Dr. Madlock Talks About His Life and the Challenges of Being a Professor

"Being a professor is a lot harder than you would think," stated Dr. Paul Madlock, an assistant professor in the Department of Psychology and Communications at the College of Arts and Sciences. With professors as easy-going and affable as Madlock, it's no mystery as to why being a professor is perceived as such an easy task. However, with a look at his 20 publications, one can get a clearer understanding as to why being a communications professor isn't what it seems and why Madlock is such a diligent professor.

The northeast Ohio native received both his bachelor's and master's degrees at the University of Akron. However, he did not go through the traditional route of schooling. "Being a professor is a second career for me," Madlock stated. Originally, he began working in the manufacturing industry, which was a family tradition. Throughout his time working in manufacturing, Madlock continued to pursue his studies with an emphasis in Business and Organizational Communication.

At first, Madlock worked as a welder from 1982-1987, then as the Director of Manufacturing Operations for Ecodyne LLC from 1987-1988, and finally he worked himself up to becoming the Vice President of the manufacturing company. Unfortunately for Madlock, the company ended up being bought by an Italian company who brought in their own management. This left him out of a job.

"I realized that I could go back into manufacturing or I could make a change," he said. Always having an interest of teaching at the collegiate level, Madlock pursued becoming a professor. After receiving his Doctoral degree at West Virginia University, Madlock had three job offers from different universities. He chose TAMIU. Madlock joked that, "[his family is] from Northeast Ohio where winters are brutal. [His] wife said she wanted to move someplace warm, and this was the warmest place." Ultimately, however, he took the job because he liked the ambiance and size of the university. "I'm pleased to have made the move here," he stated.

Besides teaching courses such as work communications, teamwork, and leadership, Madlock still has many other expectations. One expectation that he has found really difficult to manage is the bilingualism of Laredo. "I don't know Spanish and that's tough." Research is another big expectation. According to Madlock, it takes about 4-500 hours to complete a study. He has to devote time during the semester to collect data and work on his actual research during the summers.  However, being a published writer of 20 research studies makes all the effort worthwhile.

What satisfies Madlock more than the research are the students. "The student interaction is really what makes the job worthwhile," he stated. He especially enjoys teaching his Leadership class because the students are interested in being assertive and dynamic. Mostly, he is hoping that he can make a difference in at least some of his students' lives. He enjoys helping students and he enjoys when his students are successful. "You get to be like a surrogate parent...and celebrate their successes with them," he stated. 

For more information on Paul Madlock, visit http://www.tamiu.edu/ssb/content/faculty/vitae/paul_madlock.pdf

(Celia Villarreal may be reached at celvreal@gmail.com)