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Life is a balancing act for many.
For Northwest Associate Professor Mark Corson, it is all about finding the right balance between spending quality time with his family, creating tests for his classes and serving his country.
Along with the general responsibilities that come with teaching, Corson also serves as a colonel in the U.S. Army and has a family.
"We all figure out the balance we need," Corson said. "And it is a challenge."
Dr. Corson:
Before Corson made his decision to teach at Northwest, he had the opportunity to teach at the University of South Carolina at Aiken, but instead decided to teach at Northwest after an interview with university faculty impressed him.
Corson has taught at Northwest for 11 years and during his career has spent a significant amount of time away from the University serving the United States.
When Corson is at Northwest, he teaches introduction to geography, geography of North America, military geography and political geography along with many other courses.
"I love being in the classroom working with the students," Corson said. "And giving a high energy lecture and having a discussion."
He is able to balance his two careers and enjoys both equally.
During his time away, other faculty divide out Corson's workload, Associated Geography Professor Renee Rohs said.
"I think his involvement in the military is highly regarded in our department; and we recognize the importance of what he does for our country," Rohs said.
Colonel Corson:
"I think there is a real synergy between my civilian job and my military job," Corson said.
The military recognizes Corson has a history with political geography and it has placed him in roles such as a lead negotiator in Kosovo.
"Both sides see the synergy in the relationship," Corson said.
Schuster works with Corson and often represents him in the Army during his time of absence. She recognizes his experience in the military and his civilian life complement each other, she said.
Corson served in the Army on active duty from 1983 to 1994 in Europe and Fort Stuart, Ga., as a tank officer. After the Cold War ended, Corson went to graduate school at the University of South Carolina for geography. A motivation for Corson's graduate work was a position at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point to teach geography.
His time at West Point opened up another door for his future.
"What I figured out at West Point after teaching full time, was that I love teaching geography," Corson said. "Just as much as I loved being in the army."
In 1994, the Army was decreasing in size, and offered Corson the option to leave the active Army and enter into the Army Reserve. The Army paid for Corson to get his doctorate in geography. After graduating, Corson taught geographic techniques to teachers in South Carolina for one year, before coming to Northwest.
Corson aided in the prevention of a civil war between Macedonia and the Serbian boarders. He was also the Theater Movement Control Battalion Commander in the 2003 invasion of Iraq.
During Corson's time in the Army Reserve and going to college, he still had to support his wife and two daughters. Because his transition into the Army Reserve was the day after he left the active Army, he had to find a way to make money while in graduate school so he began to work. He became a transportation officer, where he supervised the loading and unloading of ships coming to port in Charleston, S.C.
When Corson moved to northwest Missouri, he continued to do various logistical jobs to support his family.
He is currently commanding the 561 Regional Support group, where he either runs a forward operating base or does multi-functional support.
In October, Corson plans to take command of the 94 Training Division that teaches course sustainment for personnel services,
quarter masters and supplying services along with many others.
The most exciting and fulfilling time of Corson's time in the army is when he commanded the battalion in Iraq, he said. During his time there, he didn't lose any of his soldiers and made a significant contribution transporting supplies to the troops, he said.
"We were engaged in making history on the ground," Corson said. "I am tremendously proud of those soldiers and tremendously proud of what they did."
Corson also negotiated the border crossing agreement with the Kuwait government. He helped to write an international agreement that eventually allowed the transportation of supplies across borders. Corson was able to make the agreement possible because of his political geography background and the communication he had with the Kuwait government, he said.
"How often do college professors, at this level, get to negotiate international agreements?" Corson said.
Corson graduated this summer from the U.S. Army War College in Carlisle Barracks in Carlisle, Pa., with a master's degree in strategic studies.
Mr. Corson:
The time Corson spends with his wife Michelle, and his two daughters 16 year-old Ansley and 14 year-old Ashton is very important, he said.
When Corson is home he spends time supporting his daughters in their school activities.
His daughter's are very inquisitive but also have their goofy side, he said, which makes good balance.
This summer, Corson and his family traveled to Mexico for a week, and had discussions about the Mayans.
"My wife and two daughters are geographers at heart," Corson said.
Ruth Schuster, supervisory staff administrator for the U.S. Army, commends Corson on the way his family is supports his dual careers.
"It is not the University that takes the grunt, it is his family who takes on the burden, and I don't know how he does it," Schuster said.
Like the Army Reserve saying "one weekend a month, two weeks a year" is the amount of time you get to spend with your family, Corson said.
Corson spends most of his weekends and most of the summers with the Army. Last year he was away from his family for about 150 days and plans for more this year.
"It is a balancing act," Corson said. "Somewhere between the army and my job (at Northwest) there is a wife and two kids."
His family understands that he will be gone for weeks or months at a time but that is part of being a military family.
"We are a military family, and they are very supportive of that," Corson said.
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