oncampus
Faculty Spotlight
Coming Full Circle by Caitlin probandt
Ralph Turner ’10 didn’t imagine himself with a career in academia—it wasn’t until Turner attended college that the seed was planted by a succession of professors. Today, Turner teaches
accounting at Schreiner and maintains it is one of the most challenging and rewarding jobs he has ever had. Turner, who was born and raised in Los Angeles, started his college career by playing basketball at California State University but soon realized he missed his family which had moved to the Texas Hill Country. “My mom is a twin, and she moved to San Antonio so she could be close to my aunt,” he said. “We’re very family-oriented. When I started looking to move here, I spoke with the basketball coach at UTSA and decided to play for him.” By the time Turner got to San Antonio, the coach had taken a job elsewhere, and Turner faced some obstacles when it came to his eligibility. “My eligibility only allowed me to play at a Division III school where
there are no scholarships offered for athletes, so I started at Schreiner,” he said. “When I came to visit campus and told them I wanted to major in accounting, they took me to meet now retired professor (Peter) Huey, and I sat down with him to talk. He told me he hoped I knew what I was in for. He was a great guy, but tough. He was actually the first professor to tell me I’d be great at teaching.” Turner continued to play basketball at Schreiner during his junior year, but met a season-ending injury when he was a senior. “It worked out OK because I was taking 18 units in the fall and 21 in the spring during my senior year,” he said. “They were all in upper level accounting, too. God allows everything to happen for a reason.” After graduating in 2010, Turner worked on his master’s degree in accounting at UTSA. While completing the final semester of the Masters of Accountancy (MACY) program, he took an internship in auditing with NuStar Energy. Upon completing the MACY program, he was offered
a full-time position as an auditor while working to pass his CPA— Certified Public Accountant—exam. “I finished in August, and I heard about this great opportunity at Schreiner” he said. “In the beginning, it was tough to stand up and talk for one hour and 15 minutes multiple times a day, but I’m really enjoying it; growing and learning every day.” The small-school atmosphere is what brought Turner back to Schreiner. He enjoyed the personal attention from his professors, and hopes to pay it forward. “I want to advise, guide and mentor my students the way I was by my teachers,” he said. “I want to help students the way I was helped. I’ve recently been through the CPA exam, and I love answering any questions students might have— even if it is just being able to ease some nerves.” When Turner isn’t formulating lesson plans or teaching class, he likes to spend time with the family, play sports, referee basketball games in the San Antonio area and attend church functions.
www.schreiner.edu Fall 2013 9