2008 Woodie Awards
Instructors depart college, reflect on experience
Robert Lascano
Issue date: 5/11/06 Section: News
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This year instructors from the humanities, mathematics, and agriculture programs will be leaving. These include Bruce Millershaski, Steve Kucharik, and Paul Johndrow.
Originally from Ingalls, Kan., Millershaski now lives in Montezuma, Kan. He arrived at GCCC in the fall of 2000.
"A retiring Ag instructor contacted me and told me about the opening position," Millershaski said.
Millershaski was already familiar with the college, graduating with a degree in production agriculture during 1982. While here, Martin Neff, currently an instructor at GCCC, was his adviser, and afterward remained an important influence on Millershaski.
"It was nice to know that I knew somebody here," Millershaski said. "On occasion I would refer to him for help."
He also worked admissions as well as teaching during his tenure here.
"One of my most memorable experiences here was trying to do both admissions and teaching at the same time," Millershaski said. "It was a challenge but looking back I don't regret doing it."
He and his wife, Carrie, a counselor at Cimarron High School, have been married for eight years. He has a 7-year-old daughter named Hannah and a 4-year-old son named Keith.
Millershaski said he hopes that his students had a good experience while here.
"I hope that they know that we truly cared about how they do and about their success," Millershaski said.
Future plans include becoming a public relations representative for a farm equipment dealer.
"It has been great," Millershaski said. "I enjoyed working with everybody. They will all have a special place in my heart."
Arriving at GCCC in 1990, Steve Kucharik has had plenty of time to enjoy western Kansas and its weather.
"From Denver [Colo.] to here it was a big change but I had already been in Nebraska for a while so it wasn't drastic," Kucharik said.
One of Kucharik's most memorable experiences was when his sons, other friends and he went to the Juco College Baseball World Series in 1999.
Kucharik first began teaching in Garden City at the high school.
"I was teaching over at Garden City High School and I had a year over there so I thought I would try something a little different," Kucharik said.
Family also played a huge role in Kucharik's life, with his wife Cheryl and his children Kyle, Erinn, and Krista all living together in Scott City.
"It's important to have a sense of humor about yourself and what you do and [knowing] that by working hard you can make a difference," Kucharik said.
A demanding educational experience along with lectures defined Kucharik's teaching style.
Kucharik plans to keep teaching in Scott City.
"I liked it here a lot," Kucharik said. "I was doing what I wanted to do. It was fun being here at GCCC."
Originally living just outside Los Angeles, Paul Johndrow has been at GCCC for two years.
"Southern California is a desert so it not much different," Johndrow said. "It was an exciting change though."
With math class sometimes becoming a nightmare for some, Johndrow kept an educational yet open form of teaching.
"Math class is intimidating," Johndrow said. "I tried to keep a friendly and light atmosphere for teaching."
In the future Johndrow would like to move to either Texas or Las Vegas.
"I hope that they [students] know that I cared and that I tried to provide them with a great education," Johndrow said.
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