Dr. Germic arrived on campus on Sept. 3 as Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs. He replaces President James Cousins, who served in this role for three years. Welcome, Dr. Germic! We are glad you are here.
Hometown
“I grew up outside of Detroit, in Clawson, Mich., though my family roots are in the “U.P.,” Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. At heart, I am a ‘Yooper.’”
Why you chose English and teaching?
“I love reading, and I love learning. Talking about books has always been one of the great pleasures of my life, and to do it for living? How could I ask for more?”
About your career?
“I think life should be treated as an adventure. Probably because I read so many adventure books growing up, and, well, I am reading them even to this day. Exploring new places and learning new cultures, even cultures within the U.S., keeps us growing and learning, and I have been very fortunate to pursue a career that has allowed me to live a full and adventurous life.
“A highlight is probably the time I spent in Cairo, Egypt, where I was brought on as an English professor but also to support a new Center for American Studies at the American University in Cairo, which I eventually came to co-direct. The mission of the Center, which was endowed by a generous gift from a Saudi prince, was to help increase mutual understanding between the United States and Arab States in a ‘post 9/11’ world. This was rich and rewarding work that taught me a great deal about the power of listening, mutual respect and the scale of what can be accomplished with shared goodwill.”
What drew you to KWC?
“Several things made this an easy decision. Everyone I met was warm and welcoming, generous with their time and energy, and so obviously dedicated to the College and the success of its students. There was also the opportunity to work with Dr. Cousins and continue what he has started. Dr. Cousins clearly sees that growing and securing the future of small colleges means leaning into what often gets called the ‘New American College’ model. To remain relevant and ultimately to prosper, small colleges are diversifying their ‘portfolio’ of programs by, for instance, developing online presence and new graduate programs. These have great value in their own right, but they also go far to supporting that more traditional academic experience that is the core identity of the small college. I am excited about the opportunity to work with all my colleagues as we tend to the next stage of KWC’s evolution.”
What are your first impressions of KWC and Owensboro?
“I am sure I can’t be the first person to come from another area and describe this College and Owensboro as hidden gems. The campus is beautiful, and Owensboro has the small-town vibe with all the amenities of larger cities. I fell quickly in love with the downtown and waterfront areas, and I am taking notes for my ‘bucket list’ of places to explore throughout the region. First on the list is Paradise, Ky., and the Rochester Dam. I fancy myself as at least a marginally capable guitar player, and my musical hero is John Prine. Some readers will no doubt get the connection between John Prine and Paradise. It’s a kind of mecca for Prine fans.”
What are your immediate plans/goals?
“To listen and learn. To take a lot in and a lot of notes. All this to help guide planning to grow the College and do all we can to support the staff and faculty as we pursue our ultimate goal of helping students achieve success. It probably doesn’t take an outside perspective to see that this is a special place, and my goal is to be the best possible caretaker I can be.”
What is a provost? What does a provost do?
“I think higher education persists in using that title to keep people a little confused! But the essential responsibility is to assure the quality of the academic programs of the school. On a day-to-day basis this mostly means working with faculty and staff colleagues to review processes, make changes to the curriculum, guide and support faculty development, develop new programs and generally explore and implement best practices for student learning and success.”
What is a typical Saturday?
“It depends on whether it’s college football season! But typically I have a slow morning of reading and coffee then I go to the gym before lunch. I like house projects, so afternoons are often spent, say, making a new bookshelf or tiling a new backsplash. If I am lucky, I can sneak in a nap. In the evening, I often wander out for some live music in the folk/bluegrass genres. Then back to books before bed. Fact is I lead a pretty quiet life for all the talk of adventure.”