Asst. Professor of Actuarial Science at Grace College & Seminary

  1. Where do you work? I teach at Grace College in Winona Lake, in northern Indiana.  I’m responsible for our Actuarial Science major.
  2. Do you work in person or remotely? Almost all of my instruction at Grace, as well as my other interpersonal work, is done in-person, but it can also be remote, on occasion. In-person is ‘far and away’ my preference. 
  3. Do you travel for work? If so, how much? To where? So far, my work-related travel is all for the purpose of continuing education. For example, I attended an actuarial conference during summer break.
  4. What type of benefits do you get? How do they compare to previous roles? I get intrinsic benefits!  The reality is that my financial compensation in a teaching role is far less than what’s available in industry, even adjusted for an academic schedule. But then, the work environment itself is a wonderful benefit.  There’s a tremendous amount of forward-looking energy in an environment dedicated to helping people prepare for their future careers.  The privilege of interacting with students and the ever-present opportunity to make significant and meaningful contributions are the greatest benefits. 
  5. How flexible is your company about when/how you get work done? I’m allowed to work whenever I can!  Live instruction necessarily has a fixed schedule, which I think is more rigid than most of the scheduling that I’ve experienced in industry.  On the other hand, most of your time spent as a teacher (preparation, grading, advising, committee work, administrative tasks) is done outside of that fixed schedule.  Flexibility is a necessity in trying to fit everything in/get everything done.
  6. Are there set “business hours” you’re expected to be working and available? As mentioned above, there’s necessarily a fixed schedule for in-class instruction, and beyond class time, you need to be available to students for what we call “office hours”, when they can come with whatever questions they have.  Committee meetings are usually scheduled during typical working hours.
  7. Do you often work more than 40 hours per week? During the school year, far more.  During breaks, I certainly work less, as you would probably imagine.  But there is still work to do over breaks, and more than you would probably think.  I’ve worked at large corporations and smaller companies, and I’ve taught at a large university and now I teach at a small college.  At a small college, like at a small company, there’s less specialization.  You need to wear more hats, and carry more responsibilities.  Those hours add up.  You really have to love teaching (which I do).
  8. Do you hang out with other professors or colleagues outside of work? I’m sometimes able to spend time with colleagues outside of work, but I think more of our social interaction occurs at school.  
  9. What aspects of working for your company or in your geographic location do you love? What would you change? We enjoy a collegial environment at Grace College.  The faculty here love teaching, and they’re committed to making a difference in our world. I’ve also really been impressed by the people who live in this geographical area.  They are, consistently, the nicest people I’ve met.
  10. If you could work anywhere in the world, where would you choose? I would choose to work in a classroom of curious students, eager to learn.  That classroom could be anywhere in the world, or even virtual. I can also be very happy working in my wife’s kitchen, or in my backyard.