Growing up on a family ranch in Alabama was a great preparation for the ever-present hard work of academic life. From the rural south, I then traveled the US extensively, including California where I studied the growth of the history of unionism in American agribusiness. Traveling abroad has given me a better perspective on life here in the US and some view on other worlds and lives. I have visited Mexico and Canada, as well as the Bahamas, Austria, Finland, Russia, England and Ireland. During the course of grant work, I have lived and worked in Brazil for more than 10 months.

My undergraduate and first Master's degrees were in US and European History, followed by a second MA in Library and Information Studies from the University of South Carolina. My current interests surround collaboration in online environments, communication and tools employed by students and instructors, and the uses of distance education in higher education. I am indebted to the kindness of others for any success I have enjoyed in life. This exchange is a fascinating opportunity for students and instructors to embrace another culture and touch the fabric connecting our worlds. [At the left, my friends and I enjoy a local Athens coffee shop.]