By Angelina Geinosky
Michael Seymour is the vice president of operations at the Anoka-Ramsey Community College (ARCC) Coon Rapids Campus. Seymour is an anomaly; at least that’s how he described himself. “In the way that I work, play, and view life, I’m a little bit different. I have the comfort from across all social classes, in the way that I can be up on 65 at fat boys, with a table full of bikers and feel at home, or I could be hobnobbing with professionals, doctors and lawyers, and have a foundation to converse with everybody,” said Seymour.
He has worked as the vice president of ARCC for the last eight years. Seymour said that now there isn’t a second that he is not thinking of the institution. He stated that after being involved with the college for as long as he has, his career became bigger then himself.
Seymour said that ARCC helped him to mature as a person, stating that he has grown much more patient since he took on the role of vice president, but admits that if he had been asked 12 years ago, he would never have imagined himself sitting in the vice president’s chair.
Seymour said that he has been part of many changes he has been a part of at ARCC over the last 12 years. He admits that nothing is really done by one person. He said “a lot of people contribute to the success of ARCC. I would never say, so and so works for me, but that they work with me.”
Seymour said that he feels the biggest impact he has had on ARCC is what he calls the coming together of the Coon Rapids and Cambridge campuses over the last decade. He stated that when he came on as the vice president, the campuses were like two separate entities, and now the relationship in regard to business alignment as well as student services is better than ever.
He accredited the faculty and students for helping to make the institution what it is today, acknowledging that every new day presents new obstacles that challenges the established perimeters, obstacles that he and the faculty have to find solutions to in order to keep the “highly regarded” reputation ARCC has earned over the years strong.
Seymour said that after time “It seems easy. People just look around and they see that thing are not that bad. We have facilities, nice technology, nice do-able workloads, and all those other things that make for a nice place to work. Safe environment, civil people, doesn't just happen. It takes leadership from the president down or the students up."
Seymour moved to Minnesota because of a job offer, he started working as a technology professor at a small university located in Austin, Minn. Seymour said that the market was too small for his career in Austin, which is how he ended up at ARCC, where he started his path towards vice presidency.
Seymour worked as what he calls “one of the first technology directors of the school.” He described that as a technology instructor he usually thought in a mathematical business-like manner, which he says is the sort of thinking he is required to use as the Vice President as well.
Seymour was born in Milwaukee, Wis. 1964, but he was raised in Sheboygan, Wis. for the first half of his childhood with his little brother Mando, and his parents Eufemia and Jerry Seymour. . He explained that his mother was full blooded Latino.
Seymour attended Ferris State University and earned his associate and bachelor in television production, and also earned his master’s in teaching there, as well. After attending Ferris State, Seymour initially worked making and editing training videos out for the corporate offices of General Motors. He admitted that it was a dull, unfulfilling job and decided to pursue a more technological career. Seymour said that he had learned a lot in the way of computer functionality due to the ever changing technological advancements in the television production field.
Seymour is now living with his wife Karla, and their two children, Tori, 15 and Tyler, 11 along with their dog Murphy Macray in Andover, Minn. Seymour stated that besides hunting with Murphy, he mostly enjoys spending time watching his children participate in their own distinct activities. However, he stated that he is happy to take advantage of all the time he can get with his family; he admitted that the hardest part of being the vice president of ARCC is finding a balance between the college and his family.
Michael Seymour is the vice president of operations at the Anoka-Ramsey Community College (ARCC) Coon Rapids Campus. Seymour is an anomaly; at least that’s how he described himself. “In the way that I work, play, and view life, I’m a little bit different. I have the comfort from across all social classes, in the way that I can be up on 65 at fat boys, with a table full of bikers and feel at home, or I could be hobnobbing with professionals, doctors and lawyers, and have a foundation to converse with everybody,” said Seymour.
He has worked as the vice president of ARCC for the last eight years. Seymour said that now there isn’t a second that he is not thinking of the institution. He stated that after being involved with the college for as long as he has, his career became bigger then himself.
Seymour said that ARCC helped him to mature as a person, stating that he has grown much more patient since he took on the role of vice president, but admits that if he had been asked 12 years ago, he would never have imagined himself sitting in the vice president’s chair.
Seymour said that he has been part of many changes he has been a part of at ARCC over the last 12 years. He admits that nothing is really done by one person. He said “a lot of people contribute to the success of ARCC. I would never say, so and so works for me, but that they work with me.”
Seymour said that he feels the biggest impact he has had on ARCC is what he calls the coming together of the Coon Rapids and Cambridge campuses over the last decade. He stated that when he came on as the vice president, the campuses were like two separate entities, and now the relationship in regard to business alignment as well as student services is better than ever.
He accredited the faculty and students for helping to make the institution what it is today, acknowledging that every new day presents new obstacles that challenges the established perimeters, obstacles that he and the faculty have to find solutions to in order to keep the “highly regarded” reputation ARCC has earned over the years strong.
Seymour said that after time “It seems easy. People just look around and they see that thing are not that bad. We have facilities, nice technology, nice do-able workloads, and all those other things that make for a nice place to work. Safe environment, civil people, doesn't just happen. It takes leadership from the president down or the students up."
Seymour moved to Minnesota because of a job offer, he started working as a technology professor at a small university located in Austin, Minn. Seymour said that the market was too small for his career in Austin, which is how he ended up at ARCC, where he started his path towards vice presidency.
Seymour worked as what he calls “one of the first technology directors of the school.” He described that as a technology instructor he usually thought in a mathematical business-like manner, which he says is the sort of thinking he is required to use as the Vice President as well.
Seymour was born in Milwaukee, Wis. 1964, but he was raised in Sheboygan, Wis. for the first half of his childhood with his little brother Mando, and his parents Eufemia and Jerry Seymour. . He explained that his mother was full blooded Latino.
Seymour attended Ferris State University and earned his associate and bachelor in television production, and also earned his master’s in teaching there, as well. After attending Ferris State, Seymour initially worked making and editing training videos out for the corporate offices of General Motors. He admitted that it was a dull, unfulfilling job and decided to pursue a more technological career. Seymour said that he had learned a lot in the way of computer functionality due to the ever changing technological advancements in the television production field.
Seymour is now living with his wife Karla, and their two children, Tori, 15 and Tyler, 11 along with their dog Murphy Macray in Andover, Minn. Seymour stated that besides hunting with Murphy, he mostly enjoys spending time watching his children participate in their own distinct activities. However, he stated that he is happy to take advantage of all the time he can get with his family; he admitted that the hardest part of being the vice president of ARCC is finding a balance between the college and his family.