John X. Volker
A Brief Biography
This short, but hopefully concise, biography will bring some enlightenment as to who I am and how I came to be me. I will only touch upon those things that I consider significant factors in my development; both as a scholar and as an individual traveler in this adventure we call life. So, having made my introduction let us begin.
I earned my Ph.D. at Walden University. Walden is, to say the
least, a non-traditional doctoral program. Walden University believes that
education is a process and not a place. The Walden University doctoral program
is one of guided self-exploration and inquiry into a specific field. It is not for the
faint of heart or for someone who needs the structure and guidance offered by
the traditional classroom experience. However, for those individuals willing to
develop their research and writing skills and who can practice the discipline
necessary to complete the program it offers a viable alternative to traditional
programs. My degree is in applied management and decision sciences and my
primary area of research is entrepreneurship. I am also interested in
organizational story telling and business applications of geographic information
systems.
My MBA was earned at Murray State University (MSU) in Murray, Kentucky. My time at Murray State University, in both the undergraduate and graduate program, was a pivotal point in my development both as an explorer in life and as a scholar. My undergraduate studies reflect my interest in people and in this adventure we call life. While at Murray I studied psychology, business management, and anthropology. I also had the opportunity to become involved in the residence halls program at MSU through my employment as residence hall director.
I have worked for Phillips Petroleum Company, Murray State University as a business specialist for the Small Business Development Center, Austin Peay State University as the Director of the Small Business Development Center, and the George S. May International Company since I earned my MBA at Murray State. Each of these positions provided opportunities for growth and continued skill development. Hopefully, I also gave something to each of these companies and organizations through my efforts to assist them in achieving their objectives. I have now moved to what I discovered is my first love - teaching. That I am having the time of my life would be an understatement. I currently teach classes in entrepreneurship, management, and geographic information systems.
I believe in life long learning and continuous improvement. I also act on this belief. My belief in and practice of life long learning does not stop with my professional life. I enjoy challenging myself through more relaxing physical and intellectual activities. I enjoy scale modeling, specificlly model railroading and armor models, and am constantly trying to expand my skills and knowledge of these hobbies. I enjoy walking through the woods and letting my imagination run amok as I ponder any questions that occur to me during the walk. I find these walks to be a source of inspiration and a fountain of creativity.
I am married to my best friend, Diann who is a daily inspiration to
me and is also the best road trip buddy anyone could ask for. I have
a daughter Heather and two wonderful grandkids, Justin A.K.A.
"Dude" and Mathew. I have the rare privilege of also sharing with
Diann the joy she finds in her grandkids, Jacob and Mathew.
I view life as an adventure that should be embraced and savored. I
believe in dreams, everyone should develop their own dream and
then, as one of my favorite characters, Captain Picard, says, "Make it
so."