Who Am I and Why Should You Read My Blog?

After several weeks of blogging, I realized that I haven't really introduced myself to you or given you an overview of what you will find on MWU Now. So, here goes.

As the intro says, my name is Karen Johnson and I'm the Vice President of University Relations at MWU. In this role, I oversee the Offices of Admissions, Communications, and Development & Alumni Relations at both our Downers Grove, IL, and Glendale, AZ, campuses. I am now starting my 13th year of employment at MWU. Basically, I'm responsible for much of the external relations for the University. In my position, I come into contact with prospective students, applicants, current students, alumni, media representatives, and other outside constituents. Because of that, I hope to be able to provide you with my perspectives on interacting with these various groups. Hence, the blog's subtitle: Perspectives of a VP.

So, what you will read on my blog? Well, I hope to provide some insights about the culture of the university. "Culture" is a big topic, but an important one when you are researching schools. I'll tell you about various campus events and student activities. I'll share news about our alumni associations and outreach efforts. I'll also let you know if there are any media issues impacting the University. I'll let you know about our plans for marketing campaigns and our web site, but I'm more interested in getting feedback from you about our efforts: What on-line features or information are useful? What's missing? What can be improved? I also hope to have some "guest bloggers" submit entries, which may include other administrators, current students, and alumni. My goal is to give you a broad-based perspective from as many MWU people as possible.

What won't you read on my blog? As a university administrator, I can't really give you the "down and dirty" scoop, assuming it even exists. Plus, my mother is a subscriber, so I have to keep it clean. I promise you honesty, and I am more than happy to respond to any questions you have or rumors you may have heard. I can't name too many names, although I'll try to share stories and news as appropriate. Basically, I hope to provide you with some insights about MWU's community and academic culture from my own personal perspective.

What else is interesting about me? Good question. I own homes in both downtown Chicago and suburban Phoenix. I travel back and forth between our campuses each week, but because I "live" in each city, I never feel like I'm living out of a suitcase. I truly believe I have the best of both worlds in two great cities. In Chicago, I have two cats, Kahlua and Bailey. In Phoenix, I have two dogs, Lucy and Jake. Needless to say, I'm an animal lover and I spend a lot of money on cat-sitters and dog-sitters because of my schedule.

Aren't My Dogs Beautiful?

I'm in a Ph.D. program in Higher Education Administration at Loyola University Chicago, so I understand the rigors of pursuing a graduate degree. Right now, I'm ABD ("all but dissertation"). I will defend my dissertation proposal in two weeks, submit it to the IRB, and, if all goes as planned, start my research in January. I'm studying the fact that women are now matriculating into medical schools in numbers equal to men, for the first time in history. (Women were the majority of students for a few years but have been slightly less than men the past two years.) I hope to graduate in December of 2007 or May of 2008.

What else? I love to travel and went on a cooking and walking trip in Tuscany this past summer. I'm hoping to do a walking trip in Prague next summer. I am a fan of late 70s and early 80s dance music (KC and the Sunshine Band, Kool and the Gang, The Gap Band, etc). In the past year, I've seen concerts by Barry Manilow, Elton John, and Madonna. I'm a Cubs fan. My favorite TV shows are Nip/Tuck, Lost, Prison Break, Project Runway, Weeds, and Gray's Anatomy. I go to lots of movies, and especially enjoy documentaries and historical dramas.

That's me in a nutshell. If you have questions, please ask. If there are topics you'd like to hear about or questions you have, please let me know. Thanks for reading!