Current
At the time I am writing this, I have completed my first season of coaching on the collegiate race circuit; in almost every respect it amounted the experience I had hoped for. Similarly, the academic work has been rewarding. I don't plan on entering teaching in the immediate future, but learning about education and the pedagogical method has been stimulating. For obvious reasons, education is one of the most important functions of society; through the coursework I have achieved a more sophisticated appreciation for the dynamics of educational problems.
By the spring of 2009 I intend to complete the education degree. My intentions beyond that, however, are undefined. Part of the goal for this website is to organize my own thoughts regarding the future. My hope is that over the next months I can develop a tentative plan. With the kind of preparation necessary for graduate school I would like to begin preparing as early as possible. Likewise, if I discover suitable employment I'd like to have time to develop applications. This application schedule should synchronize with the completion of the education degree. When I complete my time at St. Lawrence I hope to move on to new challenges that will allow me to influence the world in positive ways.
Background
I spent my formative years in Williamstown, MA, which is aptly known as "The Village Beautiful." Home of Williams College, the eponymous Williamstown provides myriad cultural opportunities, combined with a diverse and progressive social atmosphere. Growing up in Williamstown is something that I look back on gratefully. It is not coincidence that I have a wide appreciation of the arts; as a child I often had the chance to attend concerts and visit museums. The value placed on multiculturalism by the local community has also profoundly affected my ethical sensibility. Simply put, Williamstown is an ideal place to raise a family.
Heavily involved in sports throughout my primary and secondary education, by senior year of high school I captained three sports teams: The cross country running, Nordic skiing, and track & field squads. In addition to these positions, I was involved in the Junior Classical League (JCL), student government, and Future Problem Solving. I have to thank the teachers and administrators at Mount Greylock Regional High School for putting time and effort into these organizations.
At Dartmouth college I majored in chemistry and was able to continue participating in Nordic Skiing. My interest in chemistry was stimulated by the phenomenal faculty. Although I was ready to take a break from being in the lab by senior year, I always enjoyed being in class and studying the material. I am also indebted to the wonderful physics faculty. After taking Introduction to Mechanics as a prerequisite for chemistry, I was hooked. I ended with a minor in Physics.
Beyond the sciences I enjoyed a diverse field of study. From government, to classics, to languages, I took something meaningful away from every lecture. The physical sciences may have dominated my field of study, but I look back and realize that I could just have easily have majored in something completely different. If there had been more time, I would have loved to study those other subjects in more depth.
As graduation approached, I had yet to make any decisions about future study. More than any other factor, I was still more concerned with my coursework than with future plans. When the chance to take a coaching job in Oregon fortuitously presented itself, it seemed a good way to transition to the "real world" while continuing to be involved with a sport that I really enjoy. After a transcontinental drive in the late summer, I moved in with some former college teammates, Mr. Levi Hensel and Mr. Brayton Osgood. They were both great role models and as an impressionable freshman I tried to learn as much as possible from them. It goes without saying that it was a privilege to share a kitchen with those fine fellows.
In Oregon I worked for the Mt. Bachelor Sports Education Foundation as the Nordic Race Administrator and as an assistant coach. Organizing the Nordic events was a substantial responsibility and it was a significant learning experience. As a coach, I learned a substantial amount about training philosophy and ski technique from the Ben Husaby. After the AXCS National Masters Ski Championship concluded in late March, I had every intention of returning to the Pacific Northwest and MBSEF; it's a great club, with a promising bunch of youngsters and returning veterans. However, when I was offered the position at St. Lawrence, it was too good to pass up. Not only would I get to return to a collegiate setting, but I would be able to enroll in coursework. A Master's in Education hadn't even been on the radar, so I'm happy with how things turned out.