If you ask Chuck Stangel to tell you about the best job he’s ever had, he will not hesitate: “Right here. Right now. This is it. Being able to interact with really capable people, to have this rich, eclectic student group to spend my time with, getting to be outside and have these campus grounds largely being offered to care for… it's a dream.”

After a successful career as a landscape architect, Chuck started teaching Horticulture at Fox Valley Technical College in 2016 and hasn’t looked back. He is a passionate advocate for his students, the horticulture industry and the environment.

Learn more about Chuck and what he loves most about teaching in our FVTC Faculty Spotlight.

---

What classes do you teach?

My strength is in landscape design, landscape construction, equipment operations and turf. I teach 11 distinctly different classes: a lot of outdoor classes in the fall, and in spring, I teach a class in pesticide application in landscape management and landscape estimating. I teach my design classes both in spring and fall.

Why did you decide to go into teaching?

I don't know that I decided as much as I just knew that it was something that really appealed to me, and I had the opportunity. Because I have a design background, I started teaching design here on an adjunct basis. But ultimately, I fell in love with the interaction with the people that I get to serve, so then it was an easy decision.

What do you enjoy most about the classes you teach?

The diversity of our student group here in Horticulture. We have roughly equal numbers of men and women and a broad range of ages from right out of high school to 50 and 60-year-old people who all have a different idea of how we can serve them. Understanding these students, identifying their goals and changing what we do to help them is an interesting and unique challenge. There's no day or person that's the same. I get a really eclectic and interesting mix of people to be with every day.

What’s one piece of advice you have for students?

I like our Employability Essentials. They’re very well written and they really make sense. So we talk a lot about showing up, communicating and acting responsibly and all of those things. Because ultimately, we want our students to be engaged happily and successfully in the workforce. They can learn skills other places, but what we model and what we ask them to do as students in terms of showing up and communicating with each other and working effectively in groups, is what's most important.

What skill are you currently working on?

We’re always trying to increase our ability to work sustainably. We have an organic land care program here on campus where we're trying to increase the educational value of our work, lower the cost and increase the environmental value. So reducing pesticides and being mindful of pollinating populations.

What’s one thing about you that might surprise your students?

In my time being a teacher, I’ve learned to be relatively transparent; if I can be accessible to students, they will open up to me, and the sooner they do that, the sooner I can get to know them. So I'm honestly kind of an open book. I don't hide much. They know how many kids and grandkids I have, and some of the successes and failures that I've had in my life. I want them to know that.

What do you like to do outside of the classroom?

I'm a busy guy… I have a lot of family in-state, so plenty of people to spend time with. And I've always enjoyed outdoor activities. My wife and I like to camp, kayak, bike. We're both active swimmers, so we go swim our laps in the summer when we can. Live music. I don't garden much though. My yard does not look very good. That's one thing I don't necessarily enjoy is going home and gardening. This is my garden. This is where I play outside.

What was your first job?

My first job was working for my dad, who owned a store. I was 10 or 12 years old and sweeping the floor and doing those kinds of things. My first job in the landscape profession was working as an entry level worker for Van Zeeland Nursery, which was a great learning opportunity.

What was your best job?

My best job is right here today. Working here, working at this place. The professional cohorts that I have here at FVTC are at a different level than any place I've ever worked. My opportunity to interact with really capable people, to have this really rich, eclectic student group to spend my time with, then I get to be outside and have these campus grounds largely being offered to care for… it's a dream. It really is. I wish I could have been here 20 or 30 years ago. Right here, right now, this is it.

---

Check out our video interview with Chuck including his answers to our lightning round!