A conversation with Mr. Manchee
What do you teach at UTEC?
The official title of what I teach is Graphic Communications,
but to explain further, my class acts more like a business
setting, true to life. I teach a three-fold business involving
graphic arts, business and computers.
What was your job before you taught at Mesa State College?
I was a graphic artist for 25 years, designing logos, T-shirt
designs, doing some cartooning, and designing the pictures
for children’s books.
What made you change your career?
Well, I really didn’t change my career completely.
I was making more money in the graphic art field than I
did teaching, but I needed a change. I still do a lot of
the same work with my students.
What are your hobbies?
My only true hobby would be graphic art. My hobby is what
I was doing before teaching at Mesa State College, a lot
of spot work. I usually produce about 700 to 1,000 pieces
of graphic art a year. I’ve written an education novel
and right now I am working on illustrating the classic book
“The Odyssey” and a children’s book.
Where were you born and where did you grow up?
I was born in New Jersey and moved when I was three with
my family to Houston, Texas, where I lived for 23 years.
What brought you to Colorado?
Colorado was a good central zone for my graphic arts business
and I like the area and the people.
What family do you have?
I have a son who is 18 who is going to school at UTEC. I
also have a daughter who is 11.
What is the most important part of teaching in your
mind?
Maxing out a student’s potential and providing individual
attention. Having fun is very important, because if you
don’t enjoy what you are doing, it shows.
What is your favorite part of teaching?
The look a kid gets when you finally get through to them.
… the students are definitely my favorite part of teaching.
I love the audience of a classroom.
How would students describe you?
I like to have fun and get a lot of laughs in class. They
would probably describe me as a ham in the classroom and
out. They would also describe me as a tough teacher, demanding
and professional.
When do you know you’ve done your job as a teacher?
When the students teach me something, I know I’ve done
my job.
Written by Natalie McDonald, Mass Communications student
