energy and sometimes you get very tired. I have always taken an approach in my work that you do what needs to be done. Sometimes that means you have to bite the bullet and dig in your heels. And sometimes it means having to invest a great deal of extra energy. I guess those are the things I see the faculty coming in now with a lot of energy that can only help us as a college. In some respects, you look back at your own career and where you were when you came in and back when somebody referred to you as “new faculty.” All of a sudden now you are looking at others who are the “new faculty” and you realize that there has been a transition.
LT: Happens to us all.
MC: It does for sure.
LT: One last question before we leave. I’d be interested if you could reveal your observations about the student body.
MC: Are you referring to the College of Education?
LT: Yes, or at large in the University.
MC: I think at the larger, the broader level of the University, there are things that I have noticed as a member of a group of faculty who really enjoy the camaraderie of the social aspects of campus, including, for example, the new football program. There are a group of about 16 of us who have had season tickets from the very beginning. One of the things I started to notice was the building of dormitories, the building of fraternities and sororities, along with the football program. It seems to me that there’s a new energy and life on this campus that comes from having a residential student body. It’s very hard for students, especially when they are holding down one or two jobs outside of being students, to participate in campus life. You come to class, you go to work, you go back home, and there is no permanency or attachment to the campus except for the classes. That seems to be changing. You can see the change from those very first football games, and now you look at the end zone with the student body, and it really gives you an uplifting spirit to see that energy. I think you will start to see more of that on campus with the kinds of activities that I’m familiar with at many other institutions where you have a large on-campus student body. I think we’re seeing much more of that at the University of South Florida. I run into students who have not been gone that long, and they tell me that they barely recognize the campus because of all the building and everything that’s happened here. It demonstrates how much this University is changing.
When I look at the quality of students we have applying for the School Psychology Program, it tells you that this place is attractive to highly-qualified students from all over the country. I think there are a number of changes in the student body, all the way from the university level down to the specific program level, that are consistent with the transition we’re going through at this University. In many respects, I personally think it’s a very exciting time. So, as you know, when you start to talk about your retirement you also start look at those types of changes.
LT: Sure.
MC: It’s with some pride and some excitement.
LT: Mike, I want to thank you for coming in this afternoon and sharing your experiences and perceptions of your years here at USF. Thank you for all you have done for the College and the University.
MC: Thank you very much. It’s been my pleasure.
End of Interview