Q&A with Dr. Rod Jonas
Dr. Rod Jonas started his career as a basketball coach and now serves as our Dean of the Liffrig Family School of Education and Behavioral Sciences. Hear from Dr. Jonas about the lessons he learned as a coach that translate to the work he is doing today.
Q: What drew you to the University of Mary? A: At the time, I was assistant basketball coach at North Dakota State University. I really wanted to get into higher ed in an administrative role. I was pursuing a PhD – I thought it would give me other opportunities. Eventually, I wanted to move away from coaching, and I thought coming to Mary was an opportunity to do that. I was hired as the physical education program director and head basketball coach. Eventually an opportunity opened as the student teaching program director on campus, so I took that position. Then I was named a chair of the department of education, and then in 2010, I became dean of the school. I think the Lord had a plan for me here at the University of Mary. 8
Momentum
Q: Being a program director, coach, and finishing your doctorate sounds busy. How did you balance it all? A: Well, that was also a time in my life when I had small children, so that was difficult, too. People often talk about work-life balance, but I've never believed in that concept, because I don't think it works. I, along with my wife and family, have always tried to integrate my family life with my work life, because I don't think that you can put either in a silo. For example, when the team took road trips, our kids went with us on the bus. We tried to make my work life part of our family life, so that's one way I dealt with that.
