Dr. Joe Harper, originally of Luray, Virginia, graduated with a doctoral degree in agricultural education in 1983. Following more than 33 years as a college professor of agricultural education, Harper recently retired from the University of Illinois.
[ACEL]:Why did you select your major or graduate program?
[Harper]: All my life, education and professional experiences have been in agriculture. I have dedicated my entire professional career to education about agriculture.
Why did you choose to attend The Ohio State University?
The dedication of the program towards teaching, research, and service towards teaching and learning for agriculture.
How did your education at Ohio State influence your choice of career or your career path?
My graduate program inspired me to pursue a career in college teaching.
What were you involved in as an Ohio State student?
I was fortunate to have a graduate teaching assistantship with Dr. Gliem in the Agricultural Engineering department.
What classes did you enjoy the most while at Ohio State?
All of the classes that were related to research methods and analysis because of the aspects and applications of critical thinking and problem-solving.
What professor, faculty or staff member had an impact on your education/career?
I cannot name just one, Drs. Gliem, McCracken, Newcomb, Warmbrod and Barrick for their guidance, leadership, mentoring and professionalism
What is your favorite memory related to your time at Ohio State?
Attending the department’s social activities with the faculty, staff and other students, such as pregame tailgates.
What was your first job following your education at Ohio State?
I was employed as an instructor at ATI the Agricultural Technical institute in Wooster, Ohio for about a year and half.
For what schools, companies and/or organizations have you worked throughout your career and what were your responsibilities in those positions?
These are the positions and institutions I have had throughout my career
- 1973-78 Agriculture Teacher, Loudoun Valley High School, Purcellville, Virginia
- 1978-80 Graduate Teaching Assistant, Penn State University.
- 1980-83 Graduate Teaching Assistant, Ohio State University.
- 1983-84 Instructor, Agricultural Technical Institute, Wooster, Ohio
- 1984-90 Assistant Professor, University of Nevada-Reno
- 1990-1998 Associate Professor, Clemson University
- 1998-2017 Professor, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
During your career, honors or awards have you been presented?
I have been recognized on several occasions, the most significant for me was to be honored by undergraduate students for my teaching and advising.
As of today, what is your favorite career highlight?
For the later part of my career I was the program coordinator for the Technical Systems Management degree program. The undergraduate program grew to more than 200 majors and had the highest employment placement rates and starting salaries the college. During that period we were able to develop and implement a new graduate program with a graduate program option in Professional Sciences.
What advice would you give to a current student?
Your degree program is a means to a career, not an end in itself, work towards a career that you has value to you, focus, and work with dedication.
What did ACEL cultivate in you?
Fostering critical thinking, with a foundation in problem-solving, and the perspective that it is not what you know, but what you are able to do.
