Senior Timothy Gordon loves working with kids. So much, in fact, that he decided to major in adolescent history education when he came to Plattsburgh State.
In high school, he knew he wanted to be a teacher or a coach. He said history was something that stemmed from his ninth grade history teacher.
“I was the kid that was all around sports all the time, and the only teacher that had a profound impact on me was my ninth grade history teacher Mr. Kirvin,” Gordon said. “He was the basketball coach and the cool teacher I’ve always wanted to be.”
Gordon said he felt a little pressure from his parents who both owned their own companies, but he didn’t want to pursue business.
“Eventually I just realized if I’m going to do this, I need to do it my way,” he said. “I need to do something that makes me happy.”
When Gordon was a high school senior, he started taking classes at a community college because he had completed almost all of his courses with the exception of a government class and gym.
He attended Fulton Montgomery Community College until the fall of 2014, when he transferred to PSUC. He said he decided on PSUC because of its five-year program. Gordon also said compared to other schools, he felt PSUC allowed him to be more versatile. He said he also enjoyed the Adirondacks.
Gordon then took an anthropology class and said he decided to minor in cultural anthropology.
“Anthropology kind of blew my mind the first time I took it,” Gordon said. “It really took me out of the culture I’m in now, and it put a lot in perspective.”
Besides being involved in classes, Gordon has been the president of Tau Kappa Epsilon for almost two semesters.
Gordon said he went to some rush events and the other fraternities in Greek life are great, but when he met the other students in TKE, he wanted to join.
“I went to some rush events, but none of them were really for me at the time,” he said. “I needed something with structure and professional development.”
Since joining, Gordon said he’s learned that he is a leader.
“I kind of use to be the guy that was comic relief,” Gordon said. “ I made president somehow. I found out a lot about myself. And I hope to learn more. You find out something new every day.”
Additionally, Gordon has participated on PSUC’s rugby team. He said the team took him in, and he was able to make a bunch of friends through rugby.
“It’s a way for me to stay competitive and stay active.”
Gordon said he’s learned a lot about himself since coming to PSUC. Since he comes from a small town with 200 people, he said he didn’t realize how good he is at talking to people every day.
“People use to know me not because I talked to them but because I played sports,” he said. “Coming here really put me in a position where I just had to go out and meet people.”
His roommate senior environmental science major Kyle Mcvey said he met Gordon at orientation when he was standing outside of Clinton. Mcvey said he didn’t really know anyone, but he saw Gordon leading a group of people. His first impression of Gordon was that he was a leader and a fun-loving person.
“He was talking his face off to everyone, and I just went up to him and asked him if he could be my roommate,” Mcvey said. “Then we got lunch and did the paperwork within an hour.”
He said he manages his time well and tries to stay concise with every message he is trying to convey.
“When you look around, you see other people. It all just seems insane,” Mcvey said. But with him, he has this kind of vision. He has this insight of what he wants more than other people, and you can tell.”
Mcvey said Gordon has told him his plans to become a teacher after he graduates, but Mcvey said he can also see his friend going into politics.
Gordon’s girlfriend senior communication science disorders major Eileen Ruane agreed she can see Gordon becoming a politician as well.
Ruane said Mcvey and Gordon would have friendly arguments all the time. She said she knows he would be a great teacher too because he would make an impact on student’s lives.
Ruane met Gordon in spring of 2015 when she attended a mixer with his fraternity and her sorority, Theta Phi Alpha.
She said she messaged him, and from there, they started dating. She said that she really liked how funny he was when she first met him and that he had a good head on his shoulders.
“I think he was made for leadership. He walks into a room, and you know he’s there,” she said. “He’s got a different way of leading people though. He’s not controlling or demanding. He is actually concerned for other people too.”
Gordon also had advice for students. He said that while students are here, they should learn to write and read well.
“It’s going to separate you when you get out of this school,” he said.
Gordon plans on becoming a teacher after college. He said he wants to help people at the end of the day.
He said if he makes an impact on just a few students, then that might be enough to change their lives.
“Explore everythinzg and don’t be afraid of any preconceptions people might have of you. You’re at college with a whole different group of people,” Gordon said. “This is a new start to your life. Be the person you want to be, and don’t be the person that people told you you are.”
Email Kavita Singh at fuse@cardinalpointsonline.com
