Dr. S. Kay Rockwell Educator Lincoln, NE https://youtu.be/j8gm1CM-wq0 How have you navigated disruptions in your industry to remain a top professional? First, I was a nursing educator and then I was a stay-at-home mom. When I got my master’s degree, I took classes in the evening when my husband was home. I found a part-time job that gave me the opportunity to work on my PhD because I was employed at the university. I always continued to educate myself. What is the most important issue/challenge you are dealing with in your industry? We need health care for all and it needs to be readily available. I think we’re in a changing environment with COVID-19 and we need to focus on deliverables from a distance. Educators need to be brought up to speed on how to most effectively use distance delivery methods that we now have available to us. What innovations or technologies do you feel will shape the future of your industry? I had an appointment with my doctor via Zoom; I was at home and she was at the office. We have geniuses out there that are working on these things every day and know far more about it than I do, and they are so much more creative. What excites you the most about your industry? When I graduated from high school, I basically had three choices: I could go into home economics, I could be a secretary, or I could go into nursing. I chose nursing because I was brought up on a farm and my parents didn’t have very much money. For $500, I could get a nursing diploma. It was a very economical way for me to get an education. I wasn’t particularly excited about nursing, but I was a very good nurse. Mike Syropoulos, EdD School Systems Supervisor (Retired) Macomb, MI http://marquismillennium.com/5thEd/129 What are two key behaviors/personality traits that allow you to be effective in your role? Patience — I am a very easygoing person and nothing really bothers me. I try to look at a situation, solve it, do the best I can and go on. I grew up in Greece and remember when World War II began; I was only 6 years old in 1940. We really suffered during the war — I don’t know how we survived because we were completely isolated from the outside world. After sixth grade, I went to school at night from 6:00 to 11:00 six days a week — I barely slept. I finally found a job in an advertising agency that was handling the Marshall Plan and I worked there until I immigrated to the United States. What is the most important issue/challenge you are dealing with in your industry? I always wanted to do the best no matter what I did. In the classroom, I always wanted to do the best I could for the kids that I was teaching. Over the years, I’ve found that a lot of parents have a hard time reading, so I would open up classes to teach them. Sometimes I didn’t have enough chairs. What excites you the most about your industry? I try to find the best way to teach students. I like to see people succeed and kids improving. Teaching in the inner city, you never know if the kids will graduate from high school. When I found out that some of them ended up becoming doctors and lawyers, it made me feel really good and I’ve tried to keep in touch with them as much as possible through friends. I got into education to help people and I’m still doing that now. 10 Marquis Who’s Who Insight | Fourth Edition
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