Travel • Cal
State Long Beach journalism instructor
Tim Howard, left, and JetBlue co-pilot
Clay Venable in the cockpit of a JetBlue-A320
Airbus. Howard flies on a 400-mile
commute weekly from Northern California
to teach at CSULB. Photo provided by
John Sanders
Professor makes 400-mile commute to teach
By
Melissa Bula
Online Forty-Niner
Contributing Writer
Tim Howard, a Cal State Long Beach instructor, is so dedicated to his job that
despite his fear of flying he anxiously boards a JetBlue A-320 plane every
Monday evening to teach a public relations class in the journalism department
at The Beach.
Howard’s 400-mile commute begins in Oakland. He has taken it upon himself
physically and financially to travel from his home in Lodi, a small town outside
of Sacramento, to teach Written Communication for Public Relations. In the
spring, he will be adding Mass Media Ethics to his Tuesday schedule to help
off-set the expenses of travel as well as do what he loves to do—teach.
It is uncommon for a professor to fly in to work at any university, but after
receiving notice of the available position from CSULB associate professor Matt
Cabot, a fellow alumnus from the University of the Pacific, Howard saw this
as an opportunity to teach students about the most essential skill of public
relations—writing.
“
Tim Howard is obviously a dedicated and enthusiastic teacher,” Cabot
said. “Although he is a successful public relations practitioner in the
central valley, he flies in each week just to teach this class.”
To
people in the airline business, Howard
is known as a “white knuckle flyer,” code
for “terrified passenger.”
“
I am especially grateful for everyone at JetBlue for their skilled hands
and kind hearts,” he said.
Howard said he makes a concerted effort to get to know each and every employee
at JetBlue by name.
“
Good relationships are everything in public relations as well as in life,” Howard
said.
In
addition, he said he remembers to do
a small act of kindness en route to and
from Long Beach by sharing a small gift
certificate of appreciation to either
Starbucks or In-N-Out Burger each flight,
for both the ground and air team members
at JetBlue.
“
I like to give back to people, it is my nature to help,” Howard
said. “If somebody is having an exhausting or routine day and I
can offer a kind word or small token of appreciation that makes them
feel cared for and important, that just makes my day that much more enjoyable.”
Howard is known for making his students’ days more enjoyable as well.
“
He was a really excellent teacher that let us know he really cared about us,” said
public relations student Brandy Stowers. “He would get a high by just
seeing us do better and succeeding.”
On the first day of class, Howard furnished the students with the assigned
textbooks at his expense. He also provided each student with key chains and
pens that included his personal contact information and awarded In-N-Out Burger
gift certificates to those who participated in class lecture.
With over 16 years of experience in marketing, advertising, public relations,
human relations, community relations and public affairs, Howard is able to
apply his experience through the use of both audio and visual equipment he
carries with him on every flight.
“
I try to offer an instructional environment that is thought provoking,
enjoyable and equitable, while at the same time creating a challenging
setting, which pushes students to rise to a level they were not aware
that they can achieve,”
Howard said.”
Dr. Carol Ann Hackely, Ph.D., APR, FEL, Professor of public relations at the
University of the Pacific has been assisting Howard through his bachelors,
masters and now, doctorate degree.
“
Howard offers real world experiences through a creative approach and
sees this opportunity as an investment in the future,” Hackely
said.
Howard, who also serves as co-advisor for the campus Public Relations Student
Society of America, said he one day hopes to change the journalism department’s
title to read,’“Department of Journalism and Public Relations.” Howard
said he believes the department is well positioned to earn accreditation in
public relations—a recognition awarded to less than a dozen other universities.
“
I want CSULB to be the first place businesses and PR agencies search
for their employment needs,” Howard added.
Howard, who is married with two children, said he values his teaching experiences
so much that, if required, he would fly as many as 3,000 miles a day to teach.
“
I cherish the many friendships and valuable opportunity that I have been
blessed to fulfill,” Howard said. “I just hope my efforts
will positively benefit others in life.”
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