The Last Few Months at LU: Chaos, Growth, and the Beautiful Madness of Reinvention

If someone had told me a year ago that I’d be juggling a new role at Lincoln University, doctoral research, two jobs, a teenager entering the “I know everything” phase, and two dogs who believe they are co‑CEOs of my household… I would’ve laughed, nodded politely, and walked away before the universe heard them.

Yet here we are.

The past few months have been a strange, exhausting, hilarious, and unexpectedly meaningful chapter — the kind of chapter that forces you to grow whether you planned to or not.

Landing at LU: The Orientation That Never Ends

Starting at LU felt like stepping into a moving train while carrying three laptops, a notebook full of ideas, and a coffee that was already cold. Every day brought a new acronym, a new system, a new “Oh, we don’t have documentation for that,” and a new opportunity to build something better.

I’ve spent these months learning the landscape — the people, the processes, the gaps, the strengths, the ghosts of systems past. And honestly? It’s been good. Challenging, yes. But good.

There’s something energizing about walking into a place that’s ready for modernization and clarity. It’s like being handed a puzzle with half the pieces missing and being told, “Make it beautiful.”

Challenge accepted.

AV Modernization: Or, How I Became a Professional Room Detective

If you’ve ever walked into a classroom and tried to figure out:

• what equipment is original,
• what was added later,
• what was installed by someone’s cousin in 2009,
• and what is held together by hope and a single screw…

…then you understand my life lately.

From MLK Hall to random corners of campus, I’ve been mapping rooms, documenting equipment, and sending Extron emails that probably make them question their career choices. But we’re building something real — a standard, a plan, a future where faculty walk into a room and everything just works.

A man can dream.

Meanwhile, in My Personal Life…

Because life loves balance, my home world has been equally chaotic and entertaining.

Jace

My son is 16, which means he currently knows everything, sees everything, and is allergic to waking up before noon. But he’s growing, learning, and becoming his own person — and I’m proud of him even when he pretends not to hear me calling his name for the fifth time.

Beau & the Chihuahua

These two have decided they are part of my brand now. They supervise my Zoom calls, judge my life choices, and bark at absolutely nothing at least twice a day. They bring joy, chaos, and fur to every corner of my life.

My Schedule

Between LU, my second job, doctoral research, and trying to maintain some form of sanity, my calendar looks like a Tetris game played by someone who hates me. But somehow, the pieces keep falling into place.

Growth, Reflection, and the VK Mythology

These months have stretched me — professionally, personally, academically. They’ve reminded me that reinvention isn’t a moment; it’s a process. And sometimes that process looks like:

• solving problems no one warned you about
• building systems from scratch
• learning when to push and when to pause
• laughing at the absurdity of it all
• and choosing to keep going anyway

I’m still becoming the version of myself I want to be — the leader, the creator, the father, the builder. And LU has become part of that journey in ways I didn’t expect.

More challenges are coming. More projects. More late nights. More opportunities to shape something meaningful.

And honestly? I’m ready.