2008 Woodie Awards
Using time as a tool for the future
Kirkwood President Mick Starcevich gives a glimpse of his daily life
Kimberly Van Winkle
Issue date: 4/12/07 Section: Feature
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Attending meetings, dinners and community events are some of the expectations for Kirkwood Community College President Mick Starcevich. But a closer look at a day in the life of Starcevich reveals that there is more to the man in the suit than the obligations his position requires of him.
"My mornings are pretty non normal," said Starcevich. He starts each day by feeding his cat, Socks, and reading the paper before showering and heading to his 8 a.m. meeting. "I'm not a coffee drinker and I don't eat anything before going to the office," Starcevich added.
He stated there are times he starts his day at 5:30 a.m. because of a phone call about weather or a situation at Kirkwood that requires an executive decision.
The majority of his day is spent in meetings. According to Starcevich, he attends five to six meetings a day with students, faculty and cabinet members that last about an hour each. Over the noon hour he has lunch with new employees, students and faculty.
When he's not in meetings Starcevich attends TGIF Friday mornings or other Kirkwood events. "I interact with lots of people. We have a great dialogue about where we are headed with a program or future ideas for Kirkwood," said Starcevich. "My job deals with the future." Once he finishes his day at 5 p.m. Starcevich said he attends Kirkwood events such as athletics or a play. He also spends time with his 2 ½-year-old grandson.
After dinner, when time permits, Starcevich said he watches television shows such as "Grey's Anatomy" and "Two and a Half Men." Around 9 p.m. he finishes his day by replying to e-mails. "I try to respond to every e-mail within 24 hours. Communication is very important and that's one thing I try to get done everyday," said Starcevich.
When Starcevich finds time to exercise he jogs but prefers the outdoors to a treadmill. He often jogs when he and his wife go to their cabin on Okoboji Lake. Another interest of his is cooking. "I enjoy making spaghetti sauce and chili from scratch and I took a pie making course at Kirkwood. My favorite kind is blueberry," said Starcevich.
On the weekends Starcevich's days are filled with organizational meetings and events. Sunday night he heads back to the office for a few hours to prepare for the week. Even with a busy schedule Starcevich said time with his family is important.
"You have to get to a point where you shut the door on work and think about your family. The only way you can survive is to be able to switch gears. You have to learn some way to cut that off so you can remain sane," Starcevich concluded.
"My mornings are pretty non normal," said Starcevich. He starts each day by feeding his cat, Socks, and reading the paper before showering and heading to his 8 a.m. meeting. "I'm not a coffee drinker and I don't eat anything before going to the office," Starcevich added.
He stated there are times he starts his day at 5:30 a.m. because of a phone call about weather or a situation at Kirkwood that requires an executive decision.
The majority of his day is spent in meetings. According to Starcevich, he attends five to six meetings a day with students, faculty and cabinet members that last about an hour each. Over the noon hour he has lunch with new employees, students and faculty.
When he's not in meetings Starcevich attends TGIF Friday mornings or other Kirkwood events. "I interact with lots of people. We have a great dialogue about where we are headed with a program or future ideas for Kirkwood," said Starcevich. "My job deals with the future." Once he finishes his day at 5 p.m. Starcevich said he attends Kirkwood events such as athletics or a play. He also spends time with his 2 ½-year-old grandson.
After dinner, when time permits, Starcevich said he watches television shows such as "Grey's Anatomy" and "Two and a Half Men." Around 9 p.m. he finishes his day by replying to e-mails. "I try to respond to every e-mail within 24 hours. Communication is very important and that's one thing I try to get done everyday," said Starcevich.
When Starcevich finds time to exercise he jogs but prefers the outdoors to a treadmill. He often jogs when he and his wife go to their cabin on Okoboji Lake. Another interest of his is cooking. "I enjoy making spaghetti sauce and chili from scratch and I took a pie making course at Kirkwood. My favorite kind is blueberry," said Starcevich.
On the weekends Starcevich's days are filled with organizational meetings and events. Sunday night he heads back to the office for a few hours to prepare for the week. Even with a busy schedule Starcevich said time with his family is important.
"You have to get to a point where you shut the door on work and think about your family. The only way you can survive is to be able to switch gears. You have to learn some way to cut that off so you can remain sane," Starcevich concluded.
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