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Humans of Fort Lewis College: Mark Mastalski
What's your title, and what do you do on your job? And how many years have you been at FLC?
I am the Director of the Leadership Center, and I arrived at FLC in August 2007. I supervise five amazing staff who are committed to student development in several ways. I appreciate not only their expertise but also the passion and energy they have for making positive impacts in the lives of our students.
In terms of my role, it is diverse and every day I deal with new things. I spend a great deal of time supporting students involved in Registered Student Organizations. This includes serving as the day-to-day co-advisor of ASFLC (student government).
Of course I have many other responsibilities such as serving as the chair for the Institutional Fee Review Board, being on the Student Affairs Division Assessment Committee, sitting on the Campus Reading Board. These diverse responsibilities keep me engaged and involved in ways that I sincerely appreciate.
What do you like best about working at FLC, and why?
One of the reasons I came to FLC from my previous institution is because of FLC's commitment to undergraduate education. Having graduated from a large Research I institution I know what it’s like to be a student in a huge lecture hall with classes taught by TAs. FLC offers something different, and I thoroughly enjoy that. FLC’s history and commitment to education for Native Americans is also a draw for me.
I also sincerely enjoy my colleagues across campus, both staff and faculty, who are here for some of the same reasons. I am extremely thankful for the various opportunities I have been given to be involved and make a difference at this great institution.
Where are you from, and how did you get from there to here?
I grew up in a small town in northern Wisconsin called Minocqua, which is similar in size to Durango and very much a vacation destination for families from Chicagoland. My parents were small-business owners with my father being an independent pharmacist and my mother overseeing the day-to-day operations of a gift shop. I attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison and received a degree in Mechanical Engineering with a certificate (they don’t have minors) in Technical Communications.
Following graduation I was employed by Eaton Corporation and spent time in three different offices located in Milwaukee, Chicago, and South Bend. After 3-1/2 years with Eaton I moved back to Madison, and after a brief stint selling canoes and kayaks for a family-owned business called Rutabaga, I began my career in Higher Education.
For 3-1/2 years I was an Assistant Director in Engineering Career Services at UW-Madison. In this role I worked closely with engineering students, alumni, and employers around the country. Then, in 2003 I was offered the opportunity to create the Student Leadership Center in the College of Engineering, an opportunity I couldn’t pass up. The COE had just built a state-of-the-art 200,000-square-foot building, and along with my Student Leadership Center responsibilities, I was also named the Building Manager.
Then in 2007 a new opportunity came knocking. A friend from Madison, the FLC Adventure Education program's Lee Frazer, had moved to Durango and was bragging about Durango and FLC. One day, out of the blue, he forwarded me the job posting for the Director of the Leadership Center. I had to take a shot. Thankfully, on July 4th, 2007, I received a job offer and soon after I was on my way to Durango. (Followed shortly thereafter by my now-wife, Crystal Fankhauser, the present Director of Student Success.)
What's an interesting thing about you that most people don't know?
Outside of work I greatly enjoy hanging out with Crystal and doing fun things with friends. Usually this includes whitewater kayaking on local rivers, mountain biking local trails, or taking Riggs (our Rottweiler) to the dog park. Last year I competed in two mountain bike races (Dusk ‘til Dawn in Gallup and 12 Hours of Mesa Verde in Cortez), my first mountain bike races since the early ‘90s. Being outside is important to me as it is how I find balance and burn off stress while trying to stay fit.
Needless to say, Durango is a fantastic place to do all of these things, and I feel extremely fortunate to be here where all four seasons are wonderful and beautiful.
What's your favorite quote or advice?
“If you live life on the edge it will redefine your center.” – Unknown