Joe Rieland

UWF degree and year of graduation:
BA History 2003

Why did you choose to attend UWF?
I had Florida pre-paid and wanted to get away from South Florida, so visited several schools throughout the state and like the smaller campus of UWF.

What were your goals as a student?
My first goal was to graduate, second, I wanted to find a career that I would enjoy doing everyday and finally, my goal was to meet people and develop relationships with them.

What is your best memory from your days at UWF?
The relationships that I made with fellow students and administrators really surprised me. I really didn’t expect to be in touch with so many UWF friends after graduation.

Who was your favorite professor and why?
Dr. Patrick Moore was my favorite professor because I consider him a mentor as a teacher. He showed me, by example, how to teach history and how to treat students. Another favorite individual is Dr. Doug Pearson, a former student affairs administrator. I considered him my “Dad away from home” and he became a personal mentor to me.

What do you do now?
I teach American History for West Florida High School in Pensacola, Florida. I also coach freshman baseball and coach golf.

How did UWF help you progress to this point?
UWF made me a leader because of the roles I had as a student. The university also taught me that bigger isn’t always better and that it’s okay to attend a smaller campus environment. I had opportunities at UWF that would I would not have had at a larger school. I think that average students have the chance to hold above average positions at the university.

Outside of working, what activities and organizations are you currently involved in and what are your hobbies?
I golf all the time and when I’m not doing that, I’m on the baseball field. Outside of those activities, I just bought a house that I’m personally remodeling, so that’s keeping me very busy.

How do you stay connected to UWF?
Mostly with my relationships with fellow alumni, also, speak to Dr. Patrick Moore and Dr. Ford in student affairs. I also volunteer to take my classes from West Florida High School on field trips to campus and try to attend Pensacola Pelican’s game.

What advice do you have to current and future UWF students?
Get involved in something on campus and really enjoy it. Once you do, you’ll develop great relationships that you can take with you when you leave.

What quality makes UWF special or unique?
Any student at UWF has the opportunity to take advantage of activities that will allow them to have above average experiences. Students have access to administrators and faculty and the time I attended UWF. For example, when I attended UWF, I could go to eat lunch in the Commons and have lunch with Dr. Marx, who knew me by name.

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