Faces of Faculty and Staff: Petra Perkins
by Marcia Wilson
Faces of Faculty and Staff: Petra Perkins, Continuing Education Director
This interview is part of a series meant to introduce our college community members to a broader readership. Inspired by “Wild Card with Rachel Martin,” our intrepid interviewer has a variety of questions that are numbered and fall into different categories. The subject picks a number and the interview begins with neither party knowing what question will come next.
Role and impact: Share a moment when you felt your impact
Petra: The day a student walked into my office unannounced to get my signature on a progress report. I was super busy and moving really fast. To be honest, I overwhelmed that day and felt a little annoyed at the unexpected interruption .I was trying hard to not let that show. I signed the form, made a copy for her, and let her know that she could email the report to me in the future (I rarely see any of my students in person). That’s when I noticed she was on the verge of tears. So I asked her how everything was gong. She told me a bit of what was happening in her life that had caused her to isolate for weeks. The light bulb when on and I said, “Ah you came in to get the form signed because you needed human contact.” She nodded and the tears and the full story of what she was going through flowed out. For me this was one of those moments that demonstrated both the negative impact I can have on a student when I am not listening and moving too fast, and the positive impact I can have just by slowing down, listening deeply, and honoring another person’s humanity. It was a humbling moment.
Career path: What drew you to CPTC?
Petra: I needed a job! [laughs] I love it so much that I stopped donating to any of my colleges. I donate here now.
I used to teach College Success 102 and I’d start by asking how many feel tech colleges have a bad rap. Most students would raise their hands and then I tell them, “I have been the recipient of one of the most elite colleges in the US. but [knowing what I know now] I would have done it differently.” I was good in school but it didn’t track with my interests. It wasn’t a fit. I would have been happier starting in a tech college.
“Why do I need to take general education classes,” College Success 102 students often asked. Could we do better contextualizing? Yes. We teach students in a world where we go out on the world and find themselves.
Optional and extras: How do you describe your role?
Petra: I run scrappy, struggling small business that is disguised as a tiny department in a big bureaucracy. My job is part sales, part career counselor, part enrollment rep, part pastoral counselor, part bookkeeper, part teacher, part program developer. Most of the people I serve are in high stress situations financially and emotionally because they are either unemployed, underemployed, or unhappily employed. None of them are operating in anything that even remotely resembles a comfort zone. For the most part, do not need or do not want traditional credit programs. So they are invisible to most other parts of the institution. They want relevant, up-to-date training that is short, accessible, and budget-friendly. Generally, they don’t see themselves as students. They think of themselves as workers who need a little training to get back into the workforce or to improve their skills and career options. Sometimes they really do need one of our traditional programs. If I can’t move them in that direction, I try to plant the seed for it. They are included in the “non-traditional” student category, but I’ve come to think of them as the 21st-century traditional student. They make me crazy, and I LOVE them.
Personality and connection: If you could shadow someone on campus, who would it be?
Petra: This would a toss-up between whoever could tell me the most about VR technology and Chris Ridler, Director of Operations. I have a lot of questions about the use of VR technology for training. I think Chris Ridler has one of the most complex jobs on the campus.