I graduated
magna cum laude from KU in 2000 with a BS in Secondary Education.
At Kutztown, I was a member of Phi Alpha Theta (National Honor
Society for History), Kappa Delta Pi (National Honor Society
for Education), Who's Who Among America's College Students (2000),
and the KU History Club (1997-2000, Vice President 1999-2000).
I also have an Associates Degree in Liberal Arts from Chaminade
University of Honolulu, Hawaii, which I earned before attending
Kutztown. I was stationed in Hawaii (U.S. Army, the 25th Infantry
Division) for three and a half years (1992-1996) and took evening
courses while there.
In the
Army, I began as a Field Artillery Crewmember. I quickly moved
on to Unit Armorer, where I was in charge of over 200 weapons,
ranging from the M16 rifle to the M203 grenade launcher to the
.50-caliber machine gun. Eventually, I became the driver for
my Battery Commander, Captain Christian Hahn. I participated
in several deployments, including operations in Australia, Guam,
the Fiji Islands, Louisiana, and Texas (to name a few). I was
a member of a salute battery honoring the passing of President
Richard M. Nixon. I also helped to coordinate President Bill
Clinton's and Comedian Bob Hope's visit to our base. I earned
a variety of awards, including the Army Achievement Medal, the
Army Service Ribbon, the Overseas Service Ribbon, the Good Conduct
Ribbon, Expert Badges in Rifle and Grenade, and the National
Defense Medal.
Upon graduating
from KU, I moved to South Carolina to work for the National
Park Service at Ninety-Six Battlefield. I also began teaching
middle school students at Landrum, South Carolina. The next
summer, I worked for the NPS at Manassas National Battlefield
in Virginia, and then taught middle school that year on the
Eastern Shore of Maryland in Denton. By the time that I completed
that year of teaching, I pretty much knew that I was going to
make the NPS my full-time occupation. I moved back to my home
state of Pennsylvania in 2002, and worked at Hopewell Furnace
National Historic Site in Berks County for the next three years.
During that time, I became a member of the KU Alumni Board of
Directors. In May of 2005, I was offered a promotion and a transfer
to the Obed Wild and Scenic River in Wartburg, Tennessee. I
currently reside in Oak Ridge, Tennessee (about 20 minutes west
of Knoxville). I plan to attend evening courses at the University
of Tennessee to complete my Master's Degree in United States
History.
My time
at KU was one of the most memorable of my life. I had a lot
of fun, participating in as many activities as possible. There
are several things that really stand out for me in regards to
those years at KU. One was the outstanding level of knowledge
that was/is represented by the professors at KU, particularly
the history and education professors. As a nontraditional student,
I was treated with respect and understanding by all of my professors.
I would be remiss if I did not mention the following people
who did much to help me, who continue to do much to help me,
and who I consider great friends to this day. They include Doctors
Michael Gabriel, Patricia Derr, Patricia Kelleher, Thomas Fries,
Gordon Goldberg, Allida McKinley, and John Delaney (History)
and Doctors Al Leonzi, Maria Sanelli, and John McAndrew (Education).
There were also many other great professors and staffs that
I dealt with at KU.
Somebody
once said that "The better part of one's life consists
of his friendships." I'm not sure who said that, but it
certainly is true. Throughout my life, I have made many great
friends. Many of my classmates at KU really made college life
rewarding and fun. I guess that's a benefit that you get when
you go to college...friendships that can last a lifetime. Working
for the government is both challenging and important. The knowledge
that I gained while at KU did much to help prepare me for the
occupation that I now have. I am proud to say that I will forever
be a Golden Bear.
Best Wishes,
Joseph
Zagorski, ‘00
