Coal Mines, Larry Bird, and Neurosurgery

An Interview with James W. Schmotter, President of Western Connecticut State University

by Stephanie Bisson and Jason Burger 

Where did you go to school?

 I went to a small, liberal arts college in Ohio: Muskingum College for undergrad. For my PhD. I went to Northwestern University in Chicago. 

What did you major in?

 I majored in History but took numerous American Literature courses. My focus was on colonial history; 18th century ministers and all that. I was fascinated by the past and my mother was a teacher so it seemed like a natural progression. 

How did you come to WCSU?

 That’s a long story! At the time I had a bunch of jobs at various business schools, and I had a lot of offers for positions that were only short term, one year or so. The culture of gypsy scholars didn’t really appeal to me; I mean, who wants to spend one year in Springfield, Missouri and then have to move on? I wanted to have a position where I could be there long enough to implement change and have an impact. From there, I went into the private field for a while. I sold snowplows to…well…everyone who needed plows! I hated it! But it gave me great managing experience and made me realize I had more to offer. My biggest influence was as Assistant Dean of Admissions at Cornell, a position I held for fourteen years. I liked being the person who could assist the very talented students and help them with their future career goals. I spent twenty years at Cornell and Lehigh before making the transition to the public university arena at WestConn. I liked in particular the fact that many students in public universities are first generation college students. There is less of a sense of an entitlement and more of an opportunity to change lives and inspire students in a public setting. It’s a romantic view, but one I think holds true.  

What are some of your proudest achievements at WCSU?

 Gaining a consensus on the three-year strategic plan backed by a unanimous faculty support to achieve a private university feel at a public university. I’m also proud of the community outreach and the strong hand the students play in it. One of my favorite events at WestConn was the Martin Luther King celebration this past January that featured a member of the Little Rock Nine and a gospel choir. Even I was dancing along! [laughs] Just seeing staff, students, community members, and people from other colleges coming together was a rewarding experience. To add, our program of Visual and Performing Arts is highly recognized as one of the best in the area.  

What would you like to see from the students?

Let me talk about my college experience. For me, I was this raw, hick basketball player from a coal mining district in Ohio looking to play for a big college. I was like Larry Bird, only not as good of course [laughs]. The coach of Ohio State said I could walk on but without the scholarship options and playing time. I chose instead the small college atmosphere, where I got to play a lot of basketball and have the community experience that that entailed. There I discovered that I was a student. I’ve always believed that students make their own experience. We provide the menu, the smorgasbord, the faculty; it is up to the students to step up to the buffet and make their student experience meaningful. It is important to have an emotional attachment, not just a financial one, to get the full college experience.  

The number one question English majors get asked is: “What are you going to do with that, teach?” What can you do with an English degree?

 Lots of things! Besides teaching, it makes you a good writer which is a skill you can bring with you to journalism, marketing, advertising, public relations, business in general. Being able to write well gives you an edge; a comparative advantage over others. It is a salable skill in various settings. It is a strong arrow to have in your quiver.  

What do you like to read?

Right now, I’m really into this series by Robert Caro. He’s a biographer and I’m reading his books on Lyndon B. Johnson. You guys are probably too young to know about him [Stephanie visited his museum in Texas…] but he was this larger-than-life figure, a real tragic character who was very conflicted because of his role and responsibility concerning the Vietnam War. In my Lit courses, I loved Warren’s All the King’s Men and Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby; I felt deeply affected by those novels. As I’m getting older, I find myself gravitating towards nonfiction. The last novels I read were the murder mysteries of Stephen Carter, Emperor of Ocean Park and New England White.  

What are you currently working on?

I’ve been too busy to work on any of my own stuff because of my responsibilities at WestConn. Really, I just haven’t made the time to focus on my own writing. I did write a novel about business school students in the 1980’s who all wanted to make it to Wall Street. I’m going to be immodest right now: it got good reviews from people who know good writing but I haven’t published it.  

Where do you find your inspiration for writing?

 Personal experiences. Things that I’m emotionally engaged with, something I react to, something I connect with. Writing for me is a hobby, a stress-reliever. Working on the novel, I found myself getting lost in a character; I would look at the clock and it would suddenly be two in the morning and I’d have twenty-five pages.  

How did being a writer help you with your career?

 It gave me opportunities to stand out and express myself; to be an individual.  

What do you think is the importance of writing for students today?

Not many people do it well. Again, it’s that comparative advantage you have.  

What is the power of writing in a modern world?

 This may seem unfair, but people don’t value good writing as much as they used to. With Lincoln’s “Gettysburg Address,” I mean, he stumbled through it but the power of the words was evident. Dickens’ works were accessible—everyone was reading them and his was the voice of the time. Today, with the blogosphere and the electronic media, people settle for the shorthand. It sounds elitist to say, but I think more people are writing and fewer are reading. Good writing can move people.  

What’s more valuable: being a good writer or a neurosurgeon?

[laughs] Good question! I think there’s a need for more good writers whereas there are only a finite number of positions for neurosurgeons. Writers have the ability to create worlds. Writing is instinctual, a basic element of human behavior. It goes back so far, even the cavemen in France were drawing animals on the walls to communicate—and that’s storytelling. It’s part of our species. But if you have a tumor, I guess it’s good to have a neurosurgeon.

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