Instructor Introduction to Speech 3 at Barstow Community College

My name is Greg Cheek and welcome to (our) course together! This course is extremely interactive and we will learn a tremendous amount about each other in the next couple of months. Additionally, I want to congratulate you on your decision to pursue your education on-line with Barstow Community College. Barstow is a magnificent college with an amazing faculty! You've made a great choice!

I'm originally from Sacramento, California. I graduated from Foothill High School in 1980 (Wow! that long ago?) Where I grew up - if you did not go to college to play sports - (and most did not!) you joined the service. I enlisted in the Air Force at age 18 and served 4 years in Texas, Turkey, and California. I took my first college class by mail while I was serving in Turkey. I completed most of my AA degree by extended education - all by mail!

I separated from the Air Force in 1984 and I attended Shasta Community College in Redding, California. I remained in the Air Force Reserves throughout community college and earned my AA degree in General Education in May 1986. I transferred to California State University, Chico. I joined the Army ROTC program and graduated in May 1988 with a BA Degree in Education and as a 2nd LT in the US Army Medical Service Corps. I married my girl friend throughout college (Mary). We departed for our new life in the Army at Ft Sam Houston, Texas.

I spent the next 16 years in the Army. My first assignment was my most influential tour of duty and changed the way I look at communication. I served as an aide de camp during Operation Desert Shield and Storm to a Senior General Officer that worked directly under General Colin Powell and General Norman Schwarzkopf. I watched everyday for a year the way the senior military and civilian officials would communicate to each other and the public. Over the next couple of years, I asked anyone that was successful in business, military, and sports….what is the key to success?- the resounding answer was - The ability to communicate effectively! I made the decision in 1991 that I was going to land a job that allowed me the chance to get a graduate degree in communication. I selected Ft Carson, Colorado and I immediately began the Masters in Communication program at the University of Northern Colorado. Classes were taught at the US Air Force Academy and I graduated in May 1993 with an MA in Communication. My ability to effectively communicate was a tremendous asset throughout my military career. I received the MacArthur Leadership award as a Captain and I was promoted early to Major and Lt Colonel. All my success was due to my family, the great service members I worked with and my ability to effectively communicate.

Teaching….I must have started teaching somewhere? My first teaching assignment was on nights and weekends at Ft Irwin, CA (NTC) for Barstow Community College. I taught speech classes for two years while serving as an OC for the Scorpion Team at the NTC and I just never stopped teaching. I have not missed a semester in 15 years. I've taught over 75 courses in locations around the world at 11 different colleges and universities. Teaching is my absolute LOVE! I retired in May 2005 from the US Army and I taught full time for one year at the Community College of Southern Nevada and UNLV in Las Vegas, Nevada. I returned to Kansas City to begin my own communication consulting business. I also teach communication courses at Kansas City Kansas Community College. I'm extremely excited to begin my 3rd year of on-line teaching at Barstow College. I'm currently living in Kansas City, MO. Mary and I have three children (Erik -19, Nicole -16, and Stefanie -14)

As a communication consultant to over 200 organizations around the world, the key to success in any organization has not changed! From entry level to CEO or small company to Fortune 500, you must be able to effectively understand the communication process in order to be successful. We will intensely study this process in the next couple of months! We will have fun doing it as well J

This course is about each of you and how you interact with each other! You will find this fun and entertaining as you meet your fellow students from around the world. My student's may call any time before 9 pm PST during the semester on my cell phone. My e-mail is gcheek@bcconline.com and my cell phone is 816-721-5064. I look forward to a great semester!

Let's begin to Communicate!

Kinds Regards!

Greg Cheek